What's going to happen
in 2014?

Expectations for the .nl domain

Economic recovery will be an important driver of demand for new domain names, both in the Netherlands and internationally. Trade volumes have traditionally been a good predictor of demand, and trade figures in the latter part of 2013 were positive, suggesting that the rate of new registrations may increase in 2014.

The position of .nl on the Dutch domain name market remains as strong as ever. Our national domain is easily the first choice for business users and private users alike, and it enjoys a positive market image. Nevertheless, .com is gradually becoming stronger. That is particularly evident where internationally active users are concerned, probably reflecting the increasingly international nature of e-commerce.

As the market changes, so does the approach adopted by registrars. Whereas in the past the emphasis has been on the acquisition of new registrants, the focus is shifting towards encouraging existing registrants to make more use of 'dormant' domain names – by creating a website, for example. SIDN expects this trend to gain momentum in the years ahead.

New extensions

SIDN is ready to provide registry services for top-level domains other than .nl. In October 2013, the first of the new wave of gTLDs were delegated by ICANN, and some of the domains in question are now available for registration. SIDN regards this development as an opportunity. We expect that the Dutch applications for .amsterdam and .politie will be approved in 2014, and that .amsterdam will become operational in the course of the year. SIDN is to act as registry service provider for .amsterdam and will also start providing a full registry service for the Aruban domain .aw in 2014. SIDN is negotiating with various other parties regarding the provision of registry services for further extensions as well.
The significance of the new gTLDs for .nl should not be underestimated. Generally speaking, the introduction of new gTLDs fuels interest in domain names. That has been the case on several previous occasions when new domains have launched on the Dutch market. However, the effect is not likely to be marked enough to significantly influence the overall growth of .nl.
New domains also affect the way that users perceive the market. It is therefore important that SIDN works to protect its own position and the image of .nl in the years ahead. The need for SIDN and the .nl registrars to communicate what .nl stands for and what the added value of a .nl domain name is has never been so great.

Research and development

In 2014, SIDN Labs will strive to further reinforce its R&D results and to intensify cooperation with its partners. To that end, SIDN Labs will participate in various European projects and joint projects with other Dutch institutes, such as the Delft University of Technology and the National Cyber Security Center (NCSC). Particular emphasis will be placed on research geared to the development of new DNS applications.

Trust frameworks

SIDN is participating in discussions with a view to the development of various trust frameworks, including IRMA, TrustTester and Qiy. In 2014, SIDN expects various practical steps to be taken towards the ultimate creation of a trust framework. SIDN anticipates that the development of trust networks will provide opportunities for organisations that are able to perform supervisory tasks.

ICT infrastructure and applications

In 2012, SIDN began separating a number of components of the domain registration system. Integrated processes, such as invoicing and client registration make changes to the domain registration system complex and time-consuming. The invoicing hub developed in 2013 is the first product of the new strategy.
The ultimate outcome should be a 'pure' registration system, plus a range of associated systems for invoicing, identification, authorisation and so on, which are easier to manage and maintain. The process of separating systems will continue in 2014 and the years thereafter. At the same time, SIDN is modifying its applications and physical infrastructure so the duration of maintenance windows can be substantially reduced. The effects of the changes are expected to start becoming apparent in the second half of 2014.

Domain Name Surveillance Service

In 2014, SIDN will be working with the Registrars' Association to further develop the Domain Name Surveillance Service. It is anticipated that the availability of product variants will make the service attractive to various target groups. The possibility of monitoring registrations under other top-level domains besides .nl will also be investigated.

Security

During the year ahead, SIDN will take various steps to methodically and structurally increase the security of the .nl domain. So, for example, a new identity and access management system will be implemented for the DRS and other systems. The new system will support enhancements such as two-factor authentication (as used for internet banking) and the creation of multiple log-in names for a single registrar account. A variety of measures will also be implemented with a view to providing the .nl domain with even better protection against DDoS attacks.
Another security initiative planned for 2014 is an anti-phishing and anti-malware process that will enable such forms of internet criminality to be countered more effectively within the .nl domain. Finally, SIDN will introduce a secure software development lifecycle, ultimately resulting in a professional quality system for software development.

New website

In 2014, SIDN's website will be completely redesigned. The new site will be more user-friendly and will better reflect SIDN's broadening range of activities SIDN.

Internal

SIDN believes that its personnel should have a healthy work-life balance. With that in mind, in 2014 SIDN will pilot a New World of Work scheme. The pilot will involve changes to the company's office systems. The primary aim will be to optimise employee performance, implying the use of different equipment and applications, which may not in all cases lend themselves to central control.
Another feature of the pilot will be changes to the way personnel are supervised. Managers will be trained and coached to use the new methods. During the year ahead, SIDN will also install a new telecom system and make preparations for the introduction of a work-related expenses scheme in 2015.