IANA: admins of the internet

Each web page has its own name: if you have your own website or blog, you’ll know that you cannot use a website name – otherwise called a domain – that has already been taken. If you enter the name of a certain website into a browser search bar, the name is routed to a server, which translates it into an IP address and brings you to the website. These names and numbers, known as unique identifiers, are compared with a standardized set of internet protocol parameters, and enable communication between computers. One of the tasks of the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) is to manage these unique identifiers.

The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority has an important administrative role. It is responsible for assigning the unique names and numbering systems that are used according to the technical standards of the internet and form the basis for addressing websites. Although the internet is not a centrally managed network, some core elements do need to be coordinated globally. IANA took on this task with the predecessor of what we now know as the internet.This makes IANA one of the oldest institutions on the internet.

IANA's tasks were originally done by a single person: Jon Postel. In 1972, Postel, a student at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), proposed to establish an administration to manage socket numbers for the newly developed ARPANET. Although ARPANET was comparatively manageable, it was still important that the same socket numbers were not used for different applications. Postel himself took over the task and produced a corresponding catalog.

From 1976 onwards, Postel pursued his appointment as “Czar of Socket Numbers” at the Information Sciences Institute (ISI) at the University of Southern California (USC). Officially, however, responsibility for the IANA function lay with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), an agency of the United States Department of Defense. The federal authority financed the ISI project to support the development of ARPANET. The term “IANA” was coined during the transition phase from ARPANET to today's internet, and was first used in 1988.

From 1988 to 1998, IANA was jointly funded by DARPA and ISI. With the publication of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) white paper “Management of Internet Names and Addresses” by the US Department of Commerce, a draft for a new administrative structure was presented. A private and non-profit organization was to be set up to take over the IANA function and other administrative tasks. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) was founded at the end of 1998.

What IANA does is very important for the internet to work smoothly. The tasks can be divided into three main categories:

IANA coordinates the global pool of IP numbers and AS numbers (autonomous system numbers or just ASN), which are assigned in address blocks to the five regional internet registries (RIR). RIRs in turn make smaller address blocks available to the respective local internet registries (LIR) and the national internet registries (NIR), which then pass them on to the internet service providers. The table below shows the regions of each RIR:

There are currently two types of IP addresses: IPv4 and IPv6. The new IPv6 standard allows significantly more unique IP addresses to be generated. IPv4 addresses are still used more frequently, though.

IANA operates and coordinates the central root zone of the domain name system (DNS), whose levels (top-level domain, second-level domain, and subdomain) make up the complete domain names. In this context, IANA also manages the database with all top-level domains (TLDs), the last part of the complete domain name. It also coordinates the .int and .arpa TLDs. The TLD “int” is reserved for intergovernmental contract organizations, while the TLD “arpa” is used only for technical infrastructure purposes.

In addition, IANA maintains the central collection of permissible internationalized domain names. IDNs, also colloquially referred to as special character domains, allow umlauts, diacritic characters (small characters attached to letters that indicate pronunciation or tone), or letters from alphabets other than Latin to be integrated into the domain name. Originally, this kind of character was not provided for in the DNS. To cope with the growth and the resulting globalization of the internet, the use of special characters was subsequently made possible by the internet standard “Internationalizing Domain Names in Applications” (IDNA).

Since 1998, IANA has been a division of ICANN. ICANN is made up of different groups representing different databases, and making sure that the communication between these databases is smooth and efficient. They are divided into supporting organizations and advisory committees.

• Organizations that work with IP addresses
• Organizations that work with domain names
• Manager of country-specific top-level domains

In addition, the Technical Liaison Group works with the various organizations responsible for drawing up the basic internet protocols.

• Governments and international organizations
• Root server operators
• Organizations concerned with internet security
• Traditional internet users (ICANN-at-large membership)

The final decisions are made by the board of directors consisting of 21 internet experts, which is appointed by several bodies. The articles of association provide for the greatest possible geographical and cultural diversity in the selection of members.

In addition to the IANA functions, ICANN also coordinates the operation of the so-called root servers. There are 13 of these servers worldwide. The central server is called “Root Server A,” the twelve other servers serve as a backup. The IP addresses for all TLDs are stored on each root server and are essential for the function of the internet. ICANN itself operates one of the root servers.

ICANN is a grassroots organization, and offers opportunities for all internet users to become involved:

• Three times a year, ICANN holds public meetings, which are open to all interested parties free of charge and held at different locations. At meetings, ICANN stakeholders determine what tasks will need to be completed in the future and who will take responsibility for them. Criticism and suggestions can be made during ICANN meetings.
  
  
• Alternatively, you can comment on ICANN's proposals and contribute your own ideas online at any time via the public comments.
  
  
• ICANN-at-large membership also offers the opportunity to become more involved. The members are organized in local sub-groups and work in different working groups on different topics.