TCP/IP HOST NAME RESOLUTION ON A PRIVATE NETWORK

• US 20110010413A1
• Filed: 07/09/2009
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Jongekryg, Brian E., Gloe, Christopher T., Christenson, David A., Kasperski, John C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,103,795 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• 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 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5076 Update or notification mechanisms, e.g. DynDNS

Abstract

Systems, methods and articles of manufacture are disclosed for resolving hostnames on a private network with a distributed DNS server configuration. One embodiment of the invention provides for a client resolver configured to communicate with a distributed network of servers. The client resolver receives a hostname query and determines if the hostname query is of the type single lablel hostname or fully qualified hostname. If the hostname query received is of the type fully qualified hostname, the client resolver routes the hostname query to a server with a longest matching domain suffix. If the hostname query received is of the type single label hostname the client resolver generates one or more new fully qualified hostnames and routes the hostname query to each server on the private network.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for resolving hostnames on a private network with a distributed DNS server configuration, comprising configuring one or more processors to perform an operation, comprising:

receiving a hostname query on a client computer;

wherein the client computer is configured to store one or more domain suffix records and an associated IP address that maps to each of the one or more domain suffix records;

determining if the hostname query is of the type single label hostname or of the type fully qualified hostname;

routing the hostname query to a server with a longest matching domain suffix if the hostname query received is of the type fully qualified hostname; and

generating one or more new fully qualified hostnames if the hostname is of the type single label hostname.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein each of the new fully qualified hostnames is generated by appending the received hostname, of the type single label hostname, with each domain suffix record on the client computer.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 2, further comprising:

routing the hostname query to each server on the private network if the hostname is of the type single label hostname;

wherein the hostname query is routed to each server on the private network according to the IP address associated with the domain suffix of the new fully qualified hostname.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving a response to the hostname query from a server;

wherein the response from the server includes either a positive response or a negative response;

wherein no response is determined to be a negative response; and

wherein a positive response includes an IP address that maps to the received hostname query.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 4, wherein the positive response and the negative response are cached in a HOSTS file for a specified time period.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 4, wherein the response to the hostname query is a duplicate response, wherein the duplicate response is a positive response from two or more servers with replicated applications.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 6, further comprising selecting a preferred IP address if a duplicate response is received.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 7, further comprising

identifying, from the two or more servers, the server with the most recently installed replicated application;

and

selecting an IP address associated with the most recently installed replicated application as the preferred IP address.

9. A computer readable storage medium containing a program which, when executed, performs an operation for resolving hostnames on a private network with a distributed DNS server configuration, comprising:

receiving a hostname query on a client computer;

wherein the client computer is configured to store one or more domain suffix records and an associated IP address for each of the one or more domain suffix records;

determining if the hostname query is of the type single label hostname or of the type fully qualified hostname;

routing the hostname query to a sever with a longest matching domain suffix if the hostname query received is of the type fully qualified hostname; and

generating one or more new fully qualified hostnames if the hostname is of the type single label hostname.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein each of the new fully qualified hostnames is generated by appending the received hostname, of the type single label hostname, with each domain suffix record on the client computer.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, further comprising:

routing the hostname query to each server on the private network if the hostname is of the type single label hostname;

wherein the hostname query is routed to each server on the private network according to the IP address associated with the domain suffix of the new fully qualified hostname.

12. The computer readable storage medium claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a response to the hostname query from a server;

wherein the response from the server includes either a positive response or a negative response;

wherein no response is determined to be a negative response; and

wherein a positive response includes an IP address that maps to the received hostname query.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the positive response and the negative response are cached in a HOSTS file for a specified time period.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the response to the hostname query is a duplicate response, wherein the duplicate response is a positive response from two or more servers with replicated applications.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14, further comprising:

selecting a preferred IP address if a duplicate response is received.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising

identifying, from the two or more servers, the server with the most recently installed replicated application;

and

selecting an IP address associated with the most recently installed replicated application as the preferred IP address.

17. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory containing a program, which when executed by the processor is configured to perform an operation for resolving hostnames on a private network with a distributed DNS server configuration, comprising;

receiving a hostname query on a client computer;

wherein the client computer is configured to store one or more domain suffix records and an associated IP address for each of the one or more domain suffix records;

determining if the hostname query is of the type single label hostname or of the type fully qualified hostname;

routing the hostname query to a sever with a longest matching domain suffix if the hostname query received is of the type fully qualified hostname; and

generating one or more new fully qualified hostnames if the hostname is of the type single label hostname.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein each of the new fully qualified hostnames is generated by appending the received hostname, of the type single label hostname, with each domain suffix record on the client computer.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

routing the hostname query to each server on the private network if the hostname is of the type single label hostname;

wherein the hostname query is routed to each server on the private network according to the IP address associated with the domain suffix of the new fully qualified hostname.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving a response to the hostname query from a server;

wherein the response from the server includes either a positive response or a negative response;

wherein no response is determined to be a negative response; and

wherein a positive response includes an IP address that maps to the received hostname query.

21. The system claim 20, wherein the positive response and the negative response are cached in a HOSTS file for a specified time period.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the response to the hostname query is a duplicate response, wherein the duplicate response is a positive response from two or more servers with replicated applications.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising:

selecting a preferred IP address if a duplicate response is received.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising

identifying, from the two or more servers, the server with the most recently installed replicated application;

and

selecting an IP address associated with the most recently installed replicated application as the preferred IP address.