With the recent launch of Australia’s brand-new domain namespace, .au direct, we think now is a great time to tell you a little more about us. Here are 10 things worth knowing about auDA:
1. You pronounce auDA: ow-DUH.
It’s not “aww-dah”, nor is it “A- U-D-A”, spelt out like some other businesses, instead, we say “ow-DAH”. It rhymes with louder!
2. Our name has meaning.
“auDA” stands for “.au Domain Administration”. We operate the Australian domain name system. That's all web and email addresses ending in .au; like com.au or org.au (there are more than 3.6 million of them). Given its central role in connecting Australians to the internet, the .au is recognised as part of Australia’s suite of critical infrastructure. We also develop and manage the licensing rules for .au domain names.
3. We have overseen the .au domain for 25 years.
auDA was established in 1997 and originally went by Australian Domain Name Administration (ADNA) before being renamed to auDA in 1999. It was established to manage the .au domain and support its secure, reliable operation. Our administration of the .au is endorsed by Commonwealth Government and we are sponsored by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).
4. We carry out our work on behalf of all Australians.
Our purpose is to administer a trusted .au for the benefit of all Australians, and champion an open, free, secure and global internet. Through this, we aim to unlock positive social and economic value for all Australians. Our 2021-25 Strategy outlines our how we deliver on our purpose and vision. You can read our Strategy here.
5. Our .au registry operator is a Guinness World Record holder.
In 2018, .au registry operator Identity Digital Australia (then known as Afilias Australia) won a Guinness World Record for the world's largest migration of an internet top-level domain registry – migrating 3.1 million .au domain names from the previous registry operator.
6. We fund important research to make the internet more accessible for Australians.
In 2021, auDA supported $600,000 in grants from the auDA Foundation to build digital inclusion, improve cyber security for small businesses and increase internet access for young Australians through the work of 15 grant recipients. Read more about our grants.
7. We want to know how you use the Internet and how your online experiences could be improved.
In 2021, auDA conducted research looking at the online habits of everyday Australians and Australian businesses. We seek to understand your online activities and challenges, and why the internet is important to you. We do this so that we can better support Australians and also to support better technology policy outcomes in the future. Read our Digital Lives of Australians research.
8. Find domain names a bit confusing? We have blogs and fact sheets to help you understand them and the .au.
We get it. The domain names and its terminology can be a complicated space. To help you navigate the .au more easily, we have created a series of blogs and fact sheets that break down the key terms and processes.
9. Want to know the top domain names in Australia? Or how many .au domain names are created each month?
We provide monthly insights into key .au statistics. Learn where the most DNS queries for .au domains come from, what the top .au websites queried are, or popular terms registered in .au domain names.
10. We are a membership-based organisation and we want to hear from you!
auDA’s 5,000 members are a vital part of the auDA community, reflecting the Australian public, who we serve. We host regular webinars and networking events for our members. Members also have an opportunity to have a say in the future of .au, as well as access to insights on Australia’s tech sector and exclusive offers from auDA’s partner network. Learn more about .au member benefits and sign-up to become a .au member today (it’s free to join!).
If you’d like to stay up to date with the latest information about auDA and the .au domain, become an auDA member at www.auda.org.au/join. You can also receive the latest updates by following us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook.