If you have been using the Internet for several years, then you remember
when your experience was hit or miss.
A busy signal on a dial-up
connection was commonplace, the site you wanted to visit returned an error
page, or you just didn’t know the name of the site you wanted.
Nowadays, we have come to expect high-speed, always-on access to the
Internet and Web sites. We have come to rely on it to run and manage our
businesses, sell and buy goods and communicate with friends, family and
business associates.
You may take that reliability for granted as you should. But there
is a lot going on behind the scenes that allows you to take it for granted.
Among them is that the infrastructure that connects you to Web sites must
always work. For .com and .net domain names, that service is performed by
VeriSign, and my job at VeriSign is to manage the business unit that makes
them operate.
The fact that .com and .net have been 100 percent available for eight straight years, 365 days a year, 24
hours a day since VeriSign has operated them attests to how serious we take that responsibility. An important aspect of that responsibility is the recognition by the Internet community that the Internet is growing dramatically and the
resources required to support that growth are growing dramatically, as well.
Last week, ICANN, the technical coordination body for the Internet,
approved an agreement that gives VeriSign the flexibility to adjust .com
domain prices, which are currently set at $6, over the next six years.
Under the agreement, .com price increases would be limited to a total of
$1.86 over six years.
VeriSign’s prices have been frozen for approximately eight years, unlike
the prices of businesses in virtually any other area of commerce, despite
increased service, demand, and threats to the secure and stable operation
of this critical infrastructure.
This pricing flexibility is important not
only to VeriSign, but to all registry operators. It ensures these
operators have the ability to continue investing in the infrastructure to
maintain operation at the levels you expect and rely on in the
face of the challenges of the Internet and sophisticated
attacks on it.
This is no small feat: the traffic on the core Internet infrastructure has
quadrupled over the last five years, as Internet usage has increased, and
attacks on the Internet have grown not only in frequency but
sophistication.
For example, so-called Denial-of-Service
the core infrastructure multiple times a day attempting to slow down and
paralyze the networks that run the Internet. It is not uncommon
for thousands of computers to be coordinated to execute these attacks.
These attacks require that VeriSign constantly test and upgrade our
networks. And we must remain ever vigilant and prepare because these
incidents are increasing as voice traffic, e-commerce transactions and
Internet traffic multiply at exponential rates.
The case for continued investment in the security and stability of the
Internet is clear. Unfortunately, a small but vocal group of eight
registrars, the middlemen who process orders for domain names, are
attempting to undermine the proposed agreement by claiming that any price
adjustment should only be for prices to go down. They cite as their
“proof” that technology component prices are going down.
Given the
complexity and scale of the Internet, and the ever-increasing security
threats, this position is not only naïve but borders on irresponsible.
However, their rationale is clear. This group of eight companies wants to
protect their own margins without considering the consequences of the
impact it may have on other businesses or consumers.
And their
“pro-consumer” track record is not particularly good. Last year when .net
prices were reduced, they pocketed the $10 million in savings instead of
passing it on to their customers.
VeriSign’s position has been consistent and clear — ensure that the
Internet remains reliable and always on and therefore available so that
your e-commerce site operates, your e-mails get through and you can visit
the Web sites you want.
It is important that we not trade the future of the Internet for
everyone for the short term gain of a few.
Mark McLaughlin is senior vice president and general manager of VeriSign Internet Services.