ENGLISH <br><br>Sorry for crossposting. Please forward to all who are
working on IDNs and let me know if you need more information. Or if you
need me to attach any documnets referred to hereafter. Live test of
.test strings will start soon at the root and ICANN has not received
any expression of interest from the community in any language from the
region.<br>AR<br><h4 style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px;">Procedures for IDN TLD Evaluation Deployment in the Root Zone</h4>6 August 2007
<p> ICANN has finalized the procedures describing how IANA will manage
the insertion, administration and removal of internationalized top-
level domains in the root zone for the upcoming evaluation. The
procedures were posted previously for public comments. That comment,
as well as advice from the technical community (including RSSAC), was
taken into consideration in editing the final versions.</p>
<p>The two procedures guiding this effort are:</p>
<p>1. <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.icann.org/topics/idn/test-deployment-procedures-06aug07.htm">IANA Root Zone Procedures for Test IDN Deployment</a></p>
<p>The final procedure was approved by the ICANN Board on 29 June 2007 (see <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.icann.org/minutes/resolutions-29jun07.htm">http://icann.org/minutes/resolutions-29jun07.htm</a>
) after some clarifications were provided in response to public comment (see <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://forum.icann.org/lists/iana-idn-process/">http://forum.icann.org/lists/iana-idn-process/</a>). These procedures are being implemented by IANA in preparation for the insertion of IDN evaluation TLDs.
</p>
<p>2. <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.icann.org/topics/idn/operator-emergency-procedures-06aug07.htm">Root Server Operator Procedures for Emergency Revocation of Evaluation-purpose IDN TLDs</a></p>
<p>The purpose of this procedure is to provide a method of quickly
removing IDN TLDs from the root zone in the very unlikely event that
insertion of these evaluation strings negatively impact DNS or root
server operations. After consultation with the RSSAC, the procedure has
been modified to focus on a communication protocol that root server
operators will employ in the identification and mitigation of any
problems that might arise for root server operations as a consequence
of the proposed testing of IDN strings . Root server operators will
monitor and identify deteriorated service potentially caused by IDNs in
the root. If such a result is detected, ICANN will be notified and in
turn activate the procedure. </p>
<p>IDN Program -- looking forward: The next milestones in the IDN
Program Plan requires obtaining necessary approvals to insert the
eleven suggested evaluation top-level domains (the term <.test>
translated into eleven languages). (See the IDN .test Evaluation Plan
at <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.icann.org/announcements/announcement-2-19jun07.htm">http:// icann.org/announcements/announcement-2-19jun07.htm</a>).
An additional announcement will be made once the approvals have been
received. It is anticipated that these evaluation TLDs will be launched
in late September 2007.</p>
------------------------------------<br><div id="confocus">
<div id="doctitle">
<p class="title">Updated IDN .test Evaluation Plan</p>
<p class="subtitle">ICANN updates the IDN .test Evaluation Plan based on comment
to the previously posted version of the plan for the insertion of evaluation
IDN TLDs in the root zone</p>
<p class="docdate">19 July 2007 Update </p>
</div>
<p>ICANN has amended the draft plan for insertion of evaluation
IDN TDs into the root zone based on comments received on the public forum established
for that purpose (see, <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://forum.icann.org/lists/idn-tld-test/">http://forum.icann.org/lists/idn-tld-test/</a>).
Specifically, an amended version of
the proposed label for the Persian TLD, has been posted
(see, <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.icann.org/topics/idn/idn-evaluation-plan-v2.9.1.pdf">http://www.icann.org/topics/idn/idn-evaluation-plan-v2.9.1.pdf</a> [PDF,
241K]). The changes that have been made: (i) replaces the previously suggested
Persian .test TLD with an alternate TLD label that more clearly reveals the
Persian YEH, and (ii) changes of the reference to the name of the language
from Farsi to Persian. </p>
<p> Comments on this or other aspects of the evaluation plan can be made to <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="mailto:idn-tld-test@icann.org">idn-tld-test@icann.org</a> and
viewed at <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://forum.icann.org/lists/idn-tld-test/">http://forum.icann.org/lists/idn-tld-test/</a>. </p>
<p>For more details please see: <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://forum.icann.org/lists/idn-tld-test/msg00002.html">http://forum.icann.org/lists/idn-tld-test/msg00002.html</a> and <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://forum.icann.org/lists/idn-tld-test/msg00003.html">
http://forum.icann.org/lists/idn-tld-test/msg00003.html</a>.</p>
<p> ---------------------------------------------------
</p>
<p class="title">ICANN Releases Draft IDN Evaluation Plans</p>
<p class="docdate">19 June 2007</p>
<p>As announced previously in the IDN program status report, in the draft IANA
Root Zone Procedures for Test IDN Deployment, and the draft IDN TLD Root
Server Performance / Tolerance, ICANN has developed a plan for insertion of
IDN TLDs in the root zone for evaluation. The .test plan contains two separate
evaluation facilities where the feasibility and usability of fully localized
domain names can be evaluated and tested in a live environment.
Implementation of this plan is one of the core elements in ICANN's
IDN Program.</p>
<p>The draft .test plan is <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.icann.org/topics/idn/idn-evaluation-plan-v2%209.pdf">posted here for public
comment</a>. The draft contains a preliminary list of scripts for the example.test
evaluation strings. Recommendations for changes or additions to this list of
strings will be reviewed carefully to ensure broad public participation in
the evaluations.</p>
<p>During the public comment period, the plan will be discussed during several
sessions of the ICANN meeting in San Juan (June 2007) and at the RSSAC / IETF
meeting in Chicago (July 2007). Subject to these and other consultations, a
final version of the plan will be provided for ICANN Board consideration at
its 14 August 2007 meeting. ICANN Board approval will be sought for the plan,
including approval of the insertion of the suggested evaluations strings (<.test> translated
into a number of different languages), in the root zone. According to the plan
the evaluation facilities will be launched in late September 2007.</p>
<p>Comments to the draft .test plan can be submitted <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="mailto:idn-tld-test@icann.org">idn-tld-test@icann.org</a> and
viewed here <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://forum.icann.org/lists/idn-tld-test/">http://forum.icann.org/lists/idn-tld-test/</a>.
For other questions or inquiries regarding ICANN's IDN Program please
contact Tina Dam, ICANN's Director for the IDN Program, at <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="mailto:tina.dam@icann.org">tina.dam@icann.org</a>.</p>
<p>Translation of the .test plan into Arabic, French, Spanish, Russian, and Chinese
is currently underway and will be released shortly.</p>
</div><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Anne-Rachel Inne