1. A method of recovering a failed registry, the method comprising: accessing a plurality of archived registry zone files for the failed registry, wherein each of the archived registry zone files comprises at least domain names, registrar IDs, and status information represented in a first predetermined format; accessing archived bulk WHOIS data for the failed registry, wherein the archived bulk WHOIS data comprises at least nameserver server names, IP addresses, and status information represented in a second predetermined format; validating, at a recovery registry in response to failure of the failed registry, one of the plurality of the archived registry zone files based on a comparison between the plurality of the archived registry zone files and the archived bulk WHOIS data; publishing the one of the plurality of the archived registry zone files to the recovery registry's nameservers; initiating a root zone change request, wherein the root zone change causes the recovery registry to operate in place of the failed registry; and updating authoritative nameservers of the recovery registry.