Domain Registrar FAQ

• What is a Domain Name Registrar ?
  A "Domain Name Registrar" (or "Domain Registrar") is an organization that has control over the granting of domains within certain TLDs (top level domains, like the generic .com/.org/.net or country-specific .ca/.us/.mx etc.)
  
• What is a Domain Registry ?
  The 'Registry' is the system backend that is maintained by the operators of the TLD. Registrar's write new names to a central registry database, from which the authoritative root (essentially, a table of all domain names) is built. In the case of .com, .net and .org, the InterNIC runs the registry, and qualified registrars have shared access to it. In the case of many ccTLDs, the registry and registrar functions are combined within one entity.
  
• What is a Domain Registrant ?
  A registrant is the person or company who registers a domain name. For example, John Smith registers the name johnsmith.com, therefore John Smith is the registrant.
  
  
• Who is ICANN ?
  The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is the non-profit corporation that was formed to assume responsibility for the IP address space allocation, protocol parameter assignment, domain name system management, and root server system management functions previously performed under U.S. Government contract by IANA and other entities.
  
• Who is InterNIC ?
  The InterNIC maintains the root domain registry, containing nameserver and registrar information for all .com, .net and .org domains. When an end user registers a domain name through registrar, the registrar updates it's own database with the full WHOIS information, and passes select domain information up to the root registry.