Internet Protocol

Internet Protocol / Most Commented

SiteFinder vs. Engineers: Our Mistake Is Ignorance

We, as the Internet engineering community, have made a great mistake. Actually, it wasn't even one large mistake, but a series of small ones. Engineers are busy people, and most of us work under the constraints of the organizational entities we serve (be it ISPs, non-internet corporates, or even non-profits). Few of us have time for politics; even fewer have the desire and motivation for politics, and those of us who do try usually end up facing a brick wall of stubbornness, lack of understanding of the underlying technical issues, or just a deaf ear. more

The Internet Infrastructure: Stability vs. Innovation

Stratton Sclavos of VeriSign distills the essence of the SiteFinder controversy in his CNet interview...There is a subtle but essential misunderstanding here. Innovation can and should happen in Internet infrastructure, but there are a handful of core elements that must remain open and radically simple if the Internet is to remain, well, the Internet. These include TCP/IP, SMTP, HTTP, BIND, BGP, and the DNS (especially the .com registry). Any change in these protocols should be very carefully vetted through a consensus-based process. more

ALAC Statement on Site Finder

The ICANN At-Large Advisory Committee would like to bring to ICANN's attention concerns about VeriSign's surprising roll-out of the "SiteFinder" service for .com and .net. This practice raises grave technical concerns, as it de facto removes error diagnostics from the DNS protocol, and replaces them by an error handling method that is tailored for HTTP, which is just one of the many Internet protocols that make use of the DNS.
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A Closer Look At The Controversy Over The Internet’s Birthday! You Decide

Internet users welcomed the New Year this year with a controversy that reaches to the roots of the Internet itself. January 1, 1983 was the day computer systems on the ARPANET were required to switch over to the TCP/IP protocol. This year marks the 20th anniversary of that event.

Several news stories appeared on the Internet before or on January 1, 2003 heralding January 1, 2003 as the twentieth birthday of the Internet. Other news stories questioned calling this date the birthday of the Internet. To have the date of the Internet's birthday be the subject of a controversy is appropriate, given the nature and history of the Internet. In its early development, the Internet grew and flourished because researchers were encouraged to debate their differences. In this environment, collaborative work thrived. more

Privacy Matters: Is It Time To Abolish The WHOIS Database?

Recently, I entered my domain name in a "WHOIS" database query to test the results of the database by using WHOIS on a number of domain name registrar websites. WHOIS is a database service that allows Internet users to look up a number of matters associated with domain names, including the full name of the owner of a domain name, the name of the domain name hosting service, the Internet Protocol or I.P. number(s) corresponding to the domain name, as well as personally identifying information on those who have registered domain names. I was astonished to find... more

Sovereignty Inversion: How RIRs Reduced National Sovereignty to a US$100 Liability Cap

Regional internet registries, once coordinators of technical scarcity, now effectively cap liability at $100 while retaining control over national numbering systems, shifting risk to states and entrenching a governance model critics argue today inverts sovereignty. more

Regional Internet Registries’ Thick Governance Turns Uniqueness Into Double Extraction

Regional Internet registries, built for coordination, now sit atop scarce IPv4 assets while bearing little liability, suppressing capitalization and imposing "double extraction" that weakens operators, distorts markets and threatens the stability of global internet uniqueness. more

The Geopolitical Protocol: Can QUIC and LEO Satellites Mitigate the Risks of Fragile Subsea Cables?

As geopolitical tensions expose the fragility of subsea cables, Low Earth Orbit satellites and the QUIC protocol promise a more resilient internet by diversifying routes, preserving session continuity, and redefining control over global data flows. more

The Excruciating Slow Rise of DNSSEC: A Dialogue With Roy Arends About Myths, Realities and Hard Lessons

DNSSEC promised to secure DNS with cryptographic proof, yet messy rollouts, outages, and hype backlash ruined its reputation. This piece argues that storytelling and emotions shape adoption as much as specs, and that automation enables a reset. more

Nominations Open for 2026 Public Interest Registry (PIR) Board of Directors

The Internet Society is accepting nominations for two seats on the 2026 Board of the Public Interest Registry, the non-profit behind .ORG and other domains serving civil society. Deadline: 30 January 2026. more

The Critical Role of the RIR Governance Document for the Internet Numbering System

A revised governance document for Regional Internet Registries aims to replace outdated policy, enhancing transparency, continuity, and oversight in managing IP resources while preparing for future disruptions across the global Internet infrastructure. more

NANOG 95: From Faster Fibre to Route Leaks, Operators Face Old Problems with New Tools

The NANOG 95 conference spotlighted breakthroughs in fibre optics, wireless technology, routing security, and quantum computing, offering a forward-looking assessment of internet infrastructure and its vulnerabilities, as reported by APNIC's Geoff Huston. more

Internet Evolution: Moore’s Law, Addressing Architectures, and the Future of Internet Scale

The Internet has evolved from a scarcity-driven system into one defined by abundance, reshaping infrastructure, governance, and economic models while challenging long-held assumptions about addressing, network roles, and the future of protocol design. more

Internet Society Seeks Nominations for 2026 Board of Trustees

The Internet Society is seeking nominations for its 2026 Board of Trustees. Four seats are open across its global stakeholder communities, offering an opportunity to help steer the future of a trusted, open Internet. more

Entering the Growing IPv4 Market: What Enterprises Should Do Now

With IPv4 addresses fetching up to $30 apiece and IPv6 adoption lagging, companies may be sitting on hidden digital assets. A strategic audit could unlock unexpected revenue and enhance long-term infrastructure planning. more