System and Method for Obtaining Content from a Content Delivery Network

• US 20100161799A1
• Filed: 12/18/2008
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Maloo, Sunil
• Granted Patent: US 7,930,429 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/226
• 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 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1036 Load balancing of requests to servers for services different from user content provisioning, e.g. load balancing across domain name servers

Abstract

A method receives from a first server a first domain name system (DNS) request including a first internet protocol (IP) address of the first server, and a second IP address received by the first server from a first system. The method also maps a correlation between the first IP address and the second IP address, and receives from the first server a second DNS request. In response to receiving the second DNS request, the method responds to the first server with a third IP address of a second server, wherein the third IP address is chosen based upon the second IP address.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving from a first server a first domain name system (DNS) request including a first internet protocol (IP) address of the first server, and a second IP address received by the first server from a first system;

mapping a correlation between the first IP address and the second IP address;

receiving from the first server a second DNS request; and

in response to receiving the second DNS request, responding to the first server with a third IP address of a second server, wherein the third IP address is chosen based upon the second IP address.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising, in response to the first DNS request, responding to the first server with a loopback response.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the second DNS request is received by the first server from a second system.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein:

the first DNS request is received by a third server; and

the mapping is done by the third server.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the third server is a content delivery network mapping server.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

in response to mapping the correlation, receiving at a fourth server the mapping between the first IP address and the second IP address; and

wherein the second DNS request is received by the fourth server.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the second server, the third server, and the fourth server comprise a content delivery network.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the first server is an Internet Service Provider DNS server.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the first system is a client of an Internet Service Provider.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the second server is a content delivery network edge server.

11. A computer readable medium including instructions for carrying out a method, the method comprising:

receiving from a first server a first domain name system (DNS) request including a first internet protocol (IP) address of the first server, and a second IP address received by the first server from a first system;

mapping a correlation between the first IP address and the second IP address;

receiving from the first server a second DNS request; and

in response to receiving the second DNS request, responding to the first server with a third IP address of a second server, wherein the third IP address is chosen based upon the second IP address.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11, the method further comprising, in response to the first DNS request, responding to the first server with a loopback response.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the second DNS request is received by the first server from a second system.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein:

the first DNS request is received by a third server; and

the mapping is done by the third server.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the third server is a content delivery network mapping server.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, the method further comprising:

in response to mapping the correlation, receiving at a fourth server the mapping between the first IP address and the second IP address; and

wherein the second DNS request is received by the fourth server.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the second server, the third server, and the fourth server comprise a content delivery network.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 11 wherein the first server is an Internet Service Provider DNS server.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 11 wherein the first system is a client of an Internet Service Provider.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 11 wherein the second server is a content delivery network edge server.