ICANN Moves Forward Towards Introduction Of Internationalized Top Level Labels (IDNs) in the DNS 2 June 2007 Today, ICANN posted a set of draft procedures describing how IANA will manage the insertion, administration and removal of internationalized top-level labels (as delegated A-records) in the DNS root zone. These procedures are intended to guide an evaluation plan providing for the insertion and monitoring of sample IDNs into the root zone later this year. This announcement includes the draft procedure itself (IANA Root Zone Procedures for Test IDN Deployment, and a draft paper (IDN TLD Root Server Performance / Tolerance) describing the negative impacts to the DNS (tolerance measure) that, if observed, would trigger an emergency revocation procedure. The revocation procedure provides for the rapid removal of IDNs from the root zone if these negative impacts rise to the level specified in the tolerance document. The Root Server System Advisory Committee (RSSAC) is also analyzing the tolerance measure . The public comment period is open until June 22, 2007 at 00:00 UTC. Following the public comment period ICANN staff will revise these documents and publish a final set of procedures that will be reviewed by ICANN Board of Directors at the ICANN Meeting in San Juan (25-29 June 2007). The procedure will be implemented according to standard processes for newly adopted or revisions to IANA services. Public comments can be submitted to iana-idn-process@icann.org and reviewed at http://forum.icann.org/lists/iana-idn-process/. Looking forward: These papers are a corner piece in ICANN’s IDN Program that currently is developing an evaluation plan for insertion of a set of temporary internationalized top-level labels in the DNS. The evaluation plan will take into consideration all received advise and requests from the past several IDN workshops at ICANN meetings and other events. The evaluation plan will be posted for community review before it is finalized and implemented. The evaluation plan will be posted prior to the ICANN meeting in San Juan that takes place on 25-29 June 2007. -- Regards, Nick Ashton-Hart Director, At-Large ICANN PO Box 32160 London N4 2XY United Kingdom Main Tel: +44 (20) 8800-1011] USA Tel: +1 (202) 657-5460 Fax: +44 (20) 7681-3135 mobile: +44 (7774) 932798 email: nick.ashton-hart@icann.org Win IM: ashtonhart@hotmail.com / AIM/iSight: nashtonhart@mac.com / Skype: nashtonhart Online Bio: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashtonhart