Page History

...

Draft Agenda

1. Group Photo 
2. Roll Call and SOI Updates 
3. Welcome and Chair Updates 
4. Presentation
AOB 
6. Begin deliberation on D4, C4a, D6, D7: Variant Label Behavior in Domain Name Lifecycle
7. AOB

Slides: ICANN77 EPDP Team Working Sessions - D4, C4a, D6, D7.pdf

Notes:

Welcome and Chair Updates

• Update to Council and concerns about timeline (i.e., Nov 2025), especially in light of the request from the Board.
• Because of the decision to not break into two phases, still Nov 2025. However, more info available shortly: Phase 1 comment period; a sense of progress made for Phase 2. Currently, doing well with Phase 2.
• Also, pending request for a F2F workshop in Nov/Dec that is likely to be approved. Expectation is that it will be in the APAC region and come with travel support for the EPDP Team members. Requested KL or SG as first options.
• From the group, need a sense of availability to be able to attend.

Action Item: Check in with members regarding availability for F2F to help understand the ideal dates.

Begin deliberation on D4, C4a, D6, D7: Variant Label Behavior in Domain Name Lifecycle

• Slide 4 - D4 is the core question, about behavior of the variant set - one unit or independent life cycle. D6 and D7 are to ensure “same entity” is followed in the Transfer Policy and Suspension.
• Slide 5 - C4a has a sub-question that asks about same behavior requirements,
• Slide 6 - Includes core discussions questions:
  • How is a variant label set determined for the second-level variant domains? Is there any parallel with the definition at the top-level?
  • What does “behaving as one unit” mean in the context of the lifecycle mgmt of variant domains? Again, parallels with the principle at the top-level?
• Slide 7 - Overview of the stages of the Domain Name Lifecycle. There is more detail, but this is the high-level.
• Slide 8 - Origins of the lifecycle come from Extensible Provisioning Protocol (EPP). Web page exists to help provide detail.
• Clarification - What is in the EPP standard reflects the implementation of policy. The IETF did not dictate the policy, but developed as a reflection of the policy.
• Slide 9 - Stage 1: Available, including the various options.
• The various “options” represent different requirements during availability, resulting in General Availability.
• General Availability can have different pricing, so can just say registration is open. There are a limited number of registrations available to RO.
• For landrush, price is not always the distinguishing factor. It allows for some resolution phase when multiple applicants are competing for the same string. GA is first come first served.
• Trademark Claims also seems important and relevant. Note, there is a charter question specific to Claims.
• Slide 10 - Stage 2: Active, registered and active.
• Slide 11 - Renewal - Many options, but cannot extend beyond 10 years from time of renewal. As expiration date approaches, reminders and auto renewal are available.
• Auto-renew is generally the standard at this stage in the industry.
• Slide 12 - Update: As long as there are no issues with the domain status, a transfer is allowed. In some certain cases (e.g., lock, suspension), transfer is prevented. Certain contact info cannot be updated under these circumstances.
• Slide 13 - Transfer: Can be a change of registrant or change of registrar. AuthInfo code is required to allow transfer to happen. There are circumstances where the registrar must/may deny the transfer (e.g., within 60 days of initial registration, within 60 days of changes to certain contact info). An expired domain can still be transferred (unless fees not paid and delete is in progress). There are involuntary transfers which include UDRP and registrar losing accreditation.
• Clarification: for EPP, there is a transfer command for inter-registrar. Inter-registrant is an Update. Traditionally, transfer refers to inter-registrar transfer. An expired domain being transferred is possible, but unlikely to happen in practice. In inter-registrar, in practice, there is generally no cost (other than to renew the domain at the new registrar).
• Further clarification: An expired domain can happen depend upon on how auto-renewal is handled. There can be a time during the 45 day period where it will be considered as expired.
• Assumption: “Same Entity” principle - if a registrant changes in one domain, all variants must transfer to the same entity. Agreement from the group that this makes sense.
• Slide 14 - Lock: Domain remains with registrant and may resolve, but cannot transfer. For instance, 60-day Change of Registrant Lock, Registry Lock Service, URS Lock.
• Registry Lock can be used for anti abuse situations, especially for a compromised domain.
• Suggestion - how much level of detail is needed for the IDNs EPDP purpose? The important question for IDNs is presumably about the “same entity” principle and whether domains need to move in lock-step or can be independent.
• Slide 15 - Suspension: Whois Accuracy Program Spec within RAA 2013. No explicit definition of what suspension of a domain looks like. Many reasons for suspension, including DNS abuse, URS, policy violations.
• Client hold or server hold with or without name servers can determine whether or not the domain goes dark.
• Suspension does not already look like removing the zone file. For instance, URS can just redirect. Still in the DNS in this case. Can also get redirected to a law enforcement honeypot.
• Slide 13 - Expiration: If not renewed by expiration date, deactivated. Domain will be in this stage for up to 45 days, but cannot be registered by a different entity. Can still be renewed. Some registrars allow auctioning off.
• Clarification: For a domain hitting expiration, with auto-renew, it remains active through the auto-renew grace period.
  • If domain is deleted during this period, registrant is refunded auto-renewal fee.
• Slide 17 - Redemption: If domain is not renewed during Expiration stage, it will go into redemption. Last stage to renew.
• Clarification: Similarly, most gTLDs will auto-renew. Only way to get into redemption is if the domain is explicitly deleted.
• Question about when a domain is actually deleted. Practically, never happens unless a person or software decides it must be deleted (e.g., registrant isn’t paying, registrant does not want).
• For auction, analogy - changes renter rather than tearing down the apartment.
• Slide 18 - Pending Deletion: Not renewed during Expiration or Redemption. Typically cannot be renewed in this stage. Domain can be released and set back to “available”.
• Same clarification: Only through Delete and domain is not Restored, it enters Pending Delete. Helps avoid drop-catching. It’s a holding stage that prevents registration. Once 5 days pass, it drops and becomes available.
• Commands can take place via EPP. Often things are on a schedule.
• Assumption on “same entity” is that if one a domain is deleted, it should be withheld for same registrant (if registrant has other domains in the variant label set). Agreement again and there may be a recommendation.
• Question about whether this could happen (e.g., one domain is deleted, but the rest remain active). Agreement that if they can be treated differently, they must still stay together as a set.
• Question about what incentive is to register variants if variants are allocated to registrant. The incentive is that the registrant can use the variant.
• Seems like a matter of terminology. When a delete command is received, will all variants have to go into a pending delete state?