USING SERVER TYPE TO OBTAIN NETWORK ADDRESS

• US 20100217890A1
• Filed: 02/20/2009
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Derbeko, Philip, Nice, Nir, Eyal, Anat, Bar-Anan, Anat
• Granted Patent: US 8,156,249 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/686 using dual-stack hosts, e.g. in Internet protocol version 4 [IPv4]/Internet protocol version 6 [IPv6] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/251 between different IP versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/167 Adaptation for transition between two IP versions, e.g. between IPv4 and IPv6 translation of Internet protocol [IP] addresses H04L61/2503

Abstract

Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to using server type to obtain a network address. In aspects, a gateway that sits between a single network protocol client and a server receives a request from the client for a network address of the server. The gateway issues multiple name resolution requests and waits for a first response. Depending on various factors, the gateway determines whether or not to wait for additional responses before responding to the client. If needed, the gateway may obtain an address of a translating device to assist the client in communicating with the server.

Claims

1. A method implemented at least in part by a computer, the method comprising:

receiving a first request from a client for an address corresponding to a network name, the client being capable of communicating via a first network protocol;

sending a second request for the address to a server that resolves network names for the first network protocol;

sending a third request for the address to a server that resolves network names for a second network protocol;

receiving a first response to either the second request or the third request; and

determining whether to wait for a second response before responding to the first request from the client.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network protocol comprises an Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) protocol identified by Request for Comments (RFC) 2460.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second network protocol comprises an Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) protocol identified by Request for Comments (RFC) 791.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a first response to either the second request or the third request comprises receiving the first response in regards to the second request, and wherein if the first response indicates a valid address, then further comprising sending the valid address in a response to the first request from the client and caching that the network name is associated with the first network protocol.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a first response to either the second request or the third request comprises receiving the first response in regards to the second request and wherein if the first response indicates that the network name is not registered for the first network protocol, then further comprising caching that the network name is associated with the second network protocol and waiting for a response in regards to the third request.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether to wait for a second response comprises determining a type associated with the network name, the type being maintained by a gateway that is logically located between the client and an entity associated with the network name, the type indicating one of the first and second network protocols.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein receiving a first response to either the second request or the third request comprises receiving the first response in regards to the third request, wherein the type indicates the second network protocol, and wherein if the first response indicates a valid address, then further comprising:

sending the valid address to a network address translator;

obtaining a second address from a network address translator, the second address referencing the network address translator;

inserting the second address into a client response to send to the client, the client response indicating that the client is to send messages to the second address to communicate with the entity; and

sending the client response to the client.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a second response in regards to the second request after receiving the first response in regards to the third request; and

updating a cache to indicate that the entity is cable of communicating via the first network protocol.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the server that resolves network names for the first network protocol is also the server that resolves network names for the second network protocol.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a first response to either the second request or the third request comprises receiving the first response in regards to the third request, the first response indicating that the network name is not registered for the second network protocol and further comprising indicating that the network name is associated with the first network protocol and waiting for a response in regards to the second request before sending a response to the client.

11. A computer storage medium having computer-executable instructions, which when executed perform actions, comprising:

from a client, sending a request for an address corresponding to a network name to a gateway, the client being configured to communicate over a network using a single network communication protocol, the gateway having a cache in which the gateway stores a type corresponding to the network name, the type indicating one of two network protocols associated with the network name, the gateway configured to send requests to one or more name resolution servers to resolve the network name to the address, the gateway having logic thereon for determining whether or not to wait for responses to all the requests to the one or more name resolution servers before sending a response to the request from the client; and

receiving a response to the request, the response including the address.

12. The computer storage medium of claim 11, wherein the gateway is further configured to send the response to the request without waiting for another response from the one or more name resolution servers upon receiving a valid address for the network name from a name resolution server of the single network communication protocol.

13. The computer storage medium of claim 11, wherein the gateway is further configured to check the type and potentially wait for another response to the requests before responding to the client when the gateway receives a valid address for the network name for a network communication protocol other than the single network communication protocol.

14. The computer storage medium of claim 11, wherein the gateway is further configured to update the type based on responses receives from the one or more name resolution servers.

15. In a computing environment, an apparatus, comprising:

a cache operable to store types for servers, each type indicating one of a first and second network protocols;

a configuration manager operable to receive an indication of a default type for servers for which the cache has no type information;

a client communicator operable to receive a first request from a client for an address corresponding to a network name of a server, the client being capable of communicating via a first network protocol;

a querier operable to send a second request for the address to a server that resolves network names for the first network protocol and to send a third request for the address to a server that resolves network names for the second network protocol; and

an address selector operable to determine whether or not to wait for responses to both the second and third requests before sending a response to the client.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the apparatus is logically located between the client and a network that has entities that are capable of communicating via the first and/or second network protocol, the network including an entity associated with the network name.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein if the querier receives a response to the second request before receiving a response to the third request, the address selector is further operable to determine to provide to the client an address conveyed with the response to the second request.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein if the querier receives a response to the third request before receiving a response to the second request, the address selector is further operable to determine a type associated with the network name and to use the type in determining whether to wait for a response to the second request before sending a response to the client.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a cache manager operable to update a store with respect to a type of entity associated with the network name based on one or more responses to the second and third requests.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a translator communicator operable to obtain an address from a network address translator in response to receiving a response to the third request when a type associated with the network name indicates the second network protocol.