About us

For the Internet to work as a single seamless network, technical identifiers must mean the same thing everywhere: network identifiers like domain names and IP addresses must be assigned to a single party and have the same meaning globally, and communication protocols must use codes that have the same interpretation by every software implementation. The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) maintains the authoritative public registries that record these allocations and definitions, providing a common global point of reference.
Although the Internet is decentralized by design, a limited set of its technical elements require this globally coordinated administration. The IANA role is a public service. The registries we maintain are openly published, our services are provided without charge, and we act as a neutral steward implementing policies developed by the communities we serve. Much of our work involves processing requests for identifiers arising from technical standardization processes or submitted directly by users of IANA services. We assess each request carefully against the established policies governing the identifier’s allocation and use.
Our responsibilities extend beyond maintaining the registries themselves. We also operate the systems used to publish the registries and their associated data, together with supporting operational services. These include infrastructure and events involved in producing, securing, and distributing key aspects of the DNS.
The need for the IANA functions dates to the record-keeping activities that accompanied the earliest experiments leading to today’s Internet, and their origins can be traced to the 1970s. Today, the functions are performed by Public Technical Identifiers, a purpose-built affiliate of ICANN dedicated exclusively to delivering the IANA services.
Announcements, publications and consultations from across the IANA functions.
How we are performing against our service level commitments, at a glance and in monthly reports.
How the IANA functions are governed, overseen, planned, and continuously improved.
Historical documents from prior projects and services, and the master index of published reports.
How to reach us with questions, requests, and feedback.
The IANA functions coordinate the Internet’s globally unique identifiers, and are provided by Public Technical Identifiers, an affiliate of ICANN.