New gTLD Program: Registry Operations Benchmarks published
As ICANN’s new GTLD process grinds forward, one aspect specified is that new applications should be compared to benchmarks. This required that such benchmarks be established by research. The resulting KPMG study has just been published.
Some of the findings include:
- Most use open source database and server operating systems.
- The tech is not difficult. What has been a problem is accurately predicting take-up.
- There generally has been less take-up that anticipated
- Growth curves vary. What is certain is that immediate rates of take-up are a good indicator of the long term success.
- The majority of respondents indicated that their liquidity improved over time.
- Large registries ran operations in-house and had much much cheaper costs per registration ($1.74) than small registries, who normally outsourced operations ($15).
The report also suggests ICANN’s process is lacking in proper financial scrutiny of applicants
joly 2:25 am on 02/26/2010 Permalink |
It has been suggested to me that two unmentioned factors contribute to the above results.
The former problem maybe ameliorated in future if proposals to allow vertical integration of some registries and registrars are adopted.
Antony Van Couvering 12:17 pm on 02/26/2010 Permalink |
Open-source database and server software isn’t mandated by ICANN, it’s just that most people use it. There are, however, 25% of the surveyed registries who use Windows server software, so it’s not unanimous — just appears to be best practice (not to mention cheaper).