A few days after launching an expert working Group on gTLD directory services, ICANN has announced that it has selected Stiftelsen för Internetinfrastruktur (.SE) as the provider of Pre-Delegation Testing services for the new gTLD Program. The provider is the registry operator for the .se ccTLD (Sweden) with a long and proven track of technical capability, operations excellence, and significant experience in the industry.
The service provider was selected out of a process of consideration in accordance with the Request for Proposals issued on 30 October 2012. Requirements for candidate service providers included: a demonstrated understanding of the critical registry, operational experience necessary to deliver the testing services, ability to scale up on request, experience designing, building, and operating robust & secure systems. ICANN received competitive proposals from several qualified firms, and finally selected .SE as the Pre-Delegation Testing provider for the new gTLD program.
Pre-Delegation Testing will be conducted to verify that the applicant has met its commitment to establish registry operations in accordance with the technical and operational criteria described in the gTLD Applicant Guidebook (AGB). Each applicant will be required to complete Pre-Delegation Testing as a prerequisite to delegation into the root zone. The test elements cover both DNS server infrastructure and registry system operations.
The test elements cover both DNS server infrastructure and registry system operations. The Pre-Delegation Testing process is described in the Section 5.2 of gTLD Applicant Guidebook as shown below:
Those interested can download the full guidebook here.
This step will help fulfil the ICANN Board’s directive to redefine the purpose and provision of gTLD registration data and will provide a foundation to help the ICANN community in creating create a new global policy for gTLD directory services.
About Stiftelsen för Internetinfrastruktur (.SE):
The Internet Infrastructure Foundation (.SE) is an independent organization for the benefit of the public that acts to promote the positive development of the Internet in Sweden. .SE is responsible for the Internet’s Swedish top-level domain, .se, encompassing domain name registration, and the administration and technical operation of the national domain name registry. Proceeds from domain name registrations are used to finance initiatives that promote the development of the Internet in Sweden, through proprietary operations and the financing of independent projects.
