(D123) Domain Name Policy

Purpose

To ensure that domain names are assigned and used consistently and that naming conventions remain in alignment with university strategy and initiatives.

Domain names are part of the identity of the university and communicate the university’s image and reputation to the public. Consistent domain usage may also be a tool for users to better locate services; thus, domains should be assigned in an easily recognizable and predictable structure.

Scope

This policy covers all academic and administrative units, university affiliates, and academic and administrative staff seeking to register a domain name.

Definitions

• Domain Name System (DNS): An Internet-wide distributed database of names translating Internet Protocol (IP) addresses into easily memorable names.
• Domain Name: For the purpose of this document, this term can refer to a DNS zone, an individual host record or another DNS record type.
• Third-level Domain Names: This term refers to child domains directly below sunypoly.edu. Examples of third-level domains names would be in the form of unitname.sunypoly.edu.
• External clients: Clients accessing resources that are not part of the department that manages the resource, such as internet visitors and university wide clients.
• Namespace: A unique hierarchical naming format. All subdomains of stonybrook.edu are part of the stonybrook.edu namespace.

Policy

1. All official SUNY Polytechnic Institute web sites shall use domain names within the sunypoly.edu namespace.
2. Domain names should be compliant with well-known internet standards (e.g. a host record of www should refer to a webserver).
3. Domain names must be compliant with community standards and avoid questionable language and terminology.
4. Third-level domain names must meet the following requirements:
   1. The requested name should accurately describe the department, business unit, program or service to which it refers and be easily recognized as word(s) or abbreviation(s).
   2. The requested name must represent a unit or service used by the entire university community and there must be a specific need related to the request not currently being met by the existing domain name structure.
   3. Third-level domain name requests that do not correspond to a department or business unit officially recognized by SUNY Polytechnic Institute must be approved by the CIO. If the name requested represents a service or program managed by a department or business unit, a fourth level domain will be provided.
   4. The unit must expect to provide these services on an ongoing basis.
   5. Websites that are part of a centrally managed platform with an existing domain name structure are not candidates for a third level domain name.
5. Affiliates may register names outside of the sunypoly.edu namespace in addition to a third level domain name within sunypoly.edu.
6. In the event that a domain name goes unused for a period of 6 months, the domain name may be deactivated according to published procedures.
7. All domain names must be requested and reviewed according to published procedures (see Domain Name Procedure). Domain names must be approved before they are put into use.
8. The CIO is charged with maintaining an inventory of domain names.

Responsibilities

1. The Chief Information Officer, or designee, shall issue and publish implementation procedures.
2. Unless otherwise indicated, the Chief Information Officer, or designee, approves requests for third-level domain names.
3. Exceptions to this policy must be approved by the CIO.
4. All third level domains must be requested through the published procedure.
5. Domain registrants must register approved and active domains according to the published procedure.

Policy last reviewed August 2024