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<TITLE>Supporting Organizations</TITLE>
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<TD WIDTH="7%">&nbsp;</TD>
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<H2><CENTER><FONT FACE="Arial">Supporting Organizations</FONT></CENTER></H2>
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<P><CENTER><STRONG><FONT SIZE="+2" FACE="Arial">Background</FONT></STRONG></CENTER></TD>
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<P><FONT FACE="Arial">The ICANN Bylaws provide for three Supporting
Organizations (SOs) to assist, review and develop recommendations
on Internet policy and structure within three specialized areas.
(See <A HREF="general/bylaws.htm#VI">Bylaws,
Article VI</A>.)&nbsp; The SOs help to promote the development
of Internet policy and encourage diverse and international participation
in the technical management of the Internet. Each SO names three
Directors to the ICANN Board.</FONT></P>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<P><FONT FACE="Arial">The three SOs are:</FONT></P>
<P><FONT FACE="Arial">1. The <B><A HREF="http://www.aso.icann.org/">Address
Supporting Organization</A></B> (ASO) is concerned with the system
of IP addresses, such as 128.9.128.127, that uniquely identify
the Internet's networked computers.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT FACE="Arial">2. The <B><A HREF="http://www.icann.org/dnso/dnso.htm">Domain
Name Supporting Organization</A></B> (DNSO) is concerned with
the domain name system (DNS), the system of names commonly used
to identify Internet locations and resources.&nbsp; The DNS translates
heirarchically-structured, easy-to-remember names (like www.icann.org)
into IP addresses that have been assigned to specific computers.&nbsp;</FONT></P>
<P><FONT FACE="Arial">3. The <B><A HREF="http://www.pso.icann.org/">Protocol
Supporting Organization</A></B> (PSO) is concerned with the assignment
of unique parameters for Internet protocols, the technical standards
that let computers exchange information and manage communications
over the Internet. <BR>
&nbsp;</FONT></P></BLOCKQUOTE>
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<P><CENTER><STRONG><FONT SIZE="+2" FACE="Arial">Role</FONT></STRONG></CENTER></TD>
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<P><FONT FACE="Arial">Each of the Supporting Organizations names
three Directors to the ICANN Board.&nbsp; Directors serve three-year
terms, though staggered from one to three years at the outset.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT FACE="Arial">The Supporting Organizations are the primary
source of substantive policy recommendations for matters lying
within their specialized charters, and serve as advisory bodies
to the Board according to the procedures set forth in the <A
HREF="general/bylaws.htm#VI">ICANN Bylaws</A>.
<BR>
&nbsp;</FONT></P>
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<P><CENTER><STRONG><FONT SIZE="+2" FACE="Arial">Participation</FONT></STRONG></CENTER></TD>
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<P><FONT FACE="Arial">Each SO has adopted or is developing participation
structures appropriate for its effective functioning. To participate
in the activities of an SO, please visit its web page for details
on participation.</FONT></P>
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<P><CENTER><FONT FACE="Arial"><A HREF="http://www.aso.icann.org/">ASO</A></FONT></CENTER></TD>
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<P><CENTER><FONT FACE="Arial"><A HREF="http://www.dnso.org/">DNSO</A></FONT></CENTER></TD>
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<P><CENTER><FONT FACE="Arial"><A HREF="http://www.icann.org/pso/psonew.htm">PSO</A></FONT></CENTER></TD>
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