What is the Domain Registry?

With millions of registered domains available for internet browsing, there must be a way to record them all. There needs to be method for determining who owns the domains, how long they will be registered, and many other things. The domain registry keeps track of this information for us. It provides an organized way to access and use this important data.

The data from the domain registry can be retrieved in two ways. A registrar can search the master domain name database to see if a domain has been registered. Or, it may search the WHOIS database to find more extensive information on a registered domain name. This information includes the registrant’s contact information, specific registrar, server information, and creation and expiration dates. This type of information helps the registrant verify his ownership of the domain. It is also a great tool for anyone who may be interested in purchasing the domain from the owner. They will be able to determine the registrant’s contact information and how likely the owner is to sell the domain.

Not all registrars search the domain registry for all top-level domains. Each registry will only compile search results for the top-level domains it provides. This results in numerous WHOIS databases, because each registrar has its own WHOIS library. For a comprehensive search of the domain registry, visit a third-party Internet site. These sites link all of the databases together and provide complete search results.