Method and apparatus for URL forwarding
First Claim
1. A method of processing URLs, comprising:
- receiving requests for first and second URLs at a first URL forwarding web server, the first URL forwarding web server returning first and second messages responsive to the first and second URL requests, the first-and second URL requests each resolving to a first IP address of a first web server according to a domain name system;
storing a plurality of files corresponding to a plurality of URLs in a file server accessible by the first URL forwarding web server, each of the plurality of files storing URL forwarding information for each corresponding URL, the URL forwarding information associating the plurality of URLs with a plurality of IP addresses so that the file server returns destination IP addresses different from IP addresses to which each corresponding URL resolves according to the domain name system;
respectively selecting first and second files from the plurality of files in the file server in response to the first URL forwarding web server receiving the first and second URL requests, the first file storing a first destination IP address of a first destination server and the second file storing a second destination IP address of a second destination server, the first URL forwarding web server returning the first destination IP address as at least a part of the first message in response to the first URL request and returning the second destination IP address as at least a part of the second message in response to the second URL request;
respectively serving responses to the first and second URL requests from the first and second destination servers; and
receiving, at a second web server associated with the file server, a request to alter the first destination IP address within the first file to a third destination IP address for a third destination server different from the first destination server, the first and the third destination IP addresses different from the IP address to which the first URL resolves according to the domain name system, the first URL forwarding web server returning the third destination IP address in response to the first URL request after the request to alter is executed, wherein the request to alter is executed after authenticating a user'"'"'s right to alter contents of the first file.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A domain name is associated with the IP address of a first, URL forwarding web server within the domain name system (DNS) so that a request for a website or other resource associated with the domain name is presented to the URL forwarding web server. The URL forwarding web server accesses a file stored on a file server and determining from the contents of the file the IP address to which the domain name should resolve. The file associated with that domain name may contain information that initiates display of static or dynamic content from the URL forwarding web server. Alternately, the file may contain instructions to associate the requested domain name with the IP address of a second, destination web server that has the requested content or resource. Most preferably, the URL forwarding web server performs this access to the file server directly, without executing a script or other interface program supplementary to the URL forwarding web server. For example, the URL forwarding web server may include a module that receives a domain name, accesses the file from the file server and evaluates the contents of the file. When the file includes an IP address to which the domain name should resolve, preferred implementations of the module recognize the presence of the IP address within the file and return the IP address of the destination web server to the browser through which the user made the request.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of processing URLs, comprising:
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receiving requests for first and second URLs at a first URL forwarding web server, the first URL forwarding web server returning first and second messages responsive to the first and second URL requests, the first-and second URL requests each resolving to a first IP address of a first web server according to a domain name system;
storing a plurality of files corresponding to a plurality of URLs in a file server accessible by the first URL forwarding web server, each of the plurality of files storing URL forwarding information for each corresponding URL, the URL forwarding information associating the plurality of URLs with a plurality of IP addresses so that the file server returns destination IP addresses different from IP addresses to which each corresponding URL resolves according to the domain name system;
respectively selecting first and second files from the plurality of files in the file server in response to the first URL forwarding web server receiving the first and second URL requests, the first file storing a first destination IP address of a first destination server and the second file storing a second destination IP address of a second destination server, the first URL forwarding web server returning the first destination IP address as at least a part of the first message in response to the first URL request and returning the second destination IP address as at least a part of the second message in response to the second URL request;
respectively serving responses to the first and second URL requests from the first and second destination servers; and
receiving, at a second web server associated with the file server, a request to alter the first destination IP address within the first file to a third destination IP address for a third destination server different from the first destination server, the first and the third destination IP addresses different from the IP address to which the first URL resolves according to the domain name system, the first URL forwarding web server returning the third destination IP address in response to the first URL request after the request to alter is executed, wherein the request to alter is executed after authenticating a user'"'"'s right to alter contents of the first file. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of processing resource locators, comprising:
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receiving first and second URL requests at a first URL forwarding server, the first URL forwarding server returning first and second messages responsive to the first and second URL requests, the first-and second URL requests each resolving to a first IP address of a first server according to a domain name system;
storing a plurality of files corresponding to a plurality of URLs in a data server accessible by the first URL forwarding server, each of the files storing URL forwarding information for a corresponding URL, the URL forwarding information associating the plurality of URLs with a plurality of IP addresses so that the file server returns destination IP addresses different from IP addresses to which each corresponding URL resolves according to the domain name system;
respectively selecting first and second files from the plurality of files in the file server in response to the first URL forwarding server receiving the first and second URL requests, the first file storing a first destination IP address of a first destination server and the second file storing a second destination IP address of a second destination server different from the first destination IP address, the first URL forwarding web server returning the first destination IP address as at least a part of the first message in response to the first URL request and returning the second destination IP address as at least a part of the second message in response to the second URL request;
respectively serving responses to the first and second URL requests from the first and second destination servers;
receiving, at a second server associated with the data server, a request to alter the first destination IP address within the first file to a third destination IP address for a third destination server different from the first destination server, the first and the third destination IP addresses different from the IP address to which the first URL resolves according to the domain name system, the first URL forwarding server returning the third destination IP address in response to the first URL request after the request to alter is executed; and
disabling URL forwarding for the first URL upon expiration of a URL forwarding function for the first URL. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification