ICANN : Root Stability Study RFP

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (“ICANN”) is seeking one or more providers to conduct a technical study examining the impact of the New gTLD Program (the Program) on the DNS root system.

  Consistent with its mission supporting the security and stability of the Internet’s system of unique identifiers, ICANN will undertake an examination of the Program’s impact on the DNS root system. The selected provider(s) will design and execute one or more studies incorporating the collection and analysis of data from root server operators, historical performance data, data gathered from previous studies, and other tools and measures.  ICANN is seeking one or more qualified providers to manage this complex exercise in a timely and efficient manner.

A review of the Program for security and stability impact is a previous commitment based on advice from ICANN’s Governmental Advisory Committee  and other discussions. Specifically, ICANN committed to review the effects of the New gTLD Program on the operations of the DNS root system, and to postpone delegations in a future round until it is determined that the delegations in the 2012 round have not jeopardized the root system’s security or stability.

The goals of this study include, at a minimum:

    Executing a thorough review of the impact of the Program on the security and stability of the DNS.
    Identifying what steps, if any, should be undertaken as a prerequisite to adding more TLDs to the root zone.
    Identifying what steps, if any, should be undertaken by the community going forward to assess the state of the root zone on an ongoing basis.

This announcement was sourced from here.

https://www.icann.org/news/announcement-2-2015-06-05-en