Domain Name Registry
A domain name registry is also called a Network Information Centre (NIC), it is a part of the Domain Name System (DNS) of the Internet which converts domain names to IP addresses. An organization that manages the registration of Domain names within the top – level domain which it is responsible, controls the policies of domain name allocation, and technically operates its top-level domain. It has a potentially distinct from a domain name registrar.
Domain names are managed under a hierarchy headed by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), and also manages the top of the DNS tree by administrating the data in the root name servers.
Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) operates the .int registry for intergovernmental organizations, the .arpa zone for protocol administration purposes, and other critical zones like root-server. IANA also delegates all other domain name authority to other domain name registries such as VeriSign. Country code top-level domains (ccTLD) also delegated by IANA to national registries like DENIC in Germany, or Nominet in the United Kingdom.
The co-operatives of internet service is the providers (such as DENIC of Germany) or not-for profit companies (such as Nominet of UK). The allocated and assigned domain names are made available by registries by use of the Whois system and via their Domain Name Servers.The registries sell the names directly like SWITCH of Switzerland) and others rely on separate entities to sell them.
The domain name registries operate the first – come – first – served system of allocation but it may reject the allocation of specific domains on the basis of political, religious, historical, legal or cultural reasons.Between 1996 and 1998 in the United States, the InterNIC automatically rejected domain name applications based on a list of perceived obscenities.
Registries can control matters of interest to their local communities like the German, Japanese and Polish registries have introduced internationalized domain names to allow use of local non-ASCII characters.