Where is the registration and maintenance of all Internet domain names handled?

One of the most remarkable aspects of the Internet is that no one truly owns it. It's a vast network of connections, large and small, interwoven in countless ways to form the singular entity we call "the Internet." Since its inception in 1969, the Internet has expanded from just four host computer systems to millions. However, even though the Internet is not owned by any one entity, it is still closely monitored and maintained in various ways. The Internet Society, a non-profit organization founded in 1992, governs the development of the policies and protocols that shape how we use and interact with the Internet.

In the early days of the Internet, connections were made by providing the IP (Internet Protocol) address of the system you wanted to link to. For example, a typical IP address might have looked like 216.27.22.162. This worked fine when only a few hosts were involved, but it became impractical as more and more systems came online. The first attempt at a solution was a simple text file managed by the Network Information Center that mapped names to IP addresses. As this text file grew larger, it became too difficult to handle. In 1983, the University of Wisconsin developed the Domain Name System (DNS), which assigns text names to IP addresses. This way, you can simply remember a website address like www.Mytour.com, instead of the numerical IP address 216.27.22.162.

The Domain Name System functions as a distributed database, with central name servers at its core (refer to How DNS Works for more information). It's essential to maintain these central servers to prevent conflicts and duplication.

In 1993, the U.S. Department of Commerce, together with various public and private organizations, established InterNIC to manage a central database containing all registered domain names and their corresponding IP addresses in the U.S. (other countries have their own NICs (Network Information Centers) – for example, there's a link below that explains Canada's system). Network Solutions, a member of InterNIC, was selected to manage the increasing number of domain names and IP addresses. This central database is replicated to Top Level Domain (TLD) servers worldwide, forming the primary routing tables used by all computers connecting to the Internet.

Until recently, Network Solutions was the sole provider of domain names. However, to prevent a monopoly, the U.S. government decided to allow other companies to sell domain names as well. These other companies, known as registrars, provide domain names and manage DNS servers, but Network Solutions continues to maintain the central database to prevent duplication. In the U.S., an annual fee is paid to Network Solutions to keep your domain name registered in the central name server.

The following resources are useful: