Composite DNS zones

• US 20080189437A1
• Filed: 04/27/2007
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nominum Incorporated (Akamai Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nominum Incorporated (Akamai Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Halley, Robert Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,694,016 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4552 Lookup mechanisms between a plurality of directories; Synchronisation of directories, e.g. metadirectories
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers

Abstract

A plurality of separate DNS zones are combined to form a composite DNS zone. The composite DNS zone is viewed as a single DNS zone by other elements on the network. Each of the separate DNS zones becomes a component DNS zone within the composite DNS zone but can still be separately owned and managed using standard DNS protocols. As such, the composite DNS zone provides a transparent method of combining DNS data owned by separate parties into a single location that can be searched using a DNS request of the prior art.

DNS requests directed to the composite DNS zone may result in a plurality of answer candidates. Some embodiments include algorithms for searching the composite DNS zone and assembling a DNS answer from the plurality of answer candidates. The composite DNS zone may include telephonic DNS data according to the ENUM standard.

Claims

1. A composite DNS server comprising:

a DNS protocol engine configured to receive a DNS request;

configuration data memory configured to store configuration data characterizing a composite DNS zone including a first component DNS zone and a second component DNS zone;

a composite zone manager configured to identify the first component DNS zone and the second component DNS zone using the configuration data;

a query engine configured to apply a search algorithm to both the first component DNS zone and the second component DNS zone in response to the DNS request, the search algorithm configured to generate at least one answer candidate;

an assembler configured to assemble a DNS answer using the at least one answer candidate; and

a processor configured to execute the composite zone manager, query engine or assembler.

2. The composite DNS server of claim 1, wherein the configuration data includes an ordered list of component DNS zones.

3. The composite DNS server of claim 1, wherein the composite zone manager is configured to select the search algorithm from among a plurality of alternative search algorithms.

4. The composite DNS server of claim 1, wherein the composite zone manager is configured to select the search algorithm based on information included within the DNS request.

5. The composite DNS server of claim 1, wherein the search algorithm is configured to return the first answer candidate found and then terminate the search.

6. The composite DNS server of claim 1, wherein the search algorithm is configured to return a plurality of answer candidates.

7. The composite DNS server of claim 1, wherein the search algorithm is configured to return a first answer candidate from the first component DNS zone and a second answer candidate from the second component DNS zone.

8. The composite DNS server of claim 1, wherein the search algorithm is configured to return the at least one answer candidate based on a partial match.

9. The composite DNS server of claim 1, wherein the assembler is configured to identify a best answer from a plurality of answer candidates including the at least one answer candidate.

10. The composite DNS server of claim 1, wherein the assembler is configured to identify a best answer from a plurality of answer candidates including the at least one answer candidate, the best answer being identified based on a quality of service or a cost of service.

11. The composite DNS server of claim 1, wherein the composite DNS zone is included in another composite DNS zone.

12. The composite DNS server of claim 1, wherein the first component DNS zone is a virtual copy of a DNS zone.

13. The composite DNS server of claim 1, further including memory configured to store the first component DNS zone in the composite DNS server.

14. The composite DNS server of claim 1, wherein the assembler is further configured to reorigin the DNS answer to a namespace of the composite DNS zone.

15. A method of responding to a DNS request, the method comprising:

identifying a first component DNS zone and a second component DNS zone of a composite DNS zone;

searching the first component DNS zone and the second component DNS zone for at least one answer candidate; and

assembling a DNS answer using the at least one answer candidate.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first component DNS zone and the second component DNS zone are each owned by a separate entity.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the first component DNS zone and the second component DNS zone are associated with different namespaces.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the first component DNS zone and the second component DNS zone are both authoritative copies of different DNS zones.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein assembling the DNS answer includes selecting a best answer candidate.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein searching the first component DNS zone and the second component DNS zone results in more than one answer candidate.

21. The method of claim 15, further including reorigining the DNS answer to a namespace of the composite DNS zone.

22. The method of claim 15, further including selecting a search algorithm from a plurality of search algorithms for searching the first component DNS zone and the second component DNS zone.

23. The method of claim 15, further including selecting an assembly algorithm from a plurality of assembly algorithms for assembling the DNS answer.

24. The method of claim 15, further including selecting a search algorithm for searching the first DNS component and the second DNS component or selecting an assembly algorithm for assembling the DNS answer, responsive to information included in the DNS request.

25. The method of claim 15, further including assembling the composite DNS zone in response to receiving the DNS request.

26. A computer readable medium having stored thereupon computing instructions comprising:

a code segment to identify a first component DNS zone and a second component DNS zone of a composite DNS zone using configuration data;

a code segment to apply a search algorithm to the first component DNS zone and the second component DNS zone in response to a DNS request; and

a code segment to assemble a DNS answer based on a result of the search algorithm.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein the computing instructions further comprise a code segment to reorigin the DNS answer.