Extra protection for your domain name can save a lot of trouble
Five tips for keeping full control of your domain name
Last month, a domain name trader got hold of perl.com, the domain name linked to the Perl programming language. How come? The registrant accidentally let the registration lapse. Judging by his reaction on Twitter, perl.com's registrant had a nasty shock when he discovered the domain name had been released for re-registration. Not long before, something similar happened to the anti-spam company spamcop.net. Their domain expired, causing their site to become unreachable.
Stories about domain names being released for re-registration when their registrants still want them are not uncommon. And such events can have serious implications for people and organisations that lose control of domain names they depend on. So here are five tips for seeing it doesn't happen to you:
1. Make sure your registration data is correct
Domain names aren't normally deleted without warning. Usually, deletion follows a series of messages to the registrant about the registration's upcoming expiry. But, of course, those messages are liable to go unseen if the registry doesn't have the right contact details. The most common problem is that the registry has an out-of-date e-mail address for the registrant. So make sure your details are up to date!
2. Opt for a long registration period and automatic renewal
Many top-level domains offer you a choice of several registration periods. And .nl registrations renew automatically. With .com and other generic top-level domains, you can register for up to ten years. But, for .com, automatic renewal is enabled only if you've authorised the registrar to auto-renew on your behalf. And, in all cases, the renewal only goes through if the registrar can successfully charge the registration fee to your bank account or card. So those details need to be kept updated too. With country-code domains, such as .nl for the Netherlands and .de for Germany, the arrangements differ from one domain to the next.
3. Take a systematic approach to domain name management
Many problems with domain names are down to domain portfolios being fragmented or poorly managed. Reorganisations and personnel changes can lead to confusion about who's responsible for what, and to things getting overlooked. Often, for example, a company's domain name will expire because renewal hasn't been budgeted for, or because a PO number hasn't been requested for the invoice. If systematic domain name management is difficult to arrange within your organisation, consider contracting the job out to a specialist service provider (a specialist registrar or trademark agency).
4. Register your trademark or trading name
A trademark agency can help you protect your domain name in other ways too. If your domain name is associated with a registered trademark, you're in a much stronger legal position if you ever lose control of it. So it can pay to get your domain name registered as a trademark and/or a trading name. Registration can strengthen your hand if you are ever involved in a dispute about a (domain) name.
5. .nl Control and Registrar Lock
Many top-level domains offer the option of extra protection for your domain name, where your registration can be changed only with your explicit agreement. For .nl, the extra protection service is called .nl Control. If your domain name is covered by .nl Control, no updates can be made unless you give your permission. And we ask you to identify yourself each time, so we know it's really you giving permission. For .com, there's a similar service called Registrar Lock. Such services aren't as popular as they might be. One reason being that many people underestimate the risk. They can't imagine a scenario of the kind described above unfolding within their organisation. Another issue is that arranging extra protection can seem like an administrative chore. Domain name management is a very small part of running a business. However, if something goes wrong, the consequences can be huge. Hopefully our five tips can save you a lot of trouble!
