DOMAIN NAME SERVICE RESOLVER

• US 20100100629A1
• Filed: 12/22/2009
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Limelight Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Limelight Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: Raciborski, Nathan F., McCarthy, Nils H., Harvell, Brad B., Gordon, Michael M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,024,468 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4541 Directories for service discovery

Abstract

A content delivery network (CDN) for providing content objects and domain resolution. The CDN includes a connection with a terminal device, a second domain name service (DNS) system, an IP address store for holding authoritative Internet protocol (IP) addresses, and a content store holding at least one of the first or second content object. A first request to resolve a first domain name is received by the second DNS system at a second location. A second request to resolve a second domain name is received by the second DNS system at the second location. The first domain name is associated with a first content object, and the second domain name is associated with a second content object. The first and second requests are relayed with the terminal device, which receives Internet access from an access network. The access network comprises a first DNS system that functions in a recursing DNS mode. The content object is realized in a first location that is different from the second location of the terminal device. The second DNS system operates in a recursing DNS mode to retrieve a first IP address corresponding to the first domain name. The first IP address for the first domain name is returned from the second DNS system to the terminal device to fulfill the first request. The second DNS system operates in an authoritative DNS mode to retrieve a second IP address from the IP address store. The second IP address for the second domain name is returned from the second DNS system to the terminal device to fulfill the second request.

Claims

1. A domain name service (DNS) resolver for returning Internet protocol (IP) addresses, the DNS resolver comprising:

a connection with an Internet application or device, wherein the connection receives domain name resolution requests that originates outside of the Internet;

a direct DNS resolver that processes domain name resolutions for a predetermined list of domain names without referring to the Internet after receiving a domain name resolution request; and

an address store, wherein the address store comprises the predetermined list of domain names and corresponding IP addresses that are specified from a point remote to the DNS resolver.

2. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 1, further comprising a recursing DNS resolver, wherein IP addresses are found by querying one or more DNS servers on the Internet after receiving domain name resolution requests from the private network.

3. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 1, wherein the connection receives the domain name resolution requests on a port not normally used for conventional DNS domain name resolution requests.

4. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 1, wherein the connection receives the domain name resolution requests in encrypted form.

5. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 1, wherein the predetermined list includes at least some host names for the domain names.

6. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 1, wherein the DNS resolver is within an operating system of the Internet application or device.

7. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 1, wherein the DNS resolver is located away from user computers.

8. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the DNS resolver is application software running on an operating system, and

the Internet application also runs on the operating system.

9. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 1, wherein a firewall filters traffic between the DNS resolver and the Internet.

10. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 1, wherein the predetermined list is updated periodically.

11. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 1, wherein the predetermined list is updated when a domain resolution requests matches a domain on the list, but a host name on the domain resolution request cannot be found on the list.

12. A DNS resolver for returning IP addresses, the DNS resolver comprising:

a connection with an Internet application or device, wherein the connection receives domain name resolution requests that originates outside of the Internet;

a recursing DNS resolver, wherein IP addresses are found by querying one or more DNS servers on the Internet after receiving domain name resolution requests;

a direct DNS resolver that processes domain name resolutions for a predetermined list of URL portions, wherein the direct DNS resolver avoids referring to the Internet while processing domain name resolutions; and

an address store, wherein the address store comprises the predetermined list of URL portions that are determined at a point accessible with the Internet.

13. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 12, wherein the predetermined list includes IP addresses corresponding to the URL portions.

14. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 12, wherein the connection receives the domain name resolution requests on a port not normally used for conventional DNS domain name resolution requests.

15. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 12, wherein the connection receives the domain name resolution requests in encrypted form.

16. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 12, wherein the URL portions include domain names and/or host names.

17. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 12, wherein the address store avoids time-to-live tracking for IP addresses.

18. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 12, wherein the DNS resolver is located away from user computers.

19. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 12, wherein:

the DNS resolver is application software running on an operating system, and

the Internet application also runs on the operating system.

20. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 12, wherein a firewall filters traffic between the DNS resolver and the Internet.

21. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 12, wherein the predetermined list is updated periodically.

22. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 12, wherein the predetermined list is updated when a domain resolution requests matches a domain on the list, but a host name on the domain resolution request cannot be found on the list.

23. A method for resolving an IP address for a domain name resolution request, the method comprising steps of:

receiving a list of possible domain name resolution requests and corresponding IP addresses in advance of the possible domain name resolution request being requested;

receiving the domain name resolution request;

determining if the domain name resolution request corresponds to any on the list;

returning a corresponding IP address if the domain name resolution request corresponds to any on the list; and

resolving the domain name resolution request by referring to the Internet if the domain name resolution request does not corresponds to any on the list.

24. The method for resolving the IP address for the domain name resolution request as recited in claim 23, wherein the second-listed receiving step comprises a step of receiving a cookie that comprises information about an Internet application or device originating the domain name resolution request.

25. The method for resolving the IP address for the domain name resolution request as recited in claim 23, wherein the IP address corresponds to at least one DNS server at a content delivery network (CDN).

26. The method for resolving the IP address for the domain name resolution request as recited in claim 23, further comprising steps of:

determining the list is out of date; and

requesting an updated list.