Your domain name is a key business asset and needs to be protected.
In the olden days (five years ago in Internet time), when you wanted to buy your domain name, someone on your behalf would contact a domain registry (such as Network Solutions, GoDaddy, Register.com, etc.) and fill out all the application information for you. Since it was technical in nature, you passively went along with what they recommended. Whoever filled out your registration form (typically your web site developer or hosting company) usually became the technical contact and the administrative contact responsible for the management of your web domain.
This was done for two reasons - one good, one bad. Setting up a domain was pretty geeky stuff and it just made much better sense letting the experts handle it. Unfortunately, it also put control of your company domain in your service provider's hands, and complicated things if you ever wanted, or needed, to change.
In practical terms, this means you may need to contact an organization with whom you've had no contact in years, or one that you are about to leave for another provider. In either case, it takes additional time and expense to get them to help. It makes better sense to get things organized when you're not under the gun.
In the past, your web site hosting company would provide DNS (domain name server) services. DNS is the actual pointing of your domain to the web server, mail server, FTP sites, etc. In recent years things got much easier. Nowadays your domain registry provides free DNS services from within their web-based administrative consoles. What used to be difficult and handled by a third-party, is now fairly straightforward.
We're not suggesting you have to become an expert at editing or managing DNS, but merely recommending you have access to the administrative tools available.
Make sure you, or someone on your staff, are on record as being the administrative contact, the technical contact and the actual registrar. This assures you are notified when important events about your domain come up (like renewal). It also allows you to quickly allow your IT partners access to DNS when necessary.
Here are a couple important tips to put in place right away:
- Know your domain registrar.
- Know who provides your DNS.
- Review all of the contact details for your domain and make sure they put control in your hands.
- If outside parties from previous relationships are still involved, begin the process to change the records.
- If you are using an intermediary DNS provider, strongly consider using the free DNS services provided by your registry company.
- Don't make any changes without knowing what you're doing or discussing with an expert.
