ICANN, an abbreviation for Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, is a non-profit organization responsible for managing Domain Name Systems on which the contemporary idea of the Internet is based.
Similar to a phonebook, in which each phone number refers to only one particular phone, ICANN makes sure that there can’t be two identical domain names existing together, and also two identical IP addresses existing together.
What Does ICANN Do
ICANN does several main activities to make the Internet more user-friendly and accessible to anyone.
ICANN Coordinates Top-Level Domains
In terms of domain name management, ICANN manages the creation and coordination of top-level domains such as .com, and .net and country-level domains similar to .usa, .uk, and others.
A major ICANN responsibility is to not allow the existence of identical domain names with identical top-level domain extensions.
In these cases, the main responsibility of ICANN is to keep such top-level domains reliable and viable at all times.
ICANN Supervises the Creation of New TLDs
ICANN is responsible for handling the process of accepting and adding a new generic TLD to the list of registered domain names.
At the same time, the organization is also responsible for adding changes to already existing generic TLDs.
ICANN is Responsible for Allocating IP Addresses
All devices that are connected to the Internet communicate with each other via IP addresses – a string of numbers and symbols that provide detailed and precise information about the location of each device and the resource that can be found on that particular address.
If you are interested in the topic of IP addresses and how they are connected to domain names, then check out our comprehensive article, which explains everything about the topic: What is a Domain Name
Read also: The Difference Between Domain Hosting and Domain Transfer
When it comes to IP addresses, ICANN is responsible for not having two or more identical IP addresses.
Also, ICANN, being the central repository for IP addresses, is responsible for sending out details to regional registries, after which they can be used by network providers.
ICANN Settles Down Domain Name Disputes
ICANN addresses the domain name ownership and top-level domain ownership disputes.
In cooperation with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), ICANN has devised a mechanism for quick, effective, and affordable conflict resolution by allowing arguing parties to avoid dealing with tedious court disputes
How Many Top-Level Domain Names in ICANN Are There?
As of 2024, there are over 12,000 TLD domain names and this number is ever-growing.
As ICANN approves the addition of new gTLDs, and the number of Internet users expands exponentially, this number is approximate.
Conclusion
ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, is a nonprofit organization that coordinates the maintenance of a vast number of namespaces and numerical spaces on the Internet.
Thanks to ICANN and DNS, the contemporary Internet has become more accessible and easy for a larger number of users.
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