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== Naming services == [[File:Token Verisign.JPG|thumb|200px|[[Security token]] produced by Verisign]] Verisign's core business is its naming services division. The division operates the authoritative domain name registries for two of the Internet's most important [[top-level domains]], {{mono|[[.com]]}} and {{mono|[[.net]]}}, and [[.name]]. It is the primary technical subcontractor for the {{mono|[[.edu]]}} and {{mono|[[.jobs]]}} [[top-level domains]] for their respective registry operators, which are non-profit organizations; in this role Verisign maintains the [[zone file]]s for these particular domains and hosts the domains from their domain servers. In addition, Verisign is also the contracted registry operator for the country code top-level domain {{mono|[[.cc]]}} ([[Cocos (Keeling) Islands|Cocos Islands]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/registries/registries-agreements-en|title=Registry Agreements|publisher=ICANN|access-date=November 30, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151106100106/https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/registries/registries-agreements-en|archive-date=November 6, 2015|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Registry operators are the "wholesalers" of Internet domain names, while [[domain name registrar]]s act as the “retailers”, working directly with consumers to register a domain name address. It formerly was the contracted registry for [[.gov]] [[top-level domains]] as well as for the country code top-level domain [[.tv|.tv (Tuvalu)]]. Verisign also operates two of the Internet's thirteen "[[Root name server|root servers]]" which are identified by the letters A-M (Verisign operates the “A” and “J” root servers). The root servers form the top of the hierarchical [[Domain Name System]] that supports most modern Internet communication. Verisign also generates the globally recognized [[root zone file]] and is also responsible for processing changes to that file once they are ordered by [[ICANN]] via [[Internet Assigned Numbers Authority|IANA]] and approved by the [[US Department of Commerce|U.S. Department of Commerce]]. Changes to the root zone were originally distributed via the A root server, but now they are distributed to all thirteen servers via a separate distribution system which Verisign maintains. Verisign is the only one of the 12 root server operators to operate more than one of the thirteen [[root nameservers]]. The A and J root servers are "[[anycast]]ed” and are no longer operated from any of the company's own datacenters as a means to increase redundancy and availability and mitigate the threat of a [[single point of failure]]. In 2016, the Department of Commerce ended its role in managing the Internet's DNS and transferred full control to ICANN. While this initially negatively impacted VeriSign's stock, ICANN eventually chose to contract with Verisign to continue its role as the root zone maintainer. VeriSign's naming services division dates back to 1993 when Network Solutions was awarded a contract by the [[National Science Foundation]] to manage and operate the civilian side of the Internet's domain name registrations.<ref>National Science Foundation {{cite web|url=https://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/cyber/internet.jsp|title=A Brief History of NSF and the Internet|publisher=nsf.gov|access-date=November 30, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151127171235/http://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/cyber/internet.jsp|archive-date=November 27, 2015|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Network Solutions was the sole registrar for all of the Internet's non-governmental generic top-level domains until 1998 when ICANN was established and the new system of competitive registrars was implemented. As a result of these new policies, Network Solutions divided itself into two divisions. The NSI Registry division was established to manage the authoritative registries that the company would still operate, and was separated from the customer-facing registrar business that would have to compete with other registrars. The divisions were even geographically split with the NSI Registry moving from the corporate headquarters in Herndon, Virginia, to nearby Dulles, Virginia. In 2000, VeriSign purchased Network Solutions taking over its role in the Internet's DNS. The NSI Registry division eventually became VeriSign's naming services division while the remainder of Network Solutions was later sold by Verisign in 2003 to Pivotal Equity Group.
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