Open Root Server Network

The Open Root Server Network ( ORSN ) was founded in 2002 by Markus Grundmann as an alternative to the fields coordinated by the ICANN root name servers to life.

Task of ORSN is to ensure the name resolution on the Internet through another root server network that is technically 100% compatible with the ICANN root, but not the political influence of ICANN is exposed. ORSN is not profit-oriented and therefore has not, for example, the goal of expanding its own root zone by additional top- level domains, such as it is sought by some organizations for commercial reasons.

Ten ORSN servers are located in Europe and are operated by different ISPs.

A total failure of the ICANN root server network is widely excluded by the redundant design. Criticism, however, is often that ICANN by the root server has too much influence on the operation of the Internet. Since ICANN is contractually subordinated to the U.S. Department of Commerce, some critics fear, disabling or redirecting certain top- level domains could be used as leverage to achieve political goals.

The ORSN project represents no segregation of the Domain Name System, however, intended to limit the influence of ICANN. Furthermore, the operator is a positive side effect on the access times of hope through the load distribution on ICANN and ORSN server.

On 22 October 2008, the operator announced that ORSN is switched off at the end of 2008. As a reason, a loss of interest of the operator was called. ORSN users recommended a change to the coordinated ICANN nameservers.

In the wake of spy programs PRISM and tenses Grundmann stated in June 2013 that he revive ORSN and in the same year would bring into operation again.

From 1 July 2013, the network is operational again.

Besides ORSN there were and are another alternative DNS root operators, such as the still active OpenNIC.