What is DNS?
A Domain Name Server is an application that converts a name into a unique ID. As you know each device on the Internet has a unique ID, this is its IP address, or Internet Protocol address. This IP address is delegated by organisations such as APNIC for the Pacific.
Unfortunately IP addresses are not easy to remember, consider it like a phone number for the Internet. So we use names instead like www.cenpac.net.nr to find a computer on the Internet. The Domain Name Server (DNS) application will convert this name into an IP address. Consider it like a directory, but a well structured one.
A domain name is composed of zones separated by . (dots). At the end of the name you have the Top Level Domain, here in our example nr. You could have fj, com, gov, us, fr,... This is what we call Top Level Domains. There are 2 types the (global) gTLDs (com, edu, gov, mil,..) like in www.google.com and there are the (country code) ccTLDs (nr, fj, fr, us, pn, nc..).
The ccTLDs are following the ISO 2 letters country code standard. Therefore the body that can change this list is the ISO and not the various Internet bodies.
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is the body in charge to coordinate DNS all over the world. They manage what is called the root domain (the servers that know where all the other servers are). Therefore to manage any domain name you must be related somehow to ICANN.
The root servers that manage the root domain will have a record on where to find the computers that manages the ki domain for instance. You remember each computer has an IP address on the Internet. Well the root servers will just have that, under nr they will list 2 IP addresses at least (2 computers) that will be able to answer queries on sub domains of the domain nr. The DNS always lists 2 computers at least for security and redundancy purpose in case one computer fails or is taken momenteraly out of the net. It is advisable that these computers be far apart as possible. You understand why.
Then the 2 computers (DNS) that know everything about nr will have records that will tell where to find 2 computers that know everything about for instance net.nr. Then these 2 computers will have records where to find 2 computers that will know everything about cenpac.net.nr. Finally at this stage, these last 2 computers (DNS) will tell you for instance where the computer www.cenpac.net.nr is (its IP address). This is all transparent for you and is managed by your application (mail, web browser,...)
Register your sub-nr domain
CenpacNet is the nr registry, it means that it has been delegated by ICANN to record all information about sub-domains in the nr domain.
To maintain our records we need first some information about you, in fact we need information about 2 persons, an administrative contact and a technical contact. The administrative contact is usually the person in charge of the organisation/company, most of the time this person do not have a clue what is a DNS, but takes care of legal and financial matters. The technical person on the other hand knows well what is a DNS and can correct errors on the DNS machines. For redundancy purpose these persons must be different for each domain name. So start to register 2 contacts in our database. Each contact will be given an handle and you will have a password associated to this handle so you can modify your contact information as well as modify the domains you manage.
Then we need to know which organisation is registering the domain name and where to send the invoices (e-mail only) as well as any notice regarding the domain name. When you create a domain name, make sure you select the right tld, for instance if you want to register mycompany.com.nr select com.nr as tld and not nr (the fee is very different). Then enter 2 handles for the administrative contact and technical contact. To submit the domain and register the domain, you enter one of the 2 handles you associated with the domain into the modifier field and you type its associated password. At this stage the domain is reserved, and an invoice is sent via e-mail.
The domain is still not ready. You need to enter at least 2 valid hostnames by following the link "Modify the DNS hostnames". You need to enter the names of 2 valid computers on the Internet that will run DNS and therefore have all information on your domain name. CenpacNet can not host these 2 computers but you have to make an alternative arrangement. Needless to say that these 2 computers must be permanently connected to the Internet. To validate this information use one of the handles associated with the domain name and its corresponding password
When we receive your payement we will then validate you domain name, and it will start to appear on the Internet for the specifed period. A reminder will be sent to you until your domain is validated, or before its expiration, so you have time to renew it. If we do not receive payment in time, the domain will be deleted and someone else will be able to register it.
You can reserve your domain name without entering any hostnames, this is fine as long as your payment is up to date. You can enter or modify this information later. Allow 24 hours for this information to appear on the Internet.
For any information contact hostmaster