Root Name Server Operational Requirements

As the internet becomes increasingly critical to the world's social and economic infrastructure, attention has rightly focused on the correct, safe, reliable, and secure operation of the internet infrastructure itself. The root domain name servers are seen as a crucial part of that technical infrastructure. The primary focus of this document is to provide guidelines for operation of the root name servers. Other major zone server operators (gTLDs, ccTLDs, major zones) may also find it useful. These guidelines are intended to meet the perceived societal needs without overly prescribing technical details.