Domain Name Registration
If you don’t already have your own domain name, you’ll definitely want to get one. For companies with brands names or multiple divisions, sometimes two or more domain names are helpful to address the specific products and audiences.
The ideal situation is to have a domain name that is simply the name of your company, product, or organization. However, if that name is already taken, we’ve got innovative technology that devises creative ways to generate a domain name that still reflects your company or product name, and is easy for your customers to remember.
We’ll help you research and choose the best name, register it, and get your site and e-mail completely set up under your new domain.
Here are details on how domain names work:
The “System”
The Domain Name System helps people find their way around the Internet. Every computer on the Internet has a unique address – just like a telephone number. This complicated string of numbers is called an “IP address” (“IP” stands for “Internet Protocol”).
Because it’s hard to remember everyone’s numeric IP address, the DNS makes it easier by allowing words or initials (the “domain name”) to be used instead of the IP address. This makes the addresses much easier to remember.
Special routers on the Internet then translate the domain name into the numeric IP address, (the domains are controlled by a single, non-profit, coordinating organization called ICANN). This process is called “resolving the domain name.” ICANN protects the reliability and stability of the Internet, assuring that when anyone anywhere enters a domain name, they will be directed to the right website, no matter where it may originate around the globe.
Name Registration
You may have heard of the InterNIC, the worldwide coordinator of all domain names. Their main function was to assure there are no duplicate domain names or IP addresses. However, a couple of years ago the U.S. government took over maintaining the central database, and opened the market, creating accredited registrars help process domain name requests. We work through a fast, reliable registrar to research, select, and register your domain name. When we register a new domain name for a client, we typically have it registered and confirmed the same day the client approves the name—often within the same hour.
Name Renewal
A domain name is purchased for a limited period of time, typically one or two years. When it’s time to renew, the renewal notice and fee must be submitted in a timely manner, or the domain name is made available for others to purchase and use. This could prove disastrous, once you’ve built traffic and links to your site. At InteractOne, we track domain name renewal dates for our customers very carefully—plus, we work with a very reliable registrar which does the same. Between us, we ensure that your renewal is handled well in advance of your domain expiration, assuring uninterrupted service for your valuable website, e-mail, and e-commerce.
Name Transfer
Should you ever need to transfer your hosting provider or upgrade to a server with greater e-commerce capabilities, InteractOne will handle all the details for you. It involves notifying the registrar, InterNIC, and ICANN, all of which handle the registration and routing of Internet traffic. For a short period of time, we’ll have your site live on both the old and new servers so whichever day, hour, or minute your IP address is changed at various routers throughout the Internet, visitors will still find your site on either the new or old server. After the change to your new server is updated Internet-wide, we’ll remove your site from the old server. This procedure provides uninterrupted access to your site by your customers and prospects, and a perfectly seamless transfer for you.
