CZ.NIC successfully launched a new .CZ domain administration system

Deployment of the new .CZ domain registration system means more efficient domain administration and simplified registration

CZ.NIC, the . CZ domain administrator, has launched the new .cz domain administration system at 10 AM on October 1st, 2007. The new system, developed and administered by CZ.NIC employees, is the result of a six-month long preparation for taking over the physical administration process from T-Systems PragoNet, the association's outsourcing partner, which supplied and operated the previous version of the registration system. This change will mean savings of tens of millions of Crowns a year. For domain holders, the change will bring easier and more efficient registration of .cz domain.

Migration of data between the previous system and the new one was implemented during a three day interruption in the registration process. During the interruption, between September 28th and 30th, registration of new .cz domains and changes (transfer, re-registration, changes in contacts) were not allowed. Cancellation of domains was also disabled, so no holders were in danger of loosing their domains as a result of not being able to re-register them. The interruption did not have any effect on the operation of the Czech Internet itself.

Domain cancellation will only be resumed 4th of October so that registrars and users have enough time to re-register them.

„Migration of domain data between the old and new systems was thoroughly planned and tested several times, so the deployment of the new system went according to plan and without any problems,“ said Martin Peterka, Operational Manager of CZ.NIC. „As part of preparations, individual registrars' systems were made compatible with the new system and registrars were able to resume their services immediately after the new system went on.“

From October 1st, three new registrars are offering .cz domain name registration: WinSoft Company, s.r.o., MITON CZ, s.r.o. and Explorer, a.s.

Further plans of CZ.NIC In the near future, CZ.NIC will concentrate on projects providing support and development for the Internet and its services. Among others, this includes the FRED open source registration system, which is already on offer for individual national domain registries throughout the world, free of charge. (More information on the FRED system in the „CZ.NIC makes its domain administration system open source“ Press Release of October 2nd, 2007).

Other areas CZ.NIC specialists will focus on include deployment of the IPv6 protocol on the Czech Internet, or use of the DNSSEC technology, which will be beneficial for security of the Internet traffic. The support and development of the ENUM technology will also continue to be provided. This technology expands the possibilities of Internet telephony.

„We have another big challenge in front of us – the possibility to participate in the development of Internet and its services, which is one of the main goals of CZ.NIC,“ added Ondřej Filip, the Executive Director of CZ.NIC. „We concentrate on projects which provide benefits to Internet users in the Czech Republic, we feel we can contribute to their solution. In the process, we use our long-term co-operation with individual domain registrars and organisations engaged in research and development of Internet technologies throughout the world.“