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Registry Registrar Protocol
Registry Registrar Protocol (RRP) is a network protocol primarily used to facilitate communication between domain name registrars and a registry. It allows registrars to perform domain management operations such as registration, deletion, updating, and querying of domain names held by the registry. RRP streamlines the domain provisioning process in top-level domain management systems, serving as a key component in early domain registration services before the advent of newer protocols like EPP..
The Registry Registrar Protocol (RRP) was designed by Network Solutions in the late 1990s as the communication protocol between domain registrars and domain registries, particularly for managing gTLDs (Generic Top-Level Domains). Operating primarily over TCP port 648, RRP enables operations such as registering new domains, transferring domains, updating contact information, and deleting domain records.
RRP uses a simple, command-response model based on textual commands transmitted over a persistent TCP connection. Commands are structured with clear, delimited fields, and responses include status codes and explanatory text. This established a reliable method for registrars to synchronize their data with registries and maintain accurate domain information.
Over time, as the requirements grew more complex and the need for additional security measures increased, RRP was largely superseded by the Extensible Provisioning Protocol (EPP), which uses XML-based messaging and supports features like internationalized domain names and extensibility for new services. Despite this evolution, understanding RRP provides historical insight into the early domain provisioning infrastructure.