New I-root nameserver in Sri Lanka improves Internet in South Asia

APNIC and Netnod/Autonomica AB announce an i.root-servers.net mirror will go live in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

The Asia Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC) and Netnod/Autonomica AB are pleased to announce that a mirror of the Internet root server i.root-servers.net, will go live in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 3 July 2008.

This will be the first root server to be deployed in Sri Lanka and will bring significant improvements in speed and reliability to Internet users in Sri Lanka and the surrounding region.

Root servers are a critical part of the Internet's Domain Name System (DNS), providing information about authoritative servers for all Top Level Domains (TLDs) (such as .com, .org, .bd, .lk and .jp). Computers need this information to interpret URLs, e-mail addresses, and perform other types of Internet transactions.

This installation will be carried out by Autonomica, the organization responsible for the I-root server, (one of the 13 root servers in the world). The I-root server has over 30 instances around the globe.

The Colombo root server deployment has been made possible with financial and logistical assistance from Sri Lanka Telecom and APNIC. It brings the total number of DNS root servers in the Asia Pacific region to 36, of which 22 have been made possible with APNIC's support.

"We are very pleased to deploy an I-root server instance in Sri Lanka" said Kurt Erik Lindqvist, CEO of Netnod/Autonomica. "This root server will not only benefit the Sri Lankan Internet community, but also Internet communities in the surrounding region, in terms of faster domain resolution and increased resilience within the region. This installation is part of Autonomica's effort to increase the I-root server footprint and thereby increasing the performance and robustness of the root server system worldwide."

APNIC Director General Paul Wilson added: "The deployment of this root server in Sri Lanka is a positive example of Internet multi-stakeholder coordination. The installation has involved the private sector, not-for-profit organizations, and government bodies working together to improve DNS stability and Internet response times for developing countries in South Asia".

About APNIC

As one of five Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) in the world, the Asia Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC) is a not-for-profit, membership-based organization charged with ensuring the fair distribution of IP addresses and the related numeric resources in the Asia Pacific region. Responsible management of these resources is vital for the stable and reliable operation of the Internet.

Press contact: Louise Flynn, Press Officer, lou@apnic.net, http://www.apnic.net

About Netnod/Autonomica

Netnod/Autonomica AB is the non-profit organization responsible for i.root-servers.net, the first root server to be installed outside the United States of America. i.root-servers.net has been operational since 1991 and is now anycast from more than 30 locations around the Internet. Autonomica also provides DNS anycast services to a variety of Top Level Domains (TLDs).

Contact: Kurt Erik Lindqvist, CEO, Autonomica, info@autonomica.se, http://www.netnod.se

About Sri Lanka Telecom

Sri Lanka Telecom has a customer base of over two million, including multinational corporations, large and small corporate, retail and domestic customers. Today, SLT provides facilities and services: voice, data, video and mobile to its customers, which are unmatched in scope. These services range from domestic and international voice, advance data transmission services which include internet services on leased lines, broadband [on ADSL] and dial up, data circuits, frame relay solutions to IP services such as IP-VPN based on IP-MPLS technology, total corporate solutions of multiple services, satellite uplink services and mobile telephony through the fully owned subsidiary Mobitel.

Press contact: Mr. Aruna B Herath, Head - Internet Data Center, Telephone - + 94 11 2021275

For more information on nameservers refer to information on the following websites:


Autonomica's I-root server	Kurt Erik Lindqvist, CEO, Autonomica shaking hands with German Valdez, Communications Manager for APNIC

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