Cross registrar compliance and communication mechanism
What is described is a system and method providing an improved customer experience for the registrant. The registrant is able to use a single interface and a single set of user inputs to bring about changes for multiple domain names. The single interaction with the single interface works out just as well and just as conveniently regardless of whether a single registrar happens to be handling all of the domain names, or whether each domain name is handled by a different registrar.
1. A method carried out with respect to a top-level domain containing at least first and second domain names associated with a registrant, the first domain name associated with a respective first registrar, the second domain name associated with a respective second registrar, the top-level domain name having a zone file associated therewith, the top-level domain having an entity maintaining the zone file associated with the top-level domain, the entity defining a registry, the top-level domain name having a domain-name database associated therewith, the top-level domain name having a registrar database associated therewith, the registrar database containing records indicative, for each of the at least first and second domain names, of the respective registrar associated therewith, the registrar database thereby defining which registrar has authority to acknowledge or negative-acknowledge a proposed change with respect to the at least first and second domain names, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving at the registry a request from the registrant, the request indicative of a first proposed change to the domain-name database with respect to the first domain name, the request further indicative of a second proposed change with respect to the second domain name,
determining, at the registry, the registrar corresponding to the first proposed change to the domain-name database with respect to the first domain name, the determination carried out with respect to the registrar database,
transmitting, by the registry to the registrar corresponding to the first domain name, the first proposed change to the domain-name database with respect to the first domain name,
determining, at the registry, the registrar corresponding to the second proposed change to the domain-name database with respect to the second domain name, the determination carried out with respect to the registrar database,
transmitting, by the registry to the registrar corresponding to the second domain name, the second proposed change to the domain-name database with respect to the second domain name,
receiving at the registry a first acknowledgment from the registrar corresponding to the first domain name that said registrar has carried out the first proposed change to the domain-name database with respect to the first domain name,
receiving at the registry a second acknowledgment from the registrar corresponding to the second domain name that said registrar has carried out the second proposed change to the domain-name database with respect to the second domain name,
reporting, by the registry to the registrant, the first acknowledgment and the second acknowledgment.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the second proposed change with respect to the second domain name comprises making a change to the domain-name database.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first proposed change to the domain-name database with respect to the first domain name comprises a change of contact information for the first domain name.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first proposed change to the domain-name database with respect to the first domain name comprises a change of name server for the first domain name.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first proposed change to the domain-name database with respect to the first domain name comprises a transfer of registrant for the first domain name.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the second proposed change with respect to the second domain name comprises a lock or unlock of the second domain name.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the second proposed change with respect to the second domain name comprises a renewal of the second domain name.
8. The method of claim 2 wherein the first proposed change to the domain-name database with respect to the first domain name comprises a change of contact information for the first domain name.
9. The method of claim 2 wherein the first proposed change to the domain-name database with respect to the first domain name comprises a change of name server for the first domain name.
10. The method of claim 2 wherein the first proposed change to the domain-name database with respect to the first domain name comprises a transfer of registrant for the first domain name.
11. The method of claim 2 wherein the second proposed change with respect to the second domain name comprises a lock or unlock of the second domain name.
12. The method of claim 2 wherein the second proposed change with respect to the second domain name comprises a renewal of the second domain name.
13. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step, carried out by the registrar corresponding to the second domain name, of making payment arrangements with the registrant.
14. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step, carried out by the registrar corresponding to the second domain name, of making payment arrangements with the registrant.