The "dot-root" server system is a voluntary experimental parallel root server cluster system to support live testing and observations projects in the field of DNS root server management.

There is a Dot-Root Consortium (DRC). This consortium includes representatives of organizations responsible for operating the dot-root name servers included in that experimental dot-root server system. They are known as Name Server Managers (NSMs).

There is a Dot-Root Conference (DRCon). This conference gathers the Master file administrator of each root server cluster in the dot-root system. Such Administrators are designated by the NSMs of their root server cluster as they think appropriate. The Conference is chaired on a rotational basis for six months by each of the root cluster administrators, or by a person he designates with the approval of all the other root Administrators.

There is a Dot-Root Steering Committee (DRSC). This committee is formed by up to three experts designated by each of the Root Administrators. The role of this committee is to propose a DNS research strategy, to look for project managers, to help development, cooperation and more generally to animate the Global Internet Community in its use of the dot-root experimental system.

These are web sites and services Managers monitoring the dot-root servers who provide real added value to the Community. Once acknowledged as such by the Consortium they will be supported in being quoted on the dot-root sites, invited to the Dot-Root Meetngs and provided with the technical information they may ask for.

There may be independent dot-root Monitors. The Consortium recognises that some enitities may take up independent monitoring roles and report on the dot-root system. Where possible, at their discretion, Consortium and Project Menagers will try to cooperate with them and to grant them access to information as they see fit. A list of Officially Invited Monitors and links to their work will be maintained on the dot-root web site.

There is a Dot-Root Advisory Committee (DRAC) of experts freely nominated by the NSMs.

There is a Dot-Root Editing Committee (DREdit). This committee is Chaired by the Dot-Root Editor and gathers all the services related to the editing of dot-root documents (DRD), procedures, forms, etc. the management of the dot-root.info e-zine and the library of the dot-root supported project reports.

There is a General Secretary to administer the Secretariat. He will be designated by the Dot-Root Conference. There will be other common services as agreed by the Dot-Root Conference. The Secretariat and these services shall fund themselves. Each of them will act in a concerted way with the Dot-Root Conference Members. Decisions are independently made and carried in cooperation. Conflicts will be brought to arbitration of the Chair.

There are test name spaces, submitted to a charter approved by the Dot-Root Conference and the Secretariat. They will be built as "upper level domains" (ULD). This means that their mnemonic will be supported both as a TLD by the dot-root system and as an SLD by the Legacy system. The Secretariat will act as a registry for such name spaces and will get a part of its budget from this service. The ULD Managers will form an association named Intlnet to represent them and to share common services and efforts.

The responsibility of the Dot-Root Consortium shall be to jointly conduct the operations of the experimental dot-root name servers system and to decide how to make it available to experimenters in properly operating condition. To achieve that task, the Dot-Root Consortium will consider and help the Dot-Root Conference to agree on the operational organization of the root name servers, on their distribution among the various parallel name servers groups and on the master file generation and management of each parallel root name server system.

The Dot-Root Consortium should examine the report of the Dot-Root Advisory Committee before the Dot-Root Conference decides on experiments priority, launching, operations and termination, taking into consideration the parallel systems performance, robustness, and reliability, the proposed experiments and the size and the membership of the concerned experimental ULDs involved.

The Members intend to make their Dot-Root machines available to support studies, developments and implementations of any nature to make the management of Internet (DNS) root server systems more robust, stable, secure, distributed, mutually controlled, locally and internationally legal, integrated into the international and local social life, a major part of world sustainable development, etc.

They also intend to make their Dot-Root name server machines available for the support of the ccTLD Managers in case of need.

The Dot-Root Consortium Members agree to review this charter from their acquired experience when they reach the number of 30 Members.