.alicloud

Alibaba Cloud, also known as Alicloud, is a global provider of cloud computing and artificial intelligence services, established in 2009 as the digital technology arm of the Alibaba group. Alicloud delivers computing, storage, networking, database, security, data analytics and AI services to enterprises, public-sector organizations and developers from data centres in multiple regions worldwide. Its services are consumed almost entirely online, through web consoles, APIs, documentation portals and partner marketplaces, which makes the integrity of its domain namespace directly relevant to the security of customer workloads. The mission and purpose of the .ALICLOUD gTLD are to: (1) establish a trusted, hierarchical and intuitive namespace through which customers, developers and the public can identify and access authentic Alicloud information and services; (2) protect Alicloud's global online presence, brand identity, trademarks and other intellectual property rights; (3) provide a secure and authoritative channel for Alicloud's consoles, documentation, status reporting, customer support, marketing and developer-community activities; (4) improve navigation by providing short, memorable and recognizable Internet addresses associated exclusively with Alicloud and authorized initiatives; and (5) support Alicloud's continued innovation and international growth by creating a flexible platform able to accommodate new products, markets, collaborations and technologies. The .ALICLOUD gTLD is intended to function as an authoritative source identifier for Alicloud-related content and services. Internet users will be able to recognize that websites within the namespace are controlled by, affiliated with or expressly authorized by the Applicant. This trusted environment will help customers distinguish official Alicloud consoles, sign-in pages, documentation and support channels from unauthorized websites engaged in cybersquatting, phishing, credential theft, fraud, malware distribution or other harmful conduct - risks that are especially acute in cloud administration. Intended registrants are the Applicant and its affiliates. Intended users are Alicloud's enterprise, public-sector and developer customers, channel partners, independent software vendors, employees and members of the public seeking authoritative Alicloud information. The Applicant anticipates introducing the .ALICLOUD gTLD through a measured and controlled rollout. Initial registrations may be used for technical testing, corporate communications, product information, documentation, status reporting and customer support. Following successful implementation, the Applicant may expand the namespace to its affiliates, regional operations and appropriately authorized partners, licensees, service providers or collaborators, subject to applicable registration and use requirements. The Applicant has established internal naming governance, engaged an experienced Registry Service Provider and an ICANN-accredited registrar, and will apply uniform security requirements including DNSSEC and registry lock. This purpose is sustainable because it is tied to a long-established core business rather than to third-party registration demand. Alicloud has operated continuously since 2009 and the ALICLOUD brand is a durable asset the Applicant intends to use indefinitely. The registry cost base - ICANN, Registry Service Provider, registrar and compliance fees - is modest, predictable and funded from the Applicant's operating budget as brand and infrastructure expenditure, so viability does not depend on registration volumes or market conditions. The Applicant's Registry Service Provider meets the service levels of the Registry Agreement and provides data escrow and business continuity arrangements; the Applicant will maintain the required continued operations instrument and manages the TLD through a dedicated internal team under annual review.