Background:

The Domain Name Supporting Organization (DNSO) is one of three Supporting Organizations called for in the ICANN Bylaws.  The DNSO advises the ICANN Board on policy issues relating to the Domain Name System -- the system of names commonly used to identify Internet locations and resources.  The domain name system translates these heirarchically-structured, easy-to-remember names (like www.icann.org) into IP addresses that have been assigned to specific computers.

On March 31, 1999, the ICANN Board of Directors adopted Bylaw provisions establishing the basic structure of the DNSO, which will be composed of a Names Council, a General Assembly, and various Constituency Groups representing DNS-related interests.

On May 27, 1999, the ICANN Board provisionally recognized six of seven planned Constituencies.  These self-organizing groups will select members of the DNSO Names Council -- the body that will be responsible for the management of the DNSO's consensus building process, and for communicating DNSO recommendations about Domain Name System policy to the ICANN Board of Directors. The ICANN Board requested that the organizers of the seventh Constituency (for Non-Commercial Domain Name Holders) submit a proposal for recognition no later than June 21, 1999.

The organizers of the provisional Names Council have established an independent DNSO website at http://www.dnso.org/.
 

• DNSO Website
• ICANN Bylaw provisions regarding DNSO
• DNSO Constituencies
• Current Public comments
• Proposed Amendments on DNSO Names Council Representation (Posted July 16, 1999)
• ICANN Board resolutions on provisional recognition for DNSO Constituencies

Historical Documents

• Archived Public comments (Archived comments on initial SO formation) (Archived comments on DNSO-specific issues)
• Domain Name Supporting Organization Constituency Group Formation Process--Pre-Berlin meeting archive (May 26, 1999)
• Report on DNSO-Related Bylaw Changes (April 9, 1999)
• Draft Bylaw Changes Relating to DNSO (March 15, 1999)
• Summary of March 4 ICANN Board action regarding DNSO (March 4, 1999)
• DNSO Formation Concepts (March 4, 1999)
• Domain Name Supporting Organization Applications and comments (February 8, 1999)