The top-level domain (TLD) known as .aws is a sponsored TLD (sTLD) operated by Amazon Web Services (AWS), which is a subsidiary of Amazon.com, Inc. This domain extension is not open to public registration, which means it is solely used by Amazon’s cloud platform, Amazon Web Services (Amazon Registry Services, Inc., 2018).
Top-level domains are the extensions at the end of website addresses that appear after the last dot. Examples of common TLDs include .com, .org, and .net. However, there are hundreds of TLDs available today, including country-specific domains like .us or .uk, and brand or category-specific domains like .google or .music. These domain extensions help categorize the internet and provide more information about a website’s content, owner, or location (ICANN, 2012).
The .aws domain is not part of the original set of TLDs created by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). Instead, it is a product of ICANN’s new gTLD program, which allows organizations to apply for their own top-level domains. This program was launched with the intent to increase competition and choice in the domain name space. The .aws domain was delegated to Amazon Registry Services, Inc. on December 7, 2016 (ICANN, 2016).
Being a sponsored top-level domain (sTLD), .aws is specifically reserved for AWS-related sites, services, and initiatives. This practice is not uncommon, as companies like Amazon can use such a sTLD to create a controlled, secure, and recognizable namespace for their online platforms. For instance, sites like console.aws.amazon.com utilize the .aws domain to provide AWS customers with access to manage their AWS resources.
It’s important to note that because .aws is a company-specific domain, it can’t be registered by third parties. This restriction ensures that internet users can trust that any site ending in .aws is an official Amazon Web Services site, providing a layer of security against phishing or other nefarious attempts at fraud or misinformation.
In conclusion, the .aws top-level domain is a unique asset of Amazon Web Services, contributing to its brand recognition and trustworthiness on the internet.
Sources:
- ICANN. (2012). What is a TLD? Retrieved from https://archive.icann.org/en/knowledge/faqs/definitions.html
- ICANN. (2016). Delegation Record for .AWS. Retrieved from https://data.iana.org/TLD/tlds-alpha-by-domain.txt
- Amazon Registry Services, Inc. (2018). Public Interest Commitments. Retrieved from https://www.icann.org/resources/agreement/aws-2018-12-18-en
- ICANN. (2012). New gTLD program. Retrieved from https://newgtlds.icann.org/en/program-status/delegated-strings
- Amazon Web Services. (2018). AWS Management Console. Retrieved from https://aws.amazon.com/console/
