Naming and Addressing Control Plane

To make all of this usable,
The Naming & Addressing Control Plane provides the Internet’s identity system, so every device, service, and destination can be uniquely found and reached. The primary roles within this category are as follows:

Global Coordination

ICANN – Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers

Coordinates global Internet identifiers, including domain names, IP addresses, autonomous system numbers, and DNS root zone policy.
ICANN

IANA – Internet Assigned Numbers Authority

Coordinates global allocation of Internet number resources, DNS root zone parameters, and protocol registries under ICANN stewardship.
IANA

Internet Number Registry

RIR – Regional Internet Registry

Manages and allocates Internet number resources, including IP addresses and ASNs, within a defined geographic region.
Example: ARIN, RIPE NCC, APNIC

NIR – National Internet Registry

Distributes Internet number resources within a specific country or economy under policies coordinated with its regional Internet registry.
Example: JPNIC, CNNIC, KRNIC

LIR – Local Internet Registry/ Internet Number Resource Holder

Receives Internet number resources from an RIR or NIR and assigns them to organizations and end networks.
Example: Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, Orange Business

DNS Root

Root Zone Manager

Coordinates and authorizes changes to the DNS root zone, maintaining global delegation information for top-level domains.
Example: IANA Root Zone Management

Root Zone Maintainer

Generates, signs, distributes, and operationally maintains the authoritative DNS root zone data and associated DNSSEC material.
Verisign

Root Zone Operator

Operates globally distributed DNS root server infrastructure, providing authoritative responses for the DNS root zone to resolvers.
Verisign, Internet Systems Consortium (ISC), Netnod

TLD

TLD Registry Operator

Maintains the authoritative database and DNS infrastructure for a Top-Level Domain, managing domain registrations and associated records.
Example: Verisign, Nominet, JPRS

Domain Name Registrar

Provides domain registration services, acting as an intermediary between registrants and TLD registry operators for domain name management.
Example: GoDaddy, Gandi, Onamae.com / GMO Internet

DNS Service Infrastructure

Authoritative DNS Operator

Operates authoritative DNS servers that provide definitive domain name records for zones under their administrative control.
Example: Cloudflare DNS, Akamai Edge DNS, NTT

DNSSEC Zone Operator

Secures authoritative DNS zones by generating, managing, and publishing cryptographic signatures and DNSSEC-related key records.
Example: Cloudflare DNSSEC, Verisign, JPRS

Recursive DNS Resolver Operator

Operates recursive DNS infrastructure that resolves domain names by querying authoritative servers and caching responses for clients.
Example: Google Public DNS, Quad9, NTT