Method and system for selecting a host in a communications network

• US 20050044234A1
• Filed: 07/20/2004
• Published: 02/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chesley B. Coughlin, Eric W. Packman
• Original Assignee: Chesley B. Coughlin, Eric W. Packman
• Inventors: Packman, Eric W., Coughlin, Chesley B.
• Granted Patent: US 7,617,274 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5003 Managing SLA; Interaction between SLA and QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/509 wherein the managed service relates to media content delivery, e.g. audio, video or TV
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5093 wherein the managed service relates to messaging or chat services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0864 Round trip delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]

Abstract

A system and method of selecting a host for a client in a client-server network, such as the Internet. The method includes initiating a plurality of responses, such as domain name system (DNS) responses, in a race to the local server and/or client. The method determines the most suitable host or server based on its shortest latency with the client.

Claims

1-9. -9. (Canceled)

10. A method of selecting a host for a client in a client-server network, the method comprising:

receiving a request to identify the host for the client;

instructing each of a plurality of servers to respond to the received request, wherein the time of instructing is scheduled at a time that is related to the latency between each of the plurality of severs and an authoritative server;

sending a plurality of responses, each having an address representative of a respective host, from the plurality of servers substantially immediately after receiving the instruction; and

selecting the respective host address from the first arriving response of the plurality of responses.

13. The method as defined in claim 10, further comprising synchronizing the plurality of servers to a reference time.

14. The method as defined in claim 10, further comprising requesting resolution of a domain name of the host into an Internet protocol (IP) address.

15. The method as defined in claim 10, further comprising determining the latency between the authoritative server and each of the plurality of servers.

16. The method as defined in claim 10, wherein instructing each of the plurality of servers includes sending at least one packet to each of the plurality of servers, the packet indicating an instruction to send one of the plurality of responses from each of the plurality of servers.

17. The method as defined in claim 16, wherein instructing each of the plurality of servers includes synchronizing arrival of the at least one packet at each of the plurality of servers.

18. The method as defined in claim 10, wherein sending a plurality of responses includes sending a plurality of domain name system (DNS) responses from the plurality of servers.

19. The method as defined in claim 10, further comprising forwarding the selected host address to the client.

20. The method as defined in claim 10, further comprising establishing a data path between the client and a host represented by the selected host address.

21. The method as defined in claim 10, wherein receiving a request includes receiving at least one packet over a TCP/IP network.

11. A system for selecting a host for a client in a client-server network, the system comprising:

a first server in communication within the client-server network, the first server being configured to determine a future time at which to respond to a local server; and

a second server in communication with the first server, wherein the first sever is further configured to instruct the second server to respond to the local server, and the second server is configured to send a response to the local server at substantially the same time as the response by the first server, and wherein the response to the local server includes an address representative of a respective host.

12. The system as defined in claim 11, further comprising a third server in communication with the first server, wherein the first server is further configured to instruct the third server to respond to the local server, and the third server is configured to send a response to the local server at substantially the same time as the response by the second server.

22-36. -36. (Canceled)

37. A system for selecting a host to communicate with a client in a client-server network having a local server, the system comprising:

means for receiving a request to identify a host for the client;

means for instructing a plurality of servers to respond to the received request, wherein the time of instructing is scheduled at a time that is related to the latency between an authoritative server and the plurality of servers;

means for sending a plurality of responses, each response having an address representative of a respective host, from the plurality of servers substantially immediately after receiving the instruction; and

means for selecting the respective host address form the first arriving response of the plurality of responses.

38. The system as defined in claim 37, further comprising means for determining the latency between the authoritative server and each of the plurality of servers.

39. The system as defined in claim 37, wherein the instruction means synchronizes arrival of instructions at the plurality of servers.

40. The system as defined in claim 37, further comprising means for forwarding the selected host address to the client.

41-47. -47. (Canceled)

48. A server system comprising:

a first server to be coupled to a client-server network, said first server to receive a request, to determine a future start of race (SOR), and to instruct each of a plurality of servers to send a response to the request at said future SOR time.

49. The server system of claim 48 wherein said first server is to send a response to the request at said future SOR time.

50. The server system of claim 48 wherein the response includes an address representative of a respective host to each of said plurality of servers.

51. The server system of claim 50, further comprising:

a local server, coupled to said client-server network, said local server to receive said responses and select a host address from said responses.

52. The server system of claim 50 wherein said response is a domain name service response.

53. The server system of claim 52, further comprising:

a plurality of servers coupled to said client-server network, said plurality of servers to respond to the request at said future SOR time.

54. A method comprising:

receiving a request to identify a host for a client in a client-server network;

determining a future start of race (SOR) time at which a plurality of servers are to respond to the received request; and

instructing each server in the plurality of servers to send a response to the request at the future SOR time.

55. The method of claim 54 further comprising:

sending a response to the request at the future SOR time.

56. The method of claim 54 wherein the response includes an address representative of a host with which such server is associated.