[Ubuntu-ZW] Something to think about.

[Arthur Garande]

I dont know how to shorten the process and make it less of a hassle but
i'd love that too. And yes, supporting whois functionality is great. At
this point all i can do is agree that you are spot on. If there is
anything i can do to help, i'll gladly do so.

-----Original Message-----
From: Kalpesh Thaker <luminary06 at gmail.com>
To: ubuntu-zw <ubuntu-zw at lists.ubuntu.com>
Subject: [Ubuntu-ZW] Something to think about.
Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2010 10:06:07 +0200

Hi Guys...

Firstly.. apologies for posting another unrelated ubuntu topic on the
list.....

However, i'd like to do some research here...and since most of the
people on this list are IT related... it might end up being a
constructive 
topic .

How many guys out there, deal with ZISPA for domain registrations?

I have a gripe.. and hopefully, if this is a common issue, we might be
able to pool ideas, to create suggestions/recommendations and/or 
resolutions that can be implemented.

At the moment, to register a .co.zw domain, you need be a registered
ZISPA member..which is perfectly normal.
However, the actual procedure of registering a domain is as follows:

The applicant needs to submit a ZISPA template ( a txt file attachment
on email.. whereby you specify the registrants address, contact details,
etc as well as the technical contacts nameserver ip's.) 

The registrant also needs to attach a letterhead from the
company/individual stating the domain registration on behalf of the
nominated ISP, as well
as a signed copy of the ZISPA terms and conditions.

It is ZISPA policy that one template attachment be sent for each domain
to be registered, on a seperate email.
So ive you want to register 10 domains, you have to compile 10 emails,
then send it off for processing.

The 'template' system applies for domain nameserver modifications and
transfers.
I've just remembered, that .org.zw domains with Telone, follow the exact
same procedure!

With regards to domain transfers, the current registrar needs to send a
domain release note to the new registrar, who then compiles a
"template" with the new details, then sends it along with the domain
release to ZISPA, who then processes it, and sends confirmation.

Modifications as noted, are also done through templates. So even the
smallest nameserver or IP address change of the primary/secondary
authoritative nameserver, has to be compiled into a template, then sent
to ZISPA for processing.

----------->

Ok, so this is my thoughts on this:

1 - templating via .txt files for domain registration is overly
complicated
2 - the domain registration process is extremely outdated and
inefficient.
3 - the facilities supplied by ZISPA/Telone as the authorative .zw
registrars is not flexible enough to allow
domain modifications/transfers on the fly without multiple parties
having to be involved. This increases admin
and processing time for everyone involved.
4 - templating requires human intervention for each and every
application for domain processing, which means unnecessary
delays if ZISPA experience any issues..as well as a waste of HR for
ZISPA. (Some poor soul, has to process
100's of email templates a day, everyday, for all ZISPA customers)
5 - the registration of multiple domains takes time, as each domain
template has to be compiled for each, with a domain registration
letterhead and signed terms/conditions attached on each individual
email. (This increases admin time on the registrants side.)
6 - i do believe that the collection of individuals physical contact
details and other information kept by ZISPA can reasonably pose privacy 
concerns to individuals. 
7 - The current system does not facilitate WHOIS functionality (just to
remind you, we are in the year 2010! not 1986!!)

Overall, i think the current domain registration process, is so 1980's,
inflexible, too strict, slow, and completely outdated.

At the moment, we've had a huge increase in demand for local domain
registration, and i think the current system is just 
not good enough. As compared to South African and other COMESA regions,
our domain registration system really is a dinosaur.

I'd like to see a system that follows international trends, such as the
ones available for .com domains. Where the users are
allocated a control panel for domain management. These control panels
cater for domain transfers, modification, WHOIS detail editing, 
etc. For your information, a .com/.org/.net address can be registered,
and put into production, in under 20 minutes! 

Improvement on our local registrar system can be done, and there is no
excuse not to keep up with the rest of our neighbours when it comes to 
ICT infrastructure.

Its obvious that the current system was developed by some gifted
individual many many many years ago (which at the time was cutting
edge), but 
has never been revised or improved since in any constructive way. that
too is highly unacceptable in my opinion. We have a wealth of knowledge
in our IT community, and i believe if it is pooled together, we can help
improve our current ICT "crisis" in zimbabwe. starting with our domain
registrars.

Any thoughts, comments, suggestions, criticism are most welcome...please
feel free to forward this email to as many professional IT individuals
that you 
know, so that we can somehow all our ideas can come together.

Apologies again for hi-jacking the ubuntu list with this post... if need
be, i'd be most happy to migrate this to another mailing list. 
However, due to the large subscriber base of IT professionals on this
list, it seems ideal at the moment.

Yours sincerely in IT.

kalpesh.

p.s for more information on ZISPA, see the following pages:

http://www.zispa.org.zw/reg_proc.html
http://www.zispa.org.zw/template.txt

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