BACKGROUND

Background Information

In this section, we have put together some documents and detailed information relating to domains and the Internet in general. For instance, you will learn about the difference between so-called generic Top Level Domains and country code Top Level Domains such as .de. Moreover, you can find out more about the technical principles of domain administration, including, e. g., information about how the Domain Name System works, the functions of the name servers and the domain data base or how a call between two subscribers can be set up via ENUM. In a separate section, we have compiled the most important national and international organizations involved in the further development of the Internet.

As for the legal aspects of domain administration, you can read what German courts have decided with regard to the role of DENIC, or how data protection laws influence the publication of information via the whois service. Since DENIC is only responsible for the registration of domains, we are unable to counteract illegal contents of websites or spam. In this regard, all we can do is refer you to the corresponding domain holder or the competent institutions dealing with these problems.

If you are interested in the development of registered .de domains and their regional distribution, we invite you to have a look at our statistics section. Here, you will also learn which are currently the ten largest Top Level Domains.