The top-level domain (TLD) “.GLOBAL” is a generic TLD that was introduced as part of the expansion of the internet’s domain name system, overseen by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). As described by ICANN, ‘.GLOBAL’ makes the domain name space more diverse and increases user choice by providing new opportunities for the global Internet community.
A ‘.GLOBAL’ TLD provides an opportunity for companies and individuals alike to have a truly international reach with their website, making it clear that their activities and perspective are worldwide. It pushes Internet boundaries further and enables the registering of more descriptive or memorable domain names.
According to CloudFest (formerly known as WorldHostingDays), the ‘.GLOBAL’ domain extension is intended for use by businesses and organizations that operate on an international level and wish to emphasize their global presence. This places ‘.GLOBAL’ alongside TLDs such as ‘.com’, ‘.org’, or ‘.net’, but with a specific international scope.
Next to these general ideas, it’s also important to get technical. The ‘.GLOBAL’ TLD, just like any other, operates across the DNS infrastructure of the internet. This system translates easy-to-remember domain names into the IP addresses that computers use to identify each other.
According to data collected by Domain Name Stat, as of February 2021, there were approximately 34,000 registered ‘.GLOBAL’ domain names. The largest share of these, at about 44%, was located in the United States, followed by about 8% in the United Kingdom.
In terms of management, the ‘.GLOBAL’ TLD is overseen by Dot Global Domain Registry Limited, an Irish company that was awarded the rights to run ‘.GLOBAL’ by ICANN. According to CentralOps.net, the domain uses a total of six name servers, running across five different locations.
It should also be kept in mind that the ‘.GLOBAL’ domain, like all new global TLDs, supports DNSSEC (Domain Name System Security Extensions). This set of protocols adds a layer of security to the DNS system, helping to stop attacks that direct web users to bogus sites.
Sources used:
- ICANN (https://www.icann.org)
- CloudFest (https://www.cloudfest.com)
- Domain Name Stat (https://domainnamestat.com)
- CentralOps.net (https://centralops.net)
- Dot Global Domain Registry Limited (https://dotglobal.info)
