In true DotWeekly fashion, I am going to dig into the big news from yesterday, that Google Inc. is launching it’s own domain name registrar. So here is some info that I was able to dig up.
The Registrar
Google Inc. actually has been an ICANN Accredited Domain Registrar for sometime now, 2005 from what I can tell, under the name “Google Inc.” name. According to ICANN, Google has signed the 2009 RAA and has yet to sign the 2013 RAA. The RAA is the registrar agreement. The RAA is not an indication of “how long” a registrar has been established.
Google could use another “name” for another registrar, but it appears they are using the one registrar “Google Inc.”. Often, domain registrar own several registrars and this greatly helps when “drop catching” expired domain names. So, at this point, it doesn’t appear that Google will play the drop game.
Default DNS
It appears that Google is using the domain name servers: ns-cloud-d1.googledomains.com and ns-cloud-d2.googledomains.com as a default. I do see “other domains” using this DNS, but most of the domains are registered with Google. Some domains from eNom, GoDaddy and a few other registrars.
When and Who
When did public registration begin? The exact date is hard to pin point, but it wasn’t yesterday 6/23/14. I have been seeing “newly registered” domains dating back to April 2014, maybe earlier. For an example, Spotify registered the domain name MyDocumentaionExample.com with the Google Inc. registrar on 4/1/2014. The only way I knew it was Spotify is because the domain resolves to Spotify. All Google domains registered have Whois Privacy for free. Google “could” be forwarding the domain to Spotify, but not all that likely since the IP Location is static and owned by Spotify!
Based on data that I am seeing, I would say Google started allowing a select few companies start registering domains right about April 1, 2014 (April Fools Day). Yet some domains are registered prior to April. KlixApp.com was registered on March 30, 2014. WillPitler.com was registered December 30, 2013. So domains were being registered, but the key dates appear to be about April 1, 2014 when Google allowed a select few to start registering the majority of domains.
If I had to do an educated guess on when activity started… It would be September 20, 2013. GV.com moved to ns1.googledomains.com name servers. Did we already know that Google owned GV.com (Google Ventures)? October 2013 some more activity started to happen. CatAppleBacon.net for example was registered on October 22, 2013. By mid-October 2013, a few domains a day were starting to be registered. Many relating to CATS. LOL.. Google clearly likes cats! SkateboardCat.com, DrunkKittens.com, HappyCatsHangout.com and lots of cat domains!
Bitly is using Google. They registered DNATV.us . .us doesn’t allow whois privacy!
Jonathan Ross, a Google employee who according to his Linkedin page is a hardware / software engineer with Google.. who can’t share what he is working on… may be part of the registrar team! He registered Groq.us with the Google registrar on 5/2/2014 according to whois records.
Russell Hancox, another Google employee registered Hancox.us
HarrisonFord.us … this is an odd one, but it forwards to HamillLeather.com, a domain owned by Google. Testing purposes likely.
Omnis Network LLC transferred in URW.org
Here is a general list of of 445 domains currently registered with the Google Registrar: Most are newly registered domains, some are transfer ins.
adamkoch.net
adequator.com
agektmr.com
alexamiesgcscontent.com
alexnatalie.com
alighassemi.com
allansouza.com
allhaul.biz
allplayd.com
altmanconsult.com
amyfits.com
anagaa.com
anatrove.net
andrawess.com
andrenog.com
andrewschran.com
andylein.com
anewdisaster.com
angelahiatt.com
anglorious.com
animalinter.net
annalabs.com
annieandogi.com
anweshabasu.com
arborawards.com
areyouinebriated.com
arfortney.com
asapalmstierna.com
ataraxiallc.com
ataraxiaservices.com
athenaahmadi.com
augusthuber.com
automatingyoursales.com
azustone.com
babelalley.com
backupmysave.com
baconmeter.com
baconstatus.com
beenutputter.com
benfohner.com
benjasaur.us
bespoketravelexperiences.com
bezamulugeta.com
bikeanddine.net
birdchan.com
bitgrok.com
bjornleffler.com
bkuehn.com
blameworth.com
blusoulmusic.com
bobbyoconnor.com
bobbyweberisgreat.com
bonniejwright.com
boxcrash.com
boyoungpark.com
brennanhats.com
brianneamato.com
brokenheartedproducers.com
bronclipons.com
burakgulbahce.com
cabeleireiradelivery.com
camapu.com
carafosterkarim.com
carde.com
catherinetopolinski.com
catherinewarner.com
chadlancaster.net
chalmersbastun.com
changyourlife.com
charactertimelines.com
charliekilodelta.com
chiarito.com
chowmash.com
chrischaroussetphotography.com
chrispesch.com
chrjo.com
chyubacca.com
circleofspheres.com
ckgan.com
collectashelf.com
contrariandude.com
craftyfoxshop.com
creatingintheredwoods.com
csbro.com
ctvbox.com
cuatrobits.com
cutsncreases.com
dagitses.com
dahlkamp.net
dailybudgeting.com
danahoffman.com
daniellayounger.com
deckahex.com
declutteryourstore.com
designburo.com
devanisthinking.com
dhdh.biz
dhenig.com
diekohlbergers.com
digitalpakistani.com
dishcar.com
diverginguniverse.com
dnatv.us
documentationexample.com
domalix.net
domics.net
dparrish.com
dreamslake.com
dropsec.com
dskl.net
easonliang.com
edgardlindner.com
ekaterinamoshkevich.com
elisabethnorris.com
elizabethwessel.com
elliottwalker.com
eranliberty.net
ericdingle.com
ericfracisco.com
esokairuk.com
estebanated.com
eudaimondial.com
eugenejude.com
evilnecko.com
evlogimenos.com
fananddeng.com
ffrac.com
finegoodyeah.com
flortbot.com
flufferduck.com
fosterkarim.com
fourorfour.com
frewis.com
futonredemption.com
gapoist.com
garfieldhighschoolptsa.com
garrettshort.com
gaststudios.com
geoffstearns.com
getrumorapp.com
gilk.net
gizmofriends.net
goedson.com
gregleg.com
groq.us
gvabox.com
haamel.net
hamillwallets.com
hancox.us
hankandlesley.com
hanqingliu.net
hargu.com
harrisburgcyogirls.com
harrisonford.us
hchangdds.com
healthinternbc.net
heartrobotninja.com
hohm.net
hwops.com
iamkoa.net
iamonthenews.com
ianloic.net
ichiflow.com
icymidnight.net
idankoch.com
iffyideas.com
ihatejavascript.com
ilovekellysomuch.com
imalwayshungry.com
impossibreu.com
indiedreams.net
infinitycreations.net
ingresscommand.com
inkintrol.com
inkraindrops.com
insecureroot.com
itscakeinajar.com
iwandres.com
jacalulu.com
jacobpierson.com
janellebrooks.com
janepenner.com
jarekandshawnmusic.com
jasonmotes.com
jaypillai.net
jennandnathan.com
jeremypobrien.com
jiveworld.com
jlebar.com
jmasukawa.com
joellemurphy.com
joelmartins.com
joeshear.com
joeyandcharity.com
johnandnoha.com
johnfelton.com
johnmcgowaniii.com
johnwesleyfelton.com
jonathanpaulson.net
jonathanwellons.com
jonfish.us
justjek.com
kaemmerergroup.com
kaopih.com
kathyhom.com
kayzhu.com
kellynakata.com
kiranmathrani.net
kitthasablog.com
klixapp.com
kosmokick.com
kosuko.com
kourtneykuhn.com
krakeraudio.com
kristyheadley.com
lancelim.com
lativy.com
laurenfrazier.net
leafydot.com
leanuserresearch.com
leejunyoung.com
lequiche.net
leveisenberg.com
lifeisnot.com
lifetimevehiclecost.com
liganic.net
lindamckellar.com
ljqualitycues.com
londonlashextensions.com
lorimalahy.com
lorispeak.com
lukasmeyer.com
lusolife.com
mancke.us
marcpreusche.com
mastermyhouse.com
matchmixr.com
matchmixr.net
materialesmorelos.com
mateuszkwiatek.com
mattlynam.com
mediratta.com
meganollenberger.com
megansthings.com
meifangandbohumil.com
merchmap.com
metural.com
michaelandindira.com
michaeljamesforte.com
mikehamberg.com
mikesafyan.net
mikesafyan.us
mindgap.com
mishahanson.com
mlist.us
mlrogers.us
mnighter.com
mpexp.com
muralidharan.net
mutex.net
nakatafamily.com
nancyadri.com
nancylashine.com
napkinscore.com
nataliescreation.com
natalietraum.com
neilalldrin.com
nerdztees.com
nfelt.net
nichifors.com
nicholasbramble.com
nikobradway.com
ninodb.com
nirnimesh.com
nivenh.com
nogotofail.com
nohaandjohn.com
ogremage.com
onlinejourney.net
orangefuzzy.com
orangestrype.com
orangexample.com
originalsavage.net
orsum.com
pactschool.net
paiva.biz
patils.us
peanutfreeperimeter.com
pedramandarezou.com
peft.net
perspectivesight.com
peterborosan.com
philipwalton.com
phreakmonkey.com
pimimo.com
pixomagik.com
plaiddad.com
playwithpauline.com
polareclipsegeneration.com
pratikdave.us
projectrandom.com
psychophile.net
pupgrams.com
pythonstrikesagain.com
rabidbit.com
rabidgadgets.com
rachelsheildance.com
rachelsheildancer.com
racinette.com
raqueldarcy.com
raspberrypipodcast.com
rawrwear.com
rearinbrief.com
ricoandeileen.com
riffzifnab.com
robbieshade.com
robertwetherell.com
rocksengi.com
rosettfamily.com
rotordef.net
royalmooresucks.com
sabroseando.com
salasko.net
salomy.net
salterpoint.com
samandcesaliegetmarried.com
sanchezhousehold.com
sasakara.com
satukubik.net
sayegh.com
scchoi.com
scrubadacus.com
securecaptcha.com
securehypervisor.com
sekharfamily.com
selimcinek.com
sewmotherlikedaughter.com
shabsin.com
shahvirirani.com
sharppaper.com
shirwin.net
shylendra.com
sigmites.com
siliconmonkeyproductions.com
skiamonitor.com
skiaperf.com
skylyn.net
slothlovechunk.us
smartsoftwarelab.com
sneakersthecorgi.com
sophiediao.com
sowbug.net
spammyguy.com
spanglehorse.com
sparkledog.net
sporpoosago.com
stationbound.com
staubers.net
stevewellons.com
suannlim.com
suchlegit.com
sumitkp.com
sundeepghuman.com
sundeepmithran.com
sungchura.com
sweetjamsbakery.com
swipeandthecity.com
symaa.com
szainabschool.com
szegedy.net
tanaeem.com
tastethebiscuit.com
tawandamashavave.com
taylorbowland.com
teamtroll.us
techfleet.net
techsavvysolves.com
techthropology.com
testablejavascript.com
thechooster.com
thegarrisons.us
themakemesisters.com
thepropernoun.com
theweddingbuddy.com
thewellmans.net
thinktoomuch.net
thisisthebestdomain.com
thisisthemostamazingwebsitedomainicouldthinkof.com
thomasanderton.com
tiffanychi.com
tkelly.net
tkochi.com
tnebuloso.com
todosnosequivocamos.com
tomwhitton.net
torsvendsen.com
tortugas.us
trucknews.net
tusneem.us
unboxingeggs.com
unexuno.com
uniquish.com
unixjunkie.com
verneandwells.com
vincentfawcett.com
vinsonblee.com
viveash.net
waleeddiab.com
waleedious.com
waltsmonorail.com
wangguanyu.com
wangyizhuo.com
wangyizuo.com
waniac.com
watergolfcityisland.com
wecanprogram.com
weddinghashtag.com
weintraubweb.com
wetsnow.com
whatiscomfy.com
whatscomfy.com
whatthechen.com
widwid.net
windhamrentals.com
wiszkowska.com
woflove.com
wombatbanana.com
wonderfulwearables.com
wuhotak.com
wuzhuojie.com
xiaoxinghomes.com
xtwrites.com
yangjinah.com
yatishgupta.com
yendon.com
yousefsaed.us
yoyorik.com
yufengg.com
yukokoch.com
yumikos.net
ziplinereader.com
zweifbeater.com
zyxxq.com
zzzengine.com
Whois
What does the “general whois” information look like?
Several different Whois Privacy services appear to be used? WhoisProxy.com LTD is one, I also seen a Keysystems one used, which is whois.RRPProxy.net.
At time of posting, it appears that over 6,000 domains are riding on the Google DNS. Not all of these domains are registered with the Google Inc. registrar. This number will greatly increase! I am working on getting an exact number of this.
Google’s Own Domains
The vast majority of Google’s own domain names, like Google.com are not registered with its own registrar. They continue to use MarkMonitor for this.
Where?
Google is using the sub-domain domains.google.com as its “home page” for selling domains. It is currently in beta and only accepts by invite. Interesting fact: if one were to type domain.google.com The Page Doesn’t Resolve! domain.google.com is a typo, because the plural S was not included in the sub-domain and Google likely didn’t add “domain” as a sub-domain. They should, and resolve it to the plural term!
Features offered with a Google registered domain? You can see the features here.
Google.com/domains also resolves to the same page as the sub-domain. Google.com/domain doesn’t resolve! Clearly Google has a plural problem and they should “cover” these typos and have them all resolve!
Unknown Data
I did find the following URL string.. http://domain-registrar.storage.googleapis.com/index.html?parkerly.com and with several other domains at the end. The domains at the end appear to Google owned and with the Google Registrar. This may be a testing link / service test related to the Google Cloud Storage Bucket.
*I am going to keep digging and continue to add to this article with more stuff I am finding. This digging takes a lot of time… I did find some stuff that I’m not going to share (like email addresses used for the project).
Good job man. You always get down to the nitty gritty!