I'm currently in the process of transfering the Web Server of a German Company called FMFmedia to Austria. There is already a domain deligated to the this Company (fmfmedia.de), with the NameServers pointing to:
fmfmedia.de nameserver = ns.nordwest.pop.de fmfmedia.de nameserver = ns.space.net fmfmedia.de nameserver = ecrc.de
I asked the Top-Level Reg. for Germany the DE-NIC to change this so the name-server would point to:
fmfmedia.de nameserver = server.net4you.co.at fmfmedia.de nameserver = bkk.bkkallincl.co.at .
They said YES of course, but you have to pay 550 DM (about US$ 390) a year for MAINTENANCE of this Name-Server Records. When we pointed out, that we are ourselves a member of RIPE and would do any maintenance ourselfs, they simply refused to acknowledge this and insisted on the payment. Maintenance in DE-NICs eyes is (quoted and translated from German):
... the update of Name-Server Entries, change of Glue-A-RRs, register and maintain the domain in the RIPE-Database and more....
I do not doubt, that Name-Server Entries (3 lines) and Glue-A-RRs (another 3 lines) are necessarily the duty (!) of a Top Level Domain. But I can't understand, why maintenance in the Ripe-DB must be done by the Top-Level, and what they will do, that is worth 390 Bucks a YEAR ! Keeping (!) 6 lines in ones Name-Server file must be a realy big task ! The InterNIC charges 50 US$ a year for handling domains and they have much more work to do. I understand from my time on the Net (about 5 Years now) that RFCs are the rules of the net. RFC1591 Domain Name System Structure and Delegation states:
..These administrators are performing a public service on behalf of the Internet community. and These designated authorities are trustees for the delegated domain, and have a duty to serve the community. and (my favorite lines) Concerns about "rights" and "ownership" of domains are inappropriate. It is appropriate to be concerned about "responsibilities" and "service" to the community.
I can't see DE-NIC in there ! I don't expect DE-NIC to be free of any charge, since there IS work to do and a host and hostmaster to be paid for, but DE-NIC tries to make a quick buck out of the internet boom. Am I making sense ? Someone outthere shares this view ? Please don't hesitate to applaud, flame or ignore this Mail. Regards from a confused and angry netmaster Max Gutberlet -- ~\\|//~ -(o o)- +--------------------oOOOo--(_)--oOOOo---------------------+ | _ _ _ | | _ __ ___| |_| || | _ _ ___ _ _ | | | '_ \ / _ \ __| || |_| | | |/ _ \| | | | | | | | | | __/ |_|__ _| |_| | (_) | |_| | | | |_| |_|\___|\__| |_| \__, |\___/ \__,_| | | |___/ | | http://www.net4you.co.at/ | +----------------------------------------------------------+ | Max Gutberlet Address: NET4YOU | | NetMaster Net4You Ringmauergasse 8| | Tel.: +43-4242-257367 A-9500 Villach | | Fax.: +43-4242-257368 Carinthia | | email: M.Gutberlet@net4you.co.a Austria | +----------------------------------------------------------+