27 Registration Life Cycle

Prototypical answer:

The proposed TLD will go through a number of states to complete a domain name life cycle. Each state has its own criteria, procedures and time element that are used to change state.

There are 5 different states in the life cycle, (1) Application State (when the new domain name is applied for), (2) Active State (when the domain name is registered and active), (3) Expiry State (when the domain name has expired), (4) Blackout State (when the domain name is not renewed and is suspended) and (5) Release State (when the domain name is not renewed and be made available for registration again). Detailed description of each state is provided below. In addition, Attachment 1 includes a high level diagram 27.1 illustrating an overview of the 5 states. Attachment 2 illustrates 6 different requests (types of transaction) (Diagram 27.2-27.7) of domain name service that will trigger the change of states.

1. Application State
This is the stage where the applicant chooses a domain name, inputs its registration information onto the domain name system, makes payment and sends document (to prove its legal status) to the registrar within a 24-day window. A pending application is thus created after the domain name system has received such request. If the applicant sends payment and document within the 24-day to the registrar’s satisfaction, the registrar will activate the domain name and add zone record to the DNS within the same day. The WHOIS data is also created and published. If payment and document could not be satisfactorily received by the registrar within the 24-day, the application will be rejected. The domain name will be made available for registration by other eligible applicant. The left hand side of Diagram 27.2 shows the new domain application state as described. The middle part of Diagram 27.2 indicates that if the domain name is pending for receiving payment and document during the 24-day, the domain name is still in the Application State in the life cycle. If payment is made and document is checked satisfactorily by the registrar, the domain name will enter Active State in the domain name life cycle. The right side of Diagram 27.2 indicates that when the domain name is in Active State, record will be put into the zone so the DNS state is becoming Active.

Registrar will also send notification to the domain applicant in the form of email. The notifications include:
(a) Notification of sending payment and document and its reminder (〉1 email notification)
(b) Notification of the rejection of domain name application if no payment and ⁄ or document are satisfactorily received.
(c) Notification of domain name activation if the registrar satisfies the payment and document sent and that the domain name is activated and is entered into the Active State.

2. Active State
After payment and document are satisfactorily received by the registrar, the domain name will be activated. The domain name record is thus entered into the zone. The domain name is in its Active State in the domain name life cycle. In this state, name server information and domain name contact information for the registered names can be modified freely. Domain name holding right can be freely transferred; domain name holder can also freely transfer the name to a different registrar (if there is more than one registrar) or delete the domain name registration. Diagram 27.3 to 27.6 shows these different actions that could take place during the Active Stage in the domain name life cycle. Details of these actions are as below:
2.1 Modification of Name Server or Domain Name Information – (Diagram 27.3) the action will be taking place immediately after the registrant requests such change and that the registrar passes the information to the registry operator. This could be performed in Active, Expiry and Blackout States in the domain name life cycle (however when the domain name is in its Blackout States, new record will not be updated into the DNS until the domain name is changed to Active State). After the registrar passes the information to the registry operator via EPP, old record will be replaced by new record in the DNS. For domain information modifications that involve the changes of email address, email notification would be sent to both the new and old email addresses stating all the changes made and providing channel for objection. Likewise, for modification of domain name server, email notification will be sent to all the domain name contacts informing them of the changes and providing channel for objection.
2.2 Domain Name Deletion – (Diagram 27.4) the action will take place 7 days after the registrant requests such change. The request will become a pending request within these 7 days. Registrar will send email notifying the registrant of receiving the deletion request and providing channel for objection. If no objection is received during the 7-day, the domain name will be deleted and go to blackout state. Zone record will also be removed. The domain name will become inactive and will go through the subsequent state in the domain name life cycle including 60-day blackout. It will then enter the Release State where the domain name will be made available for registration by other eligible applicant. If the registrant objects the deletion and that the objection is proved to be valid, the registrar will cancel the deletion request. The domain name life cycle status and DNS status will remain in Active State.
2.3 Transfer of domain name holding right – (Diagram 27.5) this transfer request includes inputting information of the transferee onto the domain name system and also to provide the transfer agreement letter to the registrar for checking. This is to protect the domain name holder right and avoid any illegitimate transfer taking place. When the registrar receives the transfer request, a pending transfer application is created. Transfer application shall only be taking place during the Active and Expiry state in the domain name life cycle. The application is pending for receipt of document and payment for 44 days at most. During the pending period, applicants shall make payment and provide transfer letters that can satisfy the registrar. If they are provided within the 44 days, the registrar will change the record in zone. As a result, the transferee will become the registrant of the domain name. WHOIS data will also be updated. In terms of the new expiry date, the unused period will be enjoyed by the transferee. Transferee can also add longer term in addition to it by making payment.

Registrar will also send notifications to the transferor and transferee in the form of email including:
(a) Notification of payment and transfer letter and their reminders (〉1 email notification)
(b) Notification of the rejection of domain name application if no payment and ⁄ or document are satisfactorily received within the 44 days.
(c) Notification of the successful transfer if the registrar satisfies with the payment and document sent and that the domain name is being transferred to the transferee.

As the .MTR TLD is for internal use, the above transfer procedure can be simplified as deemed appropriate.

2.4 Domain Transfer between registrars – (Diagram 27.6) the action will take place within 1-hour after the registry operator receives the request. The request includes the provision of an authorisation code, which shall only be received and kept by the registrant, and the transfer request. Right after the registrant has submitted the transfer request, the application will become a pending application for 1 hour. During the time, email will be sent to both the new and old registrars, and also to the registrant. However, it does not mean that the losing registrar can object. The change would be subject to the wish of the registrant, and not the registrar. If we do not receive any objection within the one-hour pending period, the application will be approved. Record on the zone and WHOIS will be updated. This transfer request could be conducted during the Active, Expiry or Blackout state in the domain name life cycle.

Since the .MTR TLD is for internal use, there may not be a need for more than one registrar. We shall decide on the appropriate arrangement at a later stage.

3. Expiry State
When the domain expires (Diagram 27.7), it will not be suspended right away. There is a 30-day grace period for the registrant to make payment and to renew the domain name. This is the Expiry State. If renewal payment is received during the Expiry State, the domain name will be renewed and go back to the Active Stage. If the domain name is not renewed after the end of thee Expiry State, the domain name will enter into the Blackout State. During the Blackout State, domain name service will be suspended. Zone record will be removed. Domain name renewal can be performed in 3 months’ time before the expiry date during the whole Expiry State and Blackout State. However if the renewal is performed during the Blackout State, an additional late charge will be needed in addition to the renewal fee.

Registrar will also send notification to the registrant in the form of email including:
(a) Notification of domain name renewal and its reminder (the first one sent 30 days before the expiry day. There will be not less than 3 emails sent during the period of 30-day before expiry date and 30 days after the expiry day)
(b) Notification of successful renewal (when renewal payment is received)
(c) Notification of domain name suspension (when the domain name is not renewed and entered the Blackout State).

4. Blackout State
If the domain name is not renewed at the end of the Expiry State (Diagram 27.7), the domain name will enter into the Blackout State for 60 days. During the Blackout State, all domain name service will be suspended. Zone record will be removed. At that time, if the registrant renews the domain name, late charge is levied in addition to the renewal fee. If payment is made, the domain name will enter into Active State again. Zone record will be put back to the DNS. If the domain name is not renewed during this 60-day of Blackout Period, the domain name will be released for registration again after the end of the Blackout Period. It will enter into Release State in the domain name life cycle.

Registrar will also send notification to the registrant in the form of email including:
(a) Notification of domain suspension (this will be sent right after the domain name entering the blackout state)
(b) Email to remind the status of the domain and that the registrant can still renew in order to activate the domain again.

5. Release State
If the domain name is not renewed during the 60-day Blackout Period (Diagram 27.7), the domain name will be released for registration again. It enters the Release State in the domain name life cycle. When an eligible applicant applies for the domain name, it will go back to the Application State.


Resources Plan allocating to this area
The life cycle of different applications will be controlled by a domain name registration system. Notification will be handled by the registrar(s). As the number of domain names registered will be handful, since in this case the TLD will only be used internally, the administration will only call for 1 to 2 staff. The designated staff will also maintain and monitor the system functions. The cost will be covered by the yearly registry operations cost.

Similar gTLD applications: (0)