There are two ways for you to access the OpenSRS system: Quick Start and Full Access. While both methods fully utilize the OpenSRS system, they access it through different means. The best access method for your firm depends on a number of factors, including registration volumes, approach to customer support and desired level of process automation.
Quick Start Access
Quick Start is a web-based solution that allows you to quickly and easily enter orders manually through the Control Panel. Because this is a manual process, you are wholly responsible for both collecting and distributing order information to your customers, a function that is fully automated with a Full Access implementation. With Quick Start implementations, however, there is no need for code development.
A Quick Start implementation is the faster, easier option, and can be used to get your business up and running until you have completed your client installation and configuration. It is particularly well-suited for Resellers who:
- Offer personal, high touch management of customers.
- Purchase in volumes of less than 150 per month.
- Manage products on behalf of customers.
- Order each domain or SSL Certificate individually.
- Are willing to allow management through the OpenSRS supplied online interface.
Key features of Quick Start
- Complete administrative control of functionality.
- Easy technical implementation.
- Asynchronous transaction processing.
- Manual product provisioning interface.
- Public registration management interface.
- Products provisioned individually.
Full Access
Full Access is a customizable solution for Resellers who are willing to host their own provisioning solution. Full Access allows you to automate order processing and incorporate it directly into your own web site through an Application Programming Interface or API.
Full Access offers a technically advanced implementation that automates and streamlines processing of product orders for you. It is particularly well-suited to Resellers who:
- Offer Internet Services as either core business or gateway products.
- Purchase in volumes greater than 150 per month.
- Require automation of ordering and management of products.
- Prefer management is done directly by end-users.
- Have customers requiring a larger number of bulk orders, that is, individual customers may order 25 domain names at a time.
- Prefer to offer management through a custom interface hosted on their own website.
Key Features of Full Access
- Streamlined administrative control.
- Technically advanced implementation.
- Real-Time transaction processing.
- Automated product provisioning interface.
- Customizable registration management interface.
- Bulk product provisioning available.
Registrant Managed Web Interface
OpenSRS also provides a public interface that Registrants can use to manage their domain names, allowing them to make changes to domain ownership, contact details and nameserver information. Full Access Resellers can either refer clients to the public Manage Web Interface, or build a custom Manage interface that matches the look and feel of their website.
Note: The public manage interface does not provide all features.These are functions that are accessible and modifiable only through the client code, as oftentimes Resellers must tie specific functions to other functions in their Full Access implementations. For example, renewals cannot be performed through the public manage function as you must secure payment before a renewal transaction can be processed.
This model allows you to be a ‘one stop shop’ as far as your clients are concerned; OpenSRS is, in most marketing respects, transparent to the end user in the purchase and management of Internet services.
Prices vary by product; for pricing information, please refer to http://opensrs.com/site/services/domains/pricing.
Quick Start implementation
Very little preparation is needed to run a domain registration business using the Quick Start system. Since you will be doing all your provisioning manually through the Control Panel, you can start registering domain names very quickly.
This section assumes that you have already completed the online application at http://opensrs.com/signup/
You can use your access information to connect to the OpenSRS Test Environment (Horizon) at https://horizon.opensrs.net/resellers/. The test system allows you to become familiar with the features before you begin registering domains in the Live system. In the test system, you have access to all of the TLDs that OpenSRS offers.
Note: The Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) no longer runs a test system. As a result, you cannot test .CA registrations or lookups at https://horizon.opensrs.net/resellers/.
In addition to the test environment, you also have access to the Live system and, if you have already established an account, you can begin registering domains right away. You cannot begin registering domains until you have established an account balance with OpenSRS. For information on payments, please see "Managing your account balance".
Setting your account defaults
Once you have access to the Live production environment, there are a few important steps to complete:
In the RWI
- In the Profile Management section of the RWI, ensure that the correct information is displayed on the following pages: Reseller Contact Information, Tech Contact Information and Support and Whois Information for your Customers.
- Decide whether to process orders immediately or have orders sit in a queue for review before processing.
- Review and customize the message templates. In the RWI, under Messaging, click View Message Templates and Transfer Messaging, and under Domain Management, click Renewal Management.
- Update the default name server information under Modify: Tech Contact Information in the Profile Management section of the Control Panel.
Full Access implementation
If you prefer to write your own tools in the language of your choice, you should refer to the OpenSRS API Specification for XML guide, which covers this approach completely.
Our Two Environments: Live and Test
To facilitate risk free learning and testing of the OpenSRS system, OpenSRS maintains two environments, commonly known as Live and Test. The Test environment mirrors the Live environment in nearly every way, and is the ‘proving grounds’ where you can gain proficiency before entering the Live environment to register actual domain names.
The Test environment can be accessed via shared web interface (Quick Start) or customized scripts (Full Access). Similarly, there is an end user ‘Manage Domain’ interface for the Test environment that can be accessed via shared web interface, or customized scripts.
Note: Registrations submitted in the Test environment are not actually registered.
The following table shows the URLs of our interfaces in the Live and Test environments:
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