[ga-roots] Operational Stability of the Internet

["Patrick Corliss" <patrick@corliss.net>]

Date: Fri, 18 May 2001 08:00:48 -0700, Tim Langdell, PhD wrote:

> "Stability of the Internet"
>
> Can anyone out there tell me what is meant when someone talks of new
> domain names (and let's say that this means new TLDs for the sake of
> argument) affecting the "stability" of the Internet? Can anyone give me
> even one example of how the introduction of a new TLD could affect such
> "stability" in the slightest way?

Hi Tim

The ICANN Charter is shown on its homepage at http://www.icann.org/ where it
says, in part, that:

> In addition, ICANN coordinates the stable operation of the Internet's root
> server system.  As a non-profit, private-sector corporation, ICANN is
> dedicated to preserving the operational stability of the Internet . . .

The exprsssion is really "operational stability" and a search of that term
shows that it is commenly used in engineering applications to indicate that
the system performs reliably in accordance with (a) expectations or (b)
specifications.  These may need to be defined precisely for the system.

However, further examination of the ICANN website shows a "revised" Articles
of Incorporation (21 Nov 1998) at http://www.icann.org/general/articles.htm
Clause 3 of these Articles includes the following explanation:

This Corporation is a nonprofit public benefit corporation . . . promoting
the global public interest in the operational stability of the Internet by

(i) coordinating the assignment of Internet technical parameters as needed
to maintain universal connectivity on the Internet;
(ii) performing and overseeing functions related to the coordination of the
Internet Protocol ("IP") address space;
(iii) performing and overseeing functions related to the coordination of the
Internet domain name system ("DNS"), including the development of policies
for determining the circumstances under which new top-level domains are
added to the DNS root system;
(iv) overseeing operation of the authoritative Internet DNS root server
system; and
(v) engaging in any other related lawful activity in furtherance of items
(i) through (iv).

It would seem to me, therefore, that Article 3 defines "the operational
stability of the internet" to include ensuring an "authoritative internet
DNS root server system".  Clearly this system would not perform in
accordance with expectations and/or specifications when domain names
fail to resolve in accordance with ICANN's policy for adding new top-level
domains to the DNS root system -- per Article 3(iii).

Article 3(iii) requires ICANN to develop policies for determining the
circumstances under which new top-level domains are added to the DNS root
system.  Should anyone know of such policies, I would appreciate a pointer
to where they might be located.

Meanwhile it is interesting to see how this all relates to the independent
"inclusive" root system and its potential to cause operational instability.

Best regards
Patrick Corliss




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