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The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) is the shared registry and coordination function that keeps certain globally unique technical identifiers consistent across the Internet. Its work covers DNS root-zone data, global IP address and autonomous system number resources, and protocol parameter registries. IANA does not run or control the whole Internet; it maintains these specific registries and carries out policies developed by the communities they serve.
What does IANA stand for?
IANA stands for Internet Assigned Numbers Authority. The name refers to a set of Internet coordination functions, not a single organization that governs every part of the Internet. IANA describes its role as a public service: it publishes authoritative registries and provides its services without charge. Its job is to implement community-developed policies neutrally, rather than decide those policies itself. IANA’s About page
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What does IANA do?
IANA’s work is organized into three areas. Each supports a different class of identifiers that networks, software, and Internet services need to interpret consistently.
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Domain names and the DNS root
IANA maintains records in the DNS root zone, including technical delegation information for top-level domains such as .com and .uk. This is different from registering a second-level domain such as example.com for an individual or organization. IANA’s root-zone role concerns the top-level-domain delegation and associated technical data; it is not ordinary retail domain registration. IANA Root Zone
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IP addresses and autonomous system numbers
IANA coordinates global Internet number resources, including IP addresses and autonomous system numbers, and makes allocations to the Regional Internet Registries (RIRs). The RIRs serve their respective regions and operate within the policies developed by their communities. IANA’s global coordination role is distinct from the subsequent regional and local distribution of number resources. IANA Number Resources
Protocol parameters
IANA maintains registries of names, numbers, and other parameters used by Internet protocols. These assignments help different implementations interpret protocol information in a consistent way. Examples in the DNS parameter registries include DNS classes, resource-record types, and response codes. Protocol assignments can change as new entries are approved; the registry is the authoritative reference for its current contents. DNS Parameters
Who performs the IANA functions, and who sets policy?
Public Technical Identifiers (PTI), a nonprofit public benefit corporation and ICANN affiliate, performs the IANA functions. PTI was formed in 2016, and ICANN is its sole member. IANA Governance
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- Domain names: policy is developed through ICANN’s multistakeholder processes.
- Number resources: policy is developed by the RIR communities.
- Protocol parameters: assignments follow the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) standards process.
Oversight also varies by function. Relevant bodies include the Customer Standing Committee, the Root Zone Evolution Review Committee, the IETF, and the RIRs. IANA’s role is to carry out the applicable policies and procedures, not to replace these policy-making communities. IANA Governance
How is IANA different from ICANN, an RIR, or the IETF?
These names are related, but they describe distinct roles. PTI is the operational provider of the IANA functions; ICANN is PTI’s sole member and hosts the multistakeholder policy processes for domain names. RIR communities develop number-resource policy, while the RIRs handle regional number-resource functions. The IETF develops standards and policies for protocol parameter assignments. IANA maintains the corresponding registries and implements approved policies. IANA Governance
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Why does IANA matter?
The Internet is decentralized: networks and software are operated by many different organizations. For those systems to interoperate, certain identifiers and protocol values need a globally consistent reference. IANA’s published registries and coordination work help make that possible, so that an identifier or parameter has a consistent meaning across independently operated systems. This makes IANA an important part of Internet infrastructure without making it the operator or controller of the Internet as a whole. IANA’s About page
When did the IANA functions move to their current arrangement?
The transition to the current arrangement took effect on 1 October 2016. The prior U.S. government contract lapsed on 30 September 2016; today, PTI performs the IANA functions as an ICANN affiliate. These dates describe the historical transition, not a change to the basic division of responsibility between registry operations and community-developed policy. IANA Stewardship Transition
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