A strong .nl for a connected Netherlands

Security, resilience and reliability of .nl as top priorities

As Roelof explains, “The .nl domain will soon be 40 years old. And a lot has changed in those 4 decades. A smooth-running internet has become more and more important to Dutch society and the Dutch economy. Both in the Netherlands and in Europe more generally, there’s also a growing recognition that strategic digital autonomy is vital. At the same time, international tensions are rising, the pressure on vital infrastructure is increasing, and the way people use the internet is changing under the influence of AI and new technologies. Those factors have direct implications for the .nl domain and therefore for our public role.”

Our strategic rethink also has internal drivers. The number of .nl domain names has stabilised, and may even fall slightly in the next few years. “We see that as a clear sign that we need to invest even more cleverly. We have to deploy more of our resources in the field where they have most impact: the security, resilience and reliability of .nl,” Roelof emphasises.

A strong focus on .nl is at the heart of our strategy

Loek takes up the narrative: “.nl is the internet domain of and for the Netherlands. Our primary responsibility is ensuring that the domain is always secure, available and reliable. We want to remain global leaders in both technical and operational terms.” Our renewed focus will be translated into high-performance technology for the Domain Name System (DNS) and for domain name registration, with availability and security as absolute priorities. We’ll also be working hard to tackle phishing and malware, and paying close attention to affordability and accessibility. “.nl’s added value for the Netherlands is what drives us,” says Roelof. “By ensuring that the .nl domain is one of the world’s most secure, innovative, resilient and reliable internet domains, we’re contributing to the Netherlands’ connectedness, in every sense of the word.”

SIDN Labs and SIDN Fund: tighter governance and closer alignment with our core task

Under our revised strategy, clear choices have been made about our approach to investment in research and in community initiatives. In future, the amount we invest in both SIDN Labs and SIDN Fund will be a fixed percentage of our turnover from .nl registrations. Instead of the wide operational remits of the past, SIDN Labs and SIDN Fund will focus more tightly on activities that contribute directly to our core activities. “Anything that doesn’t contribute directly to .nl or to a strong, open internet will be phased out,” says Roelof. “But we’ll continue to actively support the things that do make a contribution.” Loek adds: “For SIDN Labs, that means an even sharper focus on applied technical research that reinforces the security and reliability of .nl and the internet infrastructure. So, for example, DNS security, the monitoring of internet core systems and the development of new protocols.” Meanwhile, SIDN Fund will concentrate on projects with the potential to bolster the digital infrastructure – a narrower remit, therefore, but with greater impact.

An agile and flexible organisation

As well as finding expression in our technical and community ambitions, the new strategy will ask a lot of the organisation itself. “The quality of .nl depends very much on our people,” Roelof asserts. “We therefore envisage targeted investment in knowledge development, new competences and a modern working environment. Moreover, a less certain income flow means that we have to become smarter, more efficient and more flexible.” Loek backs up that message by explaining, “Technology is developing with extraordinary speed, making agility essential. That implies scenario-thinking, risk management and the ability to adjust course quickly in response to changing internal or external circumstances.”

Working together for an open, secure and resilient internet

We remain committed to collaboration, both within the Netherlands and on the international stage. Through international forums such as CENTR, IETF, ICANN and other organisations, we’ll continue to contribute to standardisation, security and internet governance. “We’re strong believers in the multistakeholder model,” says Loek. “The internet is a collective system that only works if everyone accepts responsibility. In our case, that means sharing technical knowledge and supporting the development of standards.” We work with the Canadian registry CIRA to provide registry services to other top-level domains. By doing so, we help to increase the security, resilience and quality of the internet, while also reducing costs for ourselves and the other registries concerned. Collaboration, knowledge-sharing and impact maximisation are central to those activities. Income from our work as a registry service provider will be used to continue developing the Hello Registry platform and investing in our services and in the quality of the internet. Thus yielding benefits for .nl registrars and Dutch internet users.

Strategy developed with input from personnel, registrars and other stakeholders

Our new strategy has not been devised in isolation, but with input and feedback from our personnel, registrars and other stakeholders. As Roelof explains, “We consulted widely, organising numerous meetings and sessions. Our own people helped us to retain a sharp focus on the strength we have in-house and the challenges we face. Meanwhile, registrars and other stakeholders have given us a clear picture of what they expect from us, how the market is developing, and what they need to keep .nl strong.” Loek adds: “We have been very much guided by that feedback. It underscored where our investment priorities should lie and highlighted the choices we must have the courage to make.”

Looking ahead: charting a confident course

Our updated strategy is ambitious, but realistic. “If we do things right, in 3 years’ time we’ll see an SIDN that’s more agile than ever, and a stronger .nl that the nation can rely on,” says Roelof. “We’re constantly working towards that goal, in tandem with the .nl registrars and the internet community.” Loek affirms that view by adding, “By adopting this strategy, we can continue doing what we’ve done so well for 30 years now: striving day and night to provide a strong .nl for a connected Netherlands.”