Competing DNS Roots

Title: Competing DNS Roots

Research Question: How do competing DNS roots impact the internet's domain name system and its users?

Methodology: The study examines the economic and policy issues surrounding the concept of competing DNS roots. It uses a structural analysis to explore the different forms of competition and their effects on end-user compatibility.

Results: The research found that competing DNS roots are a form of standards competition, with network externalities playing a significant role. It identified that the growth of alternate roots is a result of ICANN's restrictive and slow addition of new top-level domains. The analysis showed that while the value added by competing roots seems small, the issue is more fundamental - it's about competing sources of authority over the internet.

Implications: The study concludes that competition among DNS roots should be permitted as it is a healthy outlet for inefficiency or abuses of power by the dominant root. This allows for greater market influence and doesn't threaten the universality of the internet interconnection.

Link to Article: https://arxiv.org/abs/0109021v2 Authors: arXiv ID: 0109021v2