IANA FUNCTIONS: THE BASICS
When you want to visit a website, you type or paste the site’s domain name into
http://www.icann.org
your browser, or click on an html link.
That domain name is sent to a server which translates the name into a series of numbers
– the Internet Protocol or IP Address - which the server uses to direct your request to
the website’s physical location. This all happens in the blink of an eye.
Those names and numbers are called “unique identifiers” and are aligned with a
standard set of protocol parameters that ensure computers can talk to and understand
192.0.32.7 each other.
These are part of the IANA functions, which are managed by ICANN, the Internet
Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers.
These functions aren’t just limited to browsing the Internet - they also enable you to send
an email or backup photos to the cloud, amongst other tasks.
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THE HISTORY THE IANA FUNCTIONS ONLINE
Coordi nati ng the uni que i denti fi ers tha t ma k e
I n te rn e t The acronym was developed when
Jon Postel was administering the
the Internet run i s an i mportant IA N A fu n cti o n .
Assigned
When a computer or device comes online, it needs to
ARPANET, a U.S.-government- know how to talk to the other devices that are online. It is
N u m b e rs
funded Department of Defense able to do so because there are standards set in place,
network. It was originally called The and each device has a unique identifier.
A u th o ri ty
IANA, as it was just one person
performing the functions.
He llo We lc o me
Since then, the Internet has grown tremendously. The wo rld! o nline !
IANA functions are no longer managed by just one person.
Instead, they are managed by ICANN. 192.0.32.7
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NAMES AND NUMBERS THE INTERNET ECOSYSTEM
The IANA functions are a major part of the Internet
The Internet is designed to be user-friendly and simple to ecosystem, but they are just one part. Other actors play a
navigate. In performing the IANA functions, ICANN vital role in the operation of the Internet.
coordinates Domain Names, like www.icann.org. Each
Domain Name points to a specific IP address. ICANN, in performing the IANA functions,
coordinates the unique identifiers.
icann.org } DOMAIN NAME ICANN performs these functions under a
contract with the NTIA.
192.0.32.7 } IP ADDRESS
Verisign edits and publishes the
authoritative root zone file.
For more information, visit www.icann.org and follow @ICANN on twitter.
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ACRON YM CHE AT S HE AT
PROTOCOL ASSIGNMENTS IANA: Internet Assigned Numbers Authority
ICANN: Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers
NUMBER RESOURCES
IETF: Internet Engineering Task Force
ACAP Response
Codes The Protocol Parameters management NTIA: National Telecommunications and Information Administration
AUTH-TOO-WEAK
ENCRYPT-NEEDED
function involves maintaining many of DNS: Domain Name System
A key IANA function is the global coordination of
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MODIFIED the codes and numbers used in DNSSEC: Domain Name System Security Extensions
NOEXIST
the Internet Protocol addressing systems, PERMISSION Internet protocols. This is done in AS number: Autonomous System Number
QUOTA
commonly known as IP Addresses. There are
REFER coordination with the IETF. TLD: Top-Level Domain
two types of IP addresses in active use:
IPv4 IPv6 DOMAIN NAMES
.uk Maintaining the Root Zone
192.0.2.53 2001:db8:582::ae33 .org
.net Database is a key IANA
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.tattoo function. It contains the
THE
.
The allocation of blocks of AS numbers to authoritative record of all the
Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) is another part TLDs.
IANA
of this function. AS numbers are used to identify
the networks that control their own routing by
connecting to multiple networks controlled by
.uk Part of that function is
other organizations. .org
processing routine updates
FUNCTIONS
.net
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.tattoo for TLD operators, as well
.
as adding new TLDs into
The allocation of IP addresses and AS numbers .ruhr
the root of the DNS.
to RIRs are made according to global policies.
The five RIRs, each of which serves a continental
region, establish consensus-based global
policies. The Root DNS Key Signing
DNSSEC Certificate
Key allows people to verify
DNS answers from the root
Key Sign
zone. DNSSEC is critical to
NTIA the security of the Internet.
ICANN currently performs the IANA WHAT I S D N S S E C?
functions on behalf of the global Internet DNSSEC is a technology that digitally ‘signs’
IANA Contract
community under a contract from the DNS answers so you can know they are valid.
ARIN
The Contractor shall provide the
United States’ Department of Commerce.
services necessary for the
To be sure of an answer’s validity, a digital
operation of the Internet
Assigned Numbers Authority
LACNIC R e g i o na l I nter ne t
(IANA) in accordance with the
signature is needed at each stage in the
attached statement of work.
AFRINIC R e g i stri es ( RI Rs) ICANN NTIA, an agency of the Department of
NTIA hierarchy from the root zone to the final domain
Non-profit corporations that Commerce, performs a process check name (e.g., www.icann.org). DNSSEC does not
RIPE NCC administer and register IP before authorizing changes to the DNS’s encrypt DNS queries or answers. It lets you
APNIC address space numbers
authoritative root zone file. know whether a DNS answer is valid.
within a defined region.
For more information, visit www.icann.org and follow @ICANN on twitter.
