Keeping Track of Domain Expirations?

phutureboy asks: "Between providing hosting for several dozen web sites and consulting for a number of clients who run their own servers, lately I find myself overwhelmed with keeping track of domain expirations. Although the domains which I've personally registered are consolidated under one Register.com account, there are many others spread among multiple registrars, to which I may or may not have administrative access. It would take days or weeks of frustration to audit them all and make sure my clients' contact information is up to date. Does anyone have any tips for dealing with this mess?"

Comments

hmm - maybe a calendar?????

[sfjoe]

http://www.gnu.org/software/gcal/gcal.html

I know exactly what you mean...

[jaredcat]

I have abour 200 domains that I administer for my company. Most of them are in 1 DomainDirect account, but there are a bunch spread out over 5 or 6 different registries.

The best solution that I've come up with so far is to have all of the domain registrars use the same email address (in this case admin@mydomain.com) which I use ONLY for contact with the registrars, and I put it under a very heavy spamfilter rating.

Then the only problem is that I have to remember to check that email account once a week or so.

Jared

Yes. 6 simple steps

[Anonymous Coward]

1. Open Evolution
2. Open Konsole
3. In the Konsole window type "whois
4. Set Alarm in Evolution for 1 month prior to above domains expiration date. Then cut and paste who is output into the notes section of the alarm.
5. Repeat steps 3 through 5 for all domains.
6. On the second day, find something useful to do with your time and quit being such a putz.

Domain Reminder

[ziggles]

http://www.domainreminder.org/index.php

Transfer...

[avalys]

You could always transfer all the domains to the same registrar. It can get expensive, but some companies give you bulk discounts.

switch

[kayen_telva]

perhaps move them all to a registrar that specializes in bulk domains (7.95 domains and transfers too) !

not an ad ! my former employer used them.

Try AutoRenew

[i_want_you_to_throw_]

First step is to transfer them all to a lower priced registrar: Reason for this is easy, registrars are now a commodity and the lowest price wins. I use godaddy for everything and have found their customer service to be pretty good.

I register everything in my customers names except for the technical contact and then I turn on the AutoRenew option for each one. Godaddy then sends me a few notices as a reminder before actually renewing them. I never worry about losing them.

I actually foot the bill for the auto renew as a bonus for hosting with me and customers like that, it's a good sales point to let the customer know once you have reeled them in. The little things mean a lot.

Hope this all helps.

Do the multiyear registration -- 10 Years ~` $150

[Proudrooster]

Hunt around and find a registrar offering a sweet deal on 10 years of registration and forget about it. Usually you can get them down to $10-$15 per year and maybe cheaper if you transfer a bunch of domains over. I converted all my domains to the 10 year plan when tucows ran their last special and now I don't have to go crazy worrying about it anymore.

In 10 years, the Internet and world will probably be a very different place. Get the monkey off your back.

Found it, 10 - year registration for $7.95 /yr

[Proudrooster]

Ok, here ya go, these guys are running the special this month.. REGISTER YOUR DOMAIN FOR 10 YEARS for $79.95

http://www.koredomains.com/

Make the problem go away!

Someone had 6 steps. I..5!

[E_elven]

1) Go to Staples (or OfficeMax)

2) Buy 12 post-it notes (you can get more if you're on a high-end budget. But get a val-u-pak, then.) Also buy a pencil (not a pen -very important!)

3) If you don't have a wall or refrigerator door, get one.

4) For each month, take a post-it note, write the month's name on top. For each month-labeled post-it, write down the *name of company; *domain in question; *registrar used; *logins, passwords etc.; *contact information (which you update when it changes); *day the domain expires; *any other useful info (you can create a code for this so it's easier to store in the small space.)

5) Apply post-its in annual order to the wall or refrigerator door. If you store sensitive data such as the domain password for IBM, you can place the note *inside* the freezer box of the refrigerator. VERY secure.

Hope that helps!

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