Host a root server – Expression of Interest
To continuously improve the resilience of critical Internet infrastructure in the Asia Pacific region, APNIC is supporting the establishment of additional root servers at suitable sites throughout the region. This is a call for Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from the Asia Pacific Internet community for this important activity.
Introduction
The authoritative name servers that serve the Domain Name System (DNS) root zone, commonly known as ‘root servers’, are a network of hundreds of servers installed in many countries around the world. Root servers are responsible for directing domain name lookup requests to respective name servers.
Having multiple servers distributed around the Asia Pacific region provides high performance DNS lookup, independent of the user’s location, as the request does not have to be dealt with by a single remote instance of a name server. It also strengthens the resilience of the DNS, allowing it to handle ever-growing Internet traffic and disperse malicious traffic directed at root servers.
The establishment of root servers in suitable locations closer to Internet users has an immediate impact on the speed of DNS services and will provide substantial Internet service improvements that benefit all throughout the region. However, APNIC cannot take responsibility for the full costs of installation and operation at each and every location. Hence, community support is vital to ensuring that these root servers can be widely and effectively deployed.
Organizations interested in supporting the deployment of root servers in the region may express their interest by following the instructions below.
Root server hardware
APNIC will supply all hardware for this deployment, including server machines, switching equipment, and front-end routers. All equipment will remain the property of APNIC and will be operated solely by the relevant root server operator under a formal agreement between APNIC and the root server operator.
There is no requirement for hosting organizations to perform any maintenance on the systems. Please note, administrative access to the systems will not be available.
Hosting sites
Suitable sites for the location of root servers will include Internet exchanges (IXes), and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) or data centres (DCs) that offer a very high standard of infrastructure, security and Internet connectivity. A maximum of one site will be deployed under the support of APNIC in any country or economy in the Asia Pacific region and it is expected that major IXes, ISPs or DCs would be chosen in each case.
In terms of physical infrastructure and services, a hosting site should satisfy the general requirements for root server locations, which are described in section 3 of RFC2870. In order for a root server to be deployed, host sites must satisfy all necessary criteria specified by that document. Hosting organizations will be asked to provide onsite physical support, including Remote Hands and Eyes support if and when necessary.
Internet transit
It is critical that these root servers are accessible by wider Internet communities in each location and not only by those networks that are customers of the hosting organization. APNIC is unable to fund the ongoing operational costs of a root server, therefore, the hosting organization must provide the necessary Internet transit for the root server operations. It is not feasible for the root server to be operated unless this condition can be assured and maintained.
EOIs
APNIC would like to invite EOIs from organizations such as IXes, ISPs and DCs that are willing and able to provide support for the deployment of root servers as described above. Selected hosting organizations must sign a cooperative agreement with APNIC before the root server deployment work is carried out. They will be properly credited on relevant APNIC webpages and documentation.
EOIs should include details of the support that is to be offered. Please provide as much detail as possible, including physical infrastructure details, upstream and peering network connectivity details, and bandwidth availability. Please refer specifically to the provisions of RFC2870 (Section 3) in your response.
Please send EOIs by email to rootserver@apnic.net.
If any further information is required, please also email this address.
For further information about the root server project, please see: