A domain name registrant's worst nightmare: their domain registrar goes bust without warning, leaving a mess behind them. Suddenly, you can no longer access your control panels to administrate your domain name. You can't renew it, transfer it or point it to a different website.

There are ways of protecting yourself against such an eventuality. Firstly, choose a domain registrar who is unlikely to go out of business! Well-established registrars are far less likely to suddenly go under than smaller, newer registrars.

Also, make absolutely sure that you are the owner of your domain. There are three contacts listed in the Whois directory for domains: an administrative contact, a technical contact and a billing contact. All three of these need to be you or members of your organisation. None of them should be your domain registrar, or you may lose your domain name.

Check in the Whois directory to find out whether the company with whom you registered your domain name is a reseller or a registrar. Registrars are ICANN-accredited companies who directly register domain names, while resellers are companies who register Domain Names "on behalf" of these registrars. The Whois directory usually indicates with whom your domain name is registered.

If your reseller goes bust, you're not in too much trouble; you can contact the domain name registrar and explain the situation to them. It may take considerable time and effort, but you should be able to get your domain name turned back over to you.

If your registrar goes bust, this is far more problematic. However, it is also very unlikely. To be accredited, ICANN registrars have to have at least US$70,000 in liquid capital, and are also required to pay a US$2,500 application fee and $4,000 accreditation fee.

By Brian Jackson