Category: Domains

Who is ZARC (previously ZACR , prior as UniForum)?

ZARC (previously known as UniForum) is the South African Registry that manages the .co.za. Domain Administration. ZARC has, over the years, made use of a proprietary Legacy system for email-based domain registration, domain updates and deletion. They then adopted the globally-accepted EPP (Extensible Provisioning Protocol) system, which significantly improved Domain Management and brought it in-line with international standards. […]

How do I Choose my Domain Name?

When you are initially stepping into the World Wide Web, it can become a very daunting experience. What with unfamiliar web jargon and people who seem to know much more than you. At Domains.co.za we aim to provide you with the best internet-based products and services at all times. Choosing a Domain Name is the first step in giving your business an online presence. However, knowing what Domain Name to choose is something you need to pay attention to. Here are a few points to act as a guideline:   Company Name: Your business name is ideally the best domain for you to initially register, as it maintains your company identity and is easily recognisable to your existing clients. Ensure that it is easy to remember and the URL wor […]

Understanding the Domain Name System (DNS)

Websites and any equipment e.g. mobile phones, websites, laptops, tablets, etc.; that connects to the Internet have an individual IP (Internet Protocol) address. This IP address  consists of numbers separated with dots e.g. 94.256.987.586 which are synchronised with unique user-defined names. Computers ‘talk’ to each other via binary code over the Internet, whilst human beings find it far easier to remember the domain name (e.g. www.domains.co.za). Appointed authoritative Registries ensure that the ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names & Numbers) regulations are strictly adhered to globally. ZARC / UniForum (South Africa) is responsible for South African 2nd Level Domains i.e. .co.za  .org.za   .net.za   .w […]

What is a Domain Registry?

There is a protocol called the Domain Name System (DNS) which is used to ‘translate’ domain names into TCP/IP addresses, to identify computers over the internet. A Registrar will submit domain name information to a Registry. The Registry will then upload this domain information onto a centralised database. The Registry is responsible for creating and maintaining all domain names for its TLD (Top Level Domain). These TLDs can be either country codes (ccTLD) or generics (gTLD). Added to this, a Registry will publish the domain information in Internet Zone Files which can be accessed globally by any user via specific platforms. […]

What is a Domain Registrar?

A Registrar interfaces between the general public and a Registry. A Registrar has to be officially accredited by each Registry of the various TLDs and gTLDs that it wishes to represent. […]

What is a Domain Registrant?

Any person or entity that registers a TLD name with a Registrar is called a Registrant. All Registrant domain information is available to the public via the Whois global domain database. Should you not wish to have your information available to the Public, you can request WHOIS Privacy for your domain registration which incurs a small annual fee charged per domain. […]

What is a Top Level Domain (TLD)?

TLDs (Top Level Domains) are technically the suffix (the letter after the domain name) of a URL address, e.g. www.domain-name.com or www.domains.co.za. In the first instance the TLD is ‘com’ and in the second it is ‘za’ representing a Country Code, ‘za’ represents South Africa’s ccTLD.   They come in various groups: – gTLDs (Generic Top Level Domains), which are usually 3 or more letters in length – the ICANN list of current gTLDs. – ccTLDs (Country Code Top Level Domains), these are 2 letters and are generally based on the ISO 3166 code – ICANN list of ccTLDs. – geoTLDS (Geographic Top Level Domains), these are associated to countries and cultures – ICANN list of geoTLDs. […]

What is WHOIS?

All Domain Registration information i.e. the Domain Name, Registrar, Name Server, Contact information, etc. is made publicly available on the WHOIS global database for all individual domains. WHOIS Privacy is for anyone wishing to keep their Registrant details private and is available for .co.za, .web.za. .org.za, .net.za for a nominal annual fee. Please contact our Sales Team to enquire about other TLDs. […]

What Is The Difference Between A Domain Registry And A Registrar?

A Domain Registry is essential to the stability and operation of the DNS infrastructure and has a unique role in the domain name ecosystem. Registries oversee the technical infrastructure that supports the domain name system (DNS) and the delegation of IP addresses, while Registrars deal with the public. Registrars maintain authoritative databases for specific TLDs, overseeing the registration data associated with domain names and their corresponding IP addresses. However, A Domain Registrar’s key responsibilities include assisting with domain name registration and engaging with the public directly. By serving as middlemen, Registrars help people and businesses buy and maintain the domain names they want. They offer various […]

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