Multiple Year registrations ... registrar then dies... - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

tritium · 06-30-2004, 09:20 AM

So, you register a domain name for the maximum allowable time period (10yrs). Somewhere along the way, your registrar dies. What happens to the rest of your "lease"? I spoke with godaddy.com billing support and the guy told me that the lease for 10years will stand and the DNS records will also stand, even if the registrar is toast. What I don't understand is how that could be, and how I would change my nameservers at that hypothetical point.

What has been ya'll's experience? My client is willing to pay me some serious mollah to get this done for her, and it would mean a tidy profit. But, as the host for her websites aswell, I'm concerned that I'll be stuck with my present host forever if my registrar dies off (wouldn't be able to change DNS records via their system to point to a new IP).

onetime2 · 06-30-2004, 09:28 AM

Leases and the like become the property of the deceased's estate. Contact the estate to make arrangements for a transfer.

I'm not clear on the arrangement you're trying to enter (or are already in) so I can't be more specific. If you could provide more detail as to the relationships between those involved I may be able to offer more help. Right now it's too unclear to me.

tritium · 06-30-2004, 09:30 AM

I'm talking about domain name registration and registration companies, not dead people! rofl

example: http://www.networksolutions.com and http://www.godaddy.com

I want to register a domain name for 10yrs, but I'm concerned that my registration company, godaddy.com, won't be around that long. If the registrar, godaddy.com, closes, then I want to have access to my DNS records all the same.

onetime2 · 06-30-2004, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by tritium
I'm talking about domain name registration and registration companies, not dead people! rofl

example: http://www.networksolutions.com and http://www.godaddy.com

I want to register a domain name for 10yrs, but I'm concerned that my registration company, godaddy.com, won't be around that long. If the registrar, godaddy.com, closes, then I want to have access to my DNS records all the same.

As written it could be taken that you would be acting as the registration company and the person registering dies.

In the way you meant it the best way for you to handle it is to have remedies inserted into the contract you enter into with the registrar. A company "dying" is not unlike a person in that claims can be made on the assets (domain registrations are assets) by debtors. If you have a contract that spells out that upon dissolution of the company the domain goes to you, the debtors will have a more difficult time making a claim on it. The contract along with other document(s) verifying that the events spelled out in the contract have taken place will allow you to take control of the domain.

ratbastid · 06-30-2004, 10:33 AM

The registrar isn't the same thing as the outfit hosting the DNS service.

Not that I recommend this, exactly, but if you're running your own servers, you can install a pair (or more) of DNS servers and register yourself as the authorized nameserver for the domain. Then the registrar can go ahead and die--you'll have complete control of the DNS service for the domain forevermore. Point to other IPs at whim.

Why don't I recommend that? Because nameservers are notorious for security problems and are a PITA to manage.

It could be that your registrar is also managing your DNS service, which might well leave you confused about where the line falls between those two services. If you're hosting the server yourself, then your own nameservice may be the safest way to go in the long term. If you're reselling the hosting from another provider, then I bet you a dollar they can serve DNS.

tritium · 06-30-2004, 06:18 PM

My registrar isn't running my DNS services exactly. Somehow they handle the records that point to my NS servers themselves. The NS servers are handled by my host and all the records point to my dedicated box. I didn't feel like handling the NS myself for the reasons you stated -- I agree completely.

06-30-2004, 09:20 AM	#1 (permalink)
tritium Professor of Drinkology	Multiple Year registrations ... registrar then dies... So, you register a domain name for the maximum allowable time period (10yrs). Somewhere along the way, your registrar dies. What happens to the rest of your "lease"? I spoke with godaddy.com billing support and the guy told me that the lease for 10years will stand and the DNS records will also stand, even if the registrar is toast. What I don't understand is how that could be, and how I would change my nameservers at that hypothetical point. What has been ya'll's experience? My client is willing to pay me some serious mollah to get this done for her, and it would mean a tidy profit. But, as the host for her websites aswell, I'm concerned that I'll be stuck with my present host forever if my registrar dies off (wouldn't be able to change DNS records via their system to point to a new IP). __________________ Blah.

06-30-2004, 09:28 AM	#2 (permalink)
onetime2 Junkie Location: NJ	Leases and the like become the property of the deceased's estate. Contact the estate to make arrangements for a transfer. I'm not clear on the arrangement you're trying to enter (or are already in) so I can't be more specific. If you could provide more detail as to the relationships between those involved I may be able to offer more help. Right now it's too unclear to me. __________________ Strive to be more curious than ignorant.

06-30-2004, 09:30 AM	#3 (permalink)
tritium Professor of Drinkology	I'm talking about domain name registration and registration companies, not dead people! rofl example: http://www.networksolutions.com and http://www.godaddy.com I want to register a domain name for 10yrs, but I'm concerned that my registration company, godaddy.com, won't be around that long. If the registrar, godaddy.com, closes, then I want to have access to my DNS records all the same. __________________ Blah. Last edited by tritium; 06-30-2004 at 09:35 AM..

06-30-2004, 06:18 PM	#6 (permalink)
tritium Professor of Drinkology	My registrar isn't running my DNS services exactly. Somehow they handle the records that point to my NS servers themselves. The NS servers are handled by my host and all the records point to my dedicated box. I didn't feel like handling the NS myself for the reasons you stated -- I agree completely. __________________ Blah.

06-30-2004, 10:33 AM	#5 (permalink)
ratbastid Darth Papa Location: Yonder	The registrar isn't the same thing as the outfit hosting the DNS service. Not that I recommend this, exactly, but if you're running your own servers, you can install a pair (or more) of DNS servers and register yourself as the authorized nameserver for the domain. Then the registrar can go ahead and die--you'll have complete control of the DNS service for the domain forevermore. Point to other IPs at whim. Why don't I recommend that? Because nameservers are notorious for security problems and are a PITA to manage. It could be that your registrar is also managing your DNS service, which might well leave you confused about where the line falls between those two services. If you're hosting the server yourself, then your own nameservice may be the safest way to go in the long term. If you're reselling the hosting from another provider, then I bet you a dollar they can serve DNS.