[announce] Implementation of Registrar Data Escrow Program

["GNSO.SECRETARIAT@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx" <gnso.secretariat@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

[To: council[at]gnso.icann.org; liaison6c[at]gnso.icann.org]
[To: ga[at]gnso.icann.org; announce[at]gnso.icann.org]
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Implementation of Registrar Data Escrow Program
http://www.icann.org/announcements/announcement-2-09nov07.htm

ICANN has concluded negotiations and entered into an agreement with Iron 
Mountain Intellectual Property Management, Inc. to provide escrow 
services under ICANN's Registrar Data Escrow (RDE) program. ICANN 
selected Iron Mountain through a competitive Request for Proposals 
process concluded earlier this year.

Under the data escrow provision of the Registrar Accreditation Agreement 
(RAA), all ICANN-accredited registrars must regularly deposit a backup 
copy of their gTLD registration data with ICANN through ICANN's 
arrangement with Iron Mountain or they may elect to use a Third Party 
Provider of RDE services that has been approved by ICANN. The data held 
in escrow may be released to ICANN upon termination of a registrar's 
accreditation agreement or expiration of the accreditation agreement 
without renewal to facilitate transfer of registrations from the failed 
registrar to another registrar. ICANN plans to have all accredited 
registrars enrolled in the RDE program within the next six months.

"The vast majority of ICANN-accredited registrars offer high levels of 
service and integrity," said Dr. Paul Twomey, ICANN's President and CEO. 
"But as we have seen, there is the risk that a poorly performing 
registrar can hurt registrants significantly. ICANN's Registrar Data 
Escrow program provides an important additional layer of protection for 
registrants."

ICANN and Iron Mountain will begin enrolling registrars in the RDE 
program immediately. Registrars who elect to use Iron Mountain's escrow 
service will be required to enter into a standardized agreement with 
ICANN and Iron Mountain [PDF, 49K]. Escrow agents who wish to apply for 
approval as a Third Party Provider (TPP) should review ICANN's TPP 
Approval Criteria [PDF, 21K] and TPP Approval Process Diagram [PDF, 
121K], and submit a completed TPP Application [PDF, 21K, MS Word, 61K] 
to ICANN. All registrars and escrow agents must comply with ICANN's RDE 
Specifications [PDF, 33K].
--
Glen de Saint Géry
GNSO Secretariat - ICANN
gnso.secretariat[at]gnso.icann.org
http://gnso.icann.org