In its simplest terms, domain names are purchased from a domain registrar, an accredited organization that manages domain registration. They will then park the domain or point it to your hosting server (more on this next week).
As the public-facing address for your website, it is important that your organization maintains complete ownership of your domain name(s) at all times. If your web developer gets hit by a proverbial bus – ouch! –or your hosting company goes out of business, you’ll be able to point your domain name to a new hosting server, restore your site from a backup, and get your website back on line fast.
Misplaced your domain registrar information? Barring any strict privacy settings, you can usually find your domain registrar and the registered contact person with a quick WHOIS search.
Action Item: What company is your domain name registered with, and who is the administrative contact? Find your domain name, domain registrar, account name, and password and store that information in a safe place (or two).