Apparatus and method of searching for DNS server in outernet

• US 20030236779A1
• Filed: 03/12/2003
• Published: 12/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Choi, Hyun-seok, Kim, Chul-min, Kim, Young-geun
• Granted Patent: US 7,181,503 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/18 for broadcast or conference , e.g. multicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/45 Network directories; Name-to-address mapping

Abstract

Outernet DNS searching units are included in a host, a DNS server, a router where a DNS server is registered, and a router where a DNS server is not registered, allowing Internet-enabled terminals to automatically search for a DNS server in an outernet. The host creates a DNS search message and transmits it to a subnet to which the host belongs so as to receive a response message. If no response message is received from the subnet (i.e., a DNS server is not connected to the subnet), the DNS search message is transmitted to an outernet to which the host does not belong, to which a DNS server is connected. Further, when a DNS server does not respond to a DNS search message from a host, a hop limit is increased to resend the DNS search message, thereby preventing waste of network bandwidth and easily detecting the closest DNS server.

Claims

1. An apparatus, which is included in a host, for searching for a DNS server in an outernet, comprising:

a subnet DNS searching unit for creating a DNS search message, transmitting the DNS search message to a subnet to which the host belongs, and receiving a response message to the DNS search message; and

an outernet DNS searching unit for transmitting the DNS search message to an outernet to which the host does not belong and receiving a response message to the DNS search message, when the subnet DNS searching unit fails to receive the response message.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the subnet comprises at least one router or at least one DNS server, connected directly to the host.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outernet comprises at least one router or at least one DNS server, connected indirectly to the host.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the subnet DNS searching unit comprises:

a DNS search message creating unit for automatically creating an address of a transmitter in order to make the DNS search message;

a DNS search message transmission unit for multicast transmitting the DNS search message to each node of the subnet; and

a DNS search response message receiving unit for receiving a response message to the DNS search message from any node of the subnet.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outernet DNS searching unit comprises:

a DNS search message transmission unit for repeatedly multicast transmitting the DNS search message to each node of the outernet until a response message to the DNS search message is sent from each node, when the subnet DNS searching unit fails to receive the response message; and

a DNS search response message receiving unit for receiving the response message from any node of the outernet.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the DNS search message transmission unit comprises:

a hop limit setting unit for increasing a currently set hop limit by a predetermined value whenever the outernet DNS searching unit fails to receive the response message, when the subnet DNS searching unit fails to receive the response message; and

a DNS search message repetition transmission unit for multicast transmitting the DNS search message to each node of the outernet based on the set hop limit until the DNS search response message receiving unit receives the response message.

7. An outernet DNS searching apparatus included in a DNS server, the apparatus comprising:

a DNS register message creating unit for creating a DNS register message with the address of a DNS server as the address of a transmitter;

a DNS register message transmission unit for transmitting the DNS register message to a subnet to which the DNS server belongs;

a DNS register response message receiving unit for receiving a response message to the DNS register message from a router belonging to the subnet;

a DNS search message receiving unit for receiving a DNS search message from the router; and

a DNS search response message transmission unit for transmitting a response message to the DNS search message to the router.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the subnet comprises a host or at least one router, connected directly to the DNS server.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the DNS register message transmission unit transmits the DNS register message to each node of the subnet, using an anycast transmission method.

10. An apparatus for searching for a DNS server in an outernet, the apparatus being included in a router where a DNS server is registered, the apparatus comprising:

a DNS register message receiving unit for receiving a DNS register message from a subnet to which the router belongs;

a DNS server registering unit for registering a DNS server related to the DNS register message with the router;

a DNS search message receiving unit for receiving a DNS search message from the subnet; and

a DNS search message DNS server transmission unit for transmitting the DNS search message to the registered DNS server.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the subnet comprises a host, at least one subnet router, or at least one DNS server, which is connected directly to the router.

12. An apparatus for searching for a DNS server in an outernet, the apparatus included in a router where a DNS server is not registered, the apparatus comprising:

a DNS search message receiving unit for receiving a DNS search message from a subnet to which the router belongs;

a hop limit decreasing unit for decreasing a hop limit for the DNS search message by a predetermined value; and

a DNS search message router transmission unit for transmitting the DNS search message with the decreased hop limit from another router belonging to the subnet.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the subnet comprises a host, at least one subnet router, or at least one DNS server, connected directly to the router.

14. An apparatus for searching for a DNS server in an outernet, comprising:

a first outernet DNS searching unit included in a host, the first outernet DNS searching unit creating a DNS search message, transmitting the DNS search message to a first subnet, to which the host belongs, so as to receive a response message to the DNS search message, and transmitting the DNS search message to an outernet, to which the host does not belong, when the response message is not received from the first subnet;

a second outernet DNS searching unit included in a DNS server, the second outernet DNS searching unit creating a DNS register message, transmitting the DNS register message to a second subnet to receive a response message to the DNS register message from a first router belonging to the second subnet, receiving a second DNS search message related to the DNS server from the first router, and sending a second response message to the second DNS search message to the first router;

a third outernet DNS searching unit included in a router where a DNS server is registered, the third outernet DNS searching unit receiving a second DNS register message from the DNS server, registering the DNS server with the router, receiving a third DNS search message from the second subnet, and transmitting the third DNS search message to the registered DNS server; and

a fourth outernet DNS searching unit included in a router where a DNS server is not registered, the fourth DNS searching unit receiving a fourth DNS search message from a third subnet, transmitting the fourth DNS search message with a hop limit to a third router belonging to the third subnet, to which a second router also belongs, and decreasing the hop limit by a predetermined value.

15. A method of searching for a DNS server in an outernet, comprising:

creating a DNS search message, transmitting it to a subnet to which a host belongs, and receiving a response message to the DNS search message; and

transmitting the DNS search message to an outernet to which the host does not belong when the response message is not received from the subnet, and receiving the response message from the outernet.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the subnet comprises at least one router or at least one DNS server, connected directly to the host.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein creating a DNS search message comprises:

automatically creating the address of a transmitter and creating the DNS search message;

multicast transmitting the DNS search message to each node of the subnet; and

receiving a response message to the DNS search message from any node of the subnet.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the outernet comprises at least one router or at least one DNS server, connected indirectly to the host.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein transmitting the DNS search message to the outernet comprises:

repeatedly multicast transmitting the DNS search message to each node of the outernet until the response message to the DNS search message is received, when the response message is not received; and

receiving the response message from any node of the outernet.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein repeatedly multicast transmitting the DNS search message comprises:

increasing a currently set hop limit by a predetermined value when the response message to the DNS search message is not received; and

repeatedly multicast transmitting the DNS search message to each node of the outernet based on the set hop limit until the response message is received.

21. A method of searching for a DNS server in an outernet, the method performed by the DNS server, the method comprising:

creating a DNS register message with the address of a DNS server as the address of a transmitter;

transmitting the DNS register message to a subnet to which the DNS server belongs;

receiving a response message to the DNS register message from a router belonging to the subnet;

receiving the DNS search message related to the DNS server from the router; and

transmitting a response message to the DNS search message to the router.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the subnet comprises a host or at least one router, connected directly to the DNS server.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein when transmitting the DNS register message to the subnet, the DNS register message is anycast transmitted to each node of the subnet.

24. A method of searching for a DNS server in an outernet, the method performed by a router where a DNS server is registered, the method comprising:

receiving a DNS register message from a subnet to which a router belongs;

registering a DNS server related to the DNS register message to the router;

receiving a DNS search message from the subnet; and

transmitting the DNS search message to the registered DNS server.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the subnet comprises a host, at least one router, or at least one DNS server, connected directly to the router.

26. A method of searching for a DNS server in an outernet, the method performed by a router where a DNS server is not registered, the method comprising:

receiving a DNS search message from a subnet to which a router belongs;

decreasing a hop limit for the DNS search message by a predetermined value; and

transmitting the DNS search message with the decreased hop limit to another router belonging to the subnet.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the subnet comprises a host, at least one router, or at least one DNS server, connected directly to the router.

28. A method of searching for a DNS server in an outernet, comprising:

creating a DNS search message, transmitting the DNS search message to a first subnet, to which a host belongs, so as to receive a response message to the DNS search message, and transmitting the DNS search message to an outernet, to which the host does not belong, so as to receive the response message;

creating a DNS register message, transmitting the DNS register message to a second subnet, to which a DNS server belongs, receiving a response message to the DNS register message from a first router belonging to the second subnet, receiving a DNS search message related to the DNS server from the first router, and transmitting a response message to the DNS search message to the first router;

receiving the DNS register message from the DNS server to register the DNS server to the first router, receiving a DNS search message from the second subnet, and transmitting the DNS search message to the registered DNS server; and

receiving a DNS search message from a third subnet, to which a second router belongs, transmitting the DNS search message with a hop limit to a third router, and decreasing the hop limit by a predetermined value.

29. A computer program product for searching for a DNS server in an outernet, comprising:

software instructions for enabling the computer to perform predetermined operations, and a computer readable medium bearing the software instructions;

wherein the predetermined operations include;

creating a DNS search message, transmitting it to a subnet to which a host belongs, and receiving a response message to the DNS search message; and

transmitting the DNS search message to an outernet to which the host does not belong when the response message is not received from the subnet, and receiving the response message from the outernet.

30. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein the subnet comprises at least one router or at least one DNS server, connected directly to the host.

31. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein creating a DNS search message comprises:

automatically creating the address of a transmitter and creating the DNS search message;

multicast transmitting the DNS search message to each node of the subnet; and

receiving a response message to the DNS search message from any node of the subnet.

32. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein the outernet comprises at least one router or at least one DNS server, connected indirectly to the host.

33. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein transmitting the DNS search message to the outernet comprises:

repeatedly multicast transmitting the DNS search message to each node of the outernet until the response message to the DNS search message is received, when the response message is not received; and

receiving the response message from any node of the outernet.

34. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein repeatedly multicast transmitting the DNS search message comprises:

increasing a currently set hop limit by a predetermined value when the response message to the DNS search message is not received; and

repeatedly multicast transmitting the DNS search message to each node of the outernet based on the set hop limit until the response message is received.

35. A computer program product for searching for a DNS server in an outernet, the computer program product in the DNS server, comprising:

software instructions for enabling the computer to perform predetermined operations, and

a computer readable medium bearing the software instructions;

wherein the predetermined operations include;

creating a DNS register message with the address of a DNS server as the address of a transmitter;

transmitting the DNS register message to a subnet to which the DNS server belongs;

receiving a response message to the DNS register message from a router belonging to the subnet;

receiving the DNS search message related to the DNS server from the router; and

transmitting a response message to the DNS search message to the router.

36. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the subnet comprises a host or at least one router, connected directly to the DNS server.

37. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein when transmitting the DNS register message to the subnet, the DNS register message is anycast transmitted to each node of the subnet.

38. A computer program product for searching for a DNS server in an outernet, the computer program product in a router where a DNS server is registered, comprising:

software instructions for enabling the computer to perform predetermined operations, and

a computer readable medium bearing the software instructions;

wherein the predetermined operations include;

receiving a DNS register message from a subnet to which a router belongs;

registering a DNS server related to the DNS register message to the router;

receiving a DNS search message from the subnet; and

transmitting the DNS search message to the registered DNS server.

39. The computer program product of claim 38, wherein the subnet comprises a host, at least one router, or at least one DNS server, connected directly to the router.

40. A computer program product for searching for a DNS server in an outernet, the computer program product in a router where a DNS server is not registered, comprising:

software instructions for enabling the computer to perform predetermined operations, and

a computer readable medium bearing the software instructions;

wherein the predetermined operations include;

receiving a DNS search message from a subnet to which a router belongs;

decreasing a hop limit for the DNS search message by a predetermined value; and

transmitting the DNS search message with the decreased hop limit to another router belonging to the subnet.

41. The computer program product of claim 40, wherein the subnet comprises a host, at least one router, or at least one DNS server, connected directly to the router.

42. A computer program product for searching for a DNS server in an outernet, comprising:

software instructions for enabling the computer to perform predetermined operations, and

a computer readable medium bearing the software instructions;

wherein the predetermined operations include;

creating a DNS search message, transmitting the DNS search message to a first subnet, to which a host belongs, so as to receive a response message to the DNS search message, and transmitting the DNS search message to an outernet, to which the host does not belong, so as to receive the response message;

creating a DNS register message, transmitting the DNS register message to a second subnet, to which a DNS server belongs, receiving a response message to the DNS register message from a first router belonging to the second subnet, receiving a DNS search message related to the DNS server from the first router, and transmitting a response message to the DNS search message to the first router;

receiving the DNS register message from the DNS server to register the DNS server to the first router, receiving a DNS search message from the second subnet, and transmitting the DNS search message to the registered DNS server; and

receiving a DNS search message from a third subnet, to which a second router belongs, transmitting the DNS search message with a hop limit to a third router, and decreasing the hop limit by a predetermined value.