Each time an internet user views a web page, sends or receives an email, or does anything requiring an address such as comtech.gov.ng, the task can only be completed after checking information gleaned from one of the root DNS servers.

Having realized the role of global Root DNS servers as Critical Internet Resources and their importance to the Internet community, IXPN worked tirelessly with Internet Systems Consortium (ISC) to have a copy of the F-Root Server (one out of the thirteen Global Root DNS servers) deployed in Nigeria.

We are excited to announce that the F-root server is now active at the eXchange Point, making Nigeria the 4th country in Africa with the presence of F-root server and the second West African country to have a root server after Senegal. This is part of our strategy towards hosting key critical Internet resources at the eXchange Point. All arrangements have been concluded to also host the L- Root server at the IXPN. . The hosting of this second Root Server in Nigeria will guarantee the reliability of the root servers due to redundancy.

Since Root Name Servers control and organize accessibility to the world’s web sites by referring users to relevant generic and country specific authoritative servers that store the web sites they are trying to access, the installation of the mirror Root Name Server will:
I. Ensure that users will access web addresses faster and enhance the performance and accessibility of the web servers and mail servers.
II. Dramatically enhance the Internet performance; provide robustness and reliability for Nigerian Internet users.
III. Enhance access to sites and more reliable connection to the Internet for users in Nigeria as the mirror of the root name server will physically be collocated at the eXchange Point.
IV. Attract service providers to join the Nigerian Internet eXchange Point as a value added service.
V. Strengthen the root name server network by providing it with more points to deflect malicious attacks on the foundation of the Internet with the installation of Root DNS.
VI. Put the country on the global cyber map and raise our profile as an advanced Internet enabled country.
Visit the below urls for additional information.

http://www.isc.org/f-root
http://root-servers.org