Are any mainstream companies signed on with this or is it just chickenboners? ------- Forwarded Message +++++ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE +++++ RNDNETWORK ANNOUNCES NEW TLD REGISTRY AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEM Startup developing new, robust domain registry and registration management system and will operate registries for new gTLDs. +++++ July 13, 2000/San Francisco, CA// Internet and research and development community startup RNDNetwork.com Incorporated today announced the development of a comprehensive DNS registry/registration management system for use with new generic Top Level Domains (gTLDs). The new system, developed in conjunction with Strategy Partner LLC (http://www.strategypartner.com ), VRx Network Systems (http://www.vrx.net), anycastNET Incorporated (http://www.anycast.net), @quasar Internet Solutions, Inc. (http://www.quasar.net) and several other Open Root Server Confederation (ORSC) and Top Level Domain Association (TLDA) members, will provide for the two basic functions necessary for the operation of new gTLDs for the Internet. Top Level Domains (TLDs) are the right-most portion of identifiers such as "anycast.NET" and "rndnetwork.COM". Generic Top Level Domains are those available for registration globally, as opposed to those reserved for specific groups and organizations, such as .GOV, which is reserved for the U.S. Government and its agencies. Anyone who has recently tried to register a domain name recently has found that there are very few left that are not cumbersome-the most desirable names are long gone. There is therefore a pent-up demand for intelligible domain names on the Internet, and this demand is far greater than the number of names available in the current gTLDs. "There has been significant work over the last few years to establish operating alternative root systems for new gTLDs", said Ged Gasperas, CEO of RNDNetwork.com Incorporated. "Our intention is to build on the work and intellectual property of our partners, while offering them a system to operate and manage their gTLDs" Gasperas also said RNDNetwork.com intends to operate one of the new gTLDs. "We believe there is significant value in creating an Internet community of research and development groups under the ".RND" gTLD. It's a natural for the Internet." Gasperas said the concept came together while discussing the company's business model and how it applies to the Internet. "Several of our board members brought pieces of the concept to the table. Our discussions led us to our partners, some of whom are operating new gTLDs registries and alternative root servers already." Richard Sexton of VRx Network Services, an industry acknowledged expert on DNS issues, commented on the timeliness of the partnerships. "Groups like the ORSC and TLDA, and others before, have tried to coalesce these efforts with limited success. RNDNetwork has brought the right people together in an open working environment to make it real." VRx Network Services has been operating root zone servers for new gTLDs since 1996. "The problems in the past have been of momentum and need. Both are very much in our favor now." @quasar Internet Solutions president Dena Whitebirch also feels the time has come. "A number of organizations, like ours, have invested a great deal of time and effort to implement DNS registry models. The RNDNetwork effort is a welcome approach that will allow our collective efforts to move forward in a cohesive and sensible fashion." @quasar Internet Solutions, Inc. operates the registry for the .MART gTLD. RNDNetwork.com has also announced their intention to participate in the process for acknowledgment of new gTLDs as set forth by the recently formed Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN, http://www.icann.org). ICANN is attempting to define various criteria and methods for the incorporation of new gTLDs into the Internet's principal root system. "Our business model is designed to succeed. We look forward to working with ICANN and the Internet community to make this a winning proposition for all" said Gasperas. ICANN meets this week in Yokohama, Japan to discuss several key Internet issues, including the potential for new gTLDs. Any system that will support new gTLDs must be functional, sound, and capable of handling a potentially large influx of registrations. Estimates vary, but registration rates in excess of 100,000 per month for some gTLDs is possible. "There are many facets to designing a system of this nature", said Anatoliy Prokhorov, president of Strategy Partner LLC. "Scalability and fault tolerance are absolutely essential. The current DNS root system works. Our model must meet or exceed the current model." Strategy Partner has recently designed several high volume transaction systems, including that for OfficeExpress (http://www.officexpress.com). "We are applying our expertise in high-end transaction systems to the design for the system. This is an exceptional opportunity." RNDNetwork expects the system to be in testing over the next six weeks, with an initial operational model in late August or early September. +++++ Contact Information: RNDNetwork.com Incorporated http://www.rndnetwork.com Ged Gasperas, CEO 1071 Dolores Street San Francisco, CA 94110 (415) 285-9787 fax (415) 285-9788 mailto:gasperas@rndnetwork.com All other organizations can be reached through email from their respective websites. +++++ ------- End of Forwarded Message