[lug] Need Advice on Domain Registration Services

[Hugh Brown]

On Fri, 22 Jul 2005, Bear Giles wrote:

> Jeff Schroeder wrote:
> > My experience with GoDaddy has been pretty negative.  I used them for a
> > few domains and SSL certs but was unimpressed with their customer
> > service, *very* unimpressed with their web tools and interface, and
> > generally felt like they proved once again that "you get what you pay
> > for."
>
> My problem is WAY out in the weeds, but it may be pertinent to
> your decision.
>
> My employer hosts several domains.  Some are paying, some are
> associated with employees.  (I host my own domains elsewhere.)
> Anyway, we're migrating our DNS servers from our own hardware to
> Tummy.  (To be more precise we'll still run the master DNS server.
> Tummy will be the public slave.)  All but one domain have updated
> their whois information.
>
> The holdout has been unresponsive.  Worse, the domain registration
> was screwed up (or he changed it) and we're not listed as the
> technical contact.  Who knows, maybe he didn't realize that it's
> the guys who are responsible for his DNS servers, not a slam on
> his skills.
>
> I contacted GoDaddy's customer service and asked if they could
> correct the records.  We're on the fricking record as providing
> both of this DNS servers, send us mail at hostmaster so we can
> verify that we're the ones who should be listed as technical
> contact.  This should not be a problem, esp. in those cases where
> the same person is listed as all contacts.[*]
>
> They can't do that.
>
> O-kay.  We're nice guys, we won't go dark.  Yet.  But when we do
> this guy is up the creek since there's nothing we can do to update
> this records.


This is the behaviour I would want from a registrar if I were the domain
holder.  I wouldn't want them to make any changes unless one of the
contacts requested it.  I know its obnoxious, but the domain owner is the
one that needs to be responsible for making sure the dns servers are
accurate.

I'd send the person a letter and tell him/her that you are going to move
DNS and all of the implications.  Give the person a reasonable deadline
(and make sure the letter is certified so you know s/he got it) and then
make the cutover.

FWIW,

Hugh