Contents:
1. Domain names
2. Domain name registrant
3. Domain name registrar
4. Domain name registry
5. Structure of the edu.au domain space
1. What is a domain name registration?
A domain name is a unique, easy-to-remember and easy-to-convey address used to access websites and other online services.
The servers that host these services would otherwise need to be accessed via a numerical IP address (e.g. 172.28.63.10).
2. What is a domain name registrant?
A domain name registrant is the organisation or individual that has registered the domain name. A registrant does not own the domain name but holds a licence to the exclusive use of that name for a specified registration or licence period.
As the domain name is a licence, the registrant must be a legal entity.
3. What is a domain name registrar?
A domain name registrar is an organisation that manages the allocation and registration of domain names. In Australia, registrars are accredited or authorised to operate by the .au Domain Administration Ltd (auDA), in accordance with its licensing rules and policies.
Education Services Australia Ltd (ESA) was appointed by the ministers of Education as the sole authorised registrar for the edu.au namespace.
4. What is a domain name registry?
The domain name registry operator administers and maintains the database of all domain names currently registered within a domain name space (that is, within .au).
The registry operator also provides the systems by which registrars can submit and manage registrations, and which allow third-party entities and systems to request information maintained in the registry required to be public for the domain name system to function. Such information might be the availability and/or current status of a domain name, the entity a domain name is registered to (the WHOIS service) and the servers that are authoritative for the DNS records for a domain name (name server delegation).
For the .au space as a whole, including edu.au,
Identity Digital Pty Ltd is the current registry operator.
5. Structure of the edu.au domain space
Domain names may consist of many levels (sub-domains, child zones), which are separated by a period (full stop) and work backwards from the outside in, as shown here:
- fourthlevel.thirdlevel.secondlevel.firstlevel
For edu.au
The first level, au, is the Australian domain country code top level domain (cctld).
The second level, edu, is the sub-domain designated to the Australian education and training sector.
The third level, for which registrants with national interests and responsibilities may either register a personalised name or select one of the following pre-defined sub-domains, identify the state, territory or educational sector the domain name registrant operates in:
- .act.edu.au
- .nsw.edu.au
- .nt.edu.au
- .qld.edu.au
- .sa.edu.au
- .tas.edu.au
- .vic.edu.au
- .wa.edu.au
- .catholic.edu.au
- .eq.edu.au
Where one of the above sub-domains is selected at the third level, registrants may then register a personalised name at the fourth level.
The registration of fifth-level domain names, or higher, is now prohibited, with the exception of the legacy child zones
.schools.nsw.edu.au and
.education.tas.edu.au, used by government schools in New South Wales and Tasmania respectively.
Registrants may create sub-domains at levels above their personalised name - including at the fifth level, or higher - as a function of the DNS record hosting attached to their domain name, not as a domain name registration. For example, for the 'www' prefix:
- • www.personalised-name.edu.au
- www.personalised-name.vic.edu.au
- www.personalised-name.schools.nsw.edu.au
Please note
Sub-domains created at levels above a personalised name should only be used by and for the services of the legal entity that holds the registered domain name. Allowing a third party to operate under a sub-domain of your domain name will be considered a breach of the terms and conditions of your licence under the
Registrant Agreement.
