-----Original Message----- From: Sean Donelan <SEAN@SDG.DRA.COM> <snip>

Giving NSI the benefit of the doubt, I assume NSI will transfer the database to whatever the successor organization (or organizations) is, as NSI has previous done with the .GOV data, and NET-BLK data.

The NSF has announced that they do not intend to be involved any longer. There is no successor. NSI will have no choice but to take on the burden of the .COM domain and the millions of customers that have selected names there because the NSF blocked other companies from adding TLDs to the legacy Root Name Servers controlled by the U.S. Government. That control should end at the end of this month and NSI will be able to add new TLDs. The other RSCs should be able to help NSI determine which TLDs should be added. If NSI does not add new TLDs, then the letters C O and M might as well be combined with the period to form a root of the name space called COM. That could render the other TLDs moot if software developers start to drop the COM. and make the assumption that TLDs are really just the SLD names under .COM. That will effectively create a root with several million TLDs, which is more or less what is happening today because the .COM zone is still hosted on the legacy Root Name Servers. It is surprising that NSI has not moved the .COM zone by now. Because of the GRS people, it may now be impossible to move it. Instead, a new RSC may have to be constructed for ISPs to use with references to the .COM servers. Or, people can just switch to one of the many RSCs that have been working for years. No matter what. October will be an interesting month for people in operations. Jim Fleming Unir Corporation - http://www.unir.com