Overview
You need to know two terms first: Internet Content Provider (ICP) filing and Domain Name System (DNS) resolution.
ICP filing
The People's Republic of China mandates an ICP filing system for non-commercial Internet information services and an ICP licensing system for commercial Internet information services. If you have not obtained an ICP filing or a commercial ICP license for your website, you cannot provide non-commercial or commercial Internet information services by using the website. Therefore, all websites must obtain an ICP filing before the websites are permitted to operate in the Chinese mainland. For more information about ICP filing, see ICP filing application overview. To build a website that can provide services properly, you must specify the instance that builds the website, access information, website information, and entity information to apply for an ICP filing and verification.
DNS resolution
DNS resolution is a process of converting human-readable domain names into machine-readable IP addresses and then routing user requests to the required websites or application servers.
FAQ
1. What is the relationship between ICP filing and website access?
If you use a website host in the Chinese mainland, you must obtain an ICP filing so that your website is accessible. If you use a website host outside the Chinese mainland, you do not need to apply for an ICP filing.
2. What is the relationship between ICP filing and DNS resolution?
DNS resolution is not directly related to ICP filing. This means that DNS settings can be configured and take effect as expected even if your website is not filed or is in the process of filing. However, if your website is not filed or is in the process of filing, the website will be inaccessible.
3. Can I configure DNS settings for my website if my website is not filed or is in the process of filing?
Yes, you can log on to the Alibaba Cloud DNS console to configure DNS settings after you register a domain name for your website. However, even if the DNS settings have been configured and the DNS settings have taken effect, the website will still be inaccessible due to ICP filing reasons.