This blog is designed to keep you informed about the technical upgrade portion of the .au Registry Transformation Project.

This post announces the opening of the operational .au sandbox. In the first week after opening the live .au production system, over 30% of all accredited .au registrars already successfully connected and tested their systems with the Afilias .au Production Sandbox.

On February 14th, we announced to registrars the opening of the full-scale Operational Testing and Evaluation (OT&E) system in Melbourne. The OT&E system is a complete, production-scale system that provides registrars an environment where they can test their systems for compatibility with the new, upgraded Afilias .au registry system. The Production sandbox enables registrars to accommodate the technology upgrade in June without an unscheduled interruption of service.

We also want to thank everyone who responded to our “We’re Hiring!” post—we’ve received applications from lots of people, and we are interviewing as fast as we can! It’s not too late to apply for one of the open positions – see the post for instructions.

Afilias has conducted dozens of upgrades like this for top level domains as diverse as generic domains like .org and country code domains like .pr (for Puerto Rico). In each upgrade project, we provide registrars ample opportunity to test ahead of time so when the upgrade happens, it’s a non-event for everyone. Testing and preparation are important, and Afilias is providing lots of time for .au registrars to adapt.

Two additional elements of support are also available now.  First is our updated FAQ (answers to frequently asked questions). We are out talking with registrars everyday, and have now posted answers to their most frequent questions in the private .au Registrar portal . Second, we have activated our technical .au Transition Hotline at +61 (0)39 021 6914. We’ll have our local support center up and running soon, but in the meantime, our global team is dedicated to ensuring that registrars have any help they may need.

Stay tuned for more news next week!

Email us at transformationblog@afilias.com.au if you have a question or want to suggest a topic for us to cover.