METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PROCESSING A DNS REQUEST

• US 20160269353A1
• Filed: 04/22/2014
• Published: 09/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pismo Labs Technology Limited
• Original Assignee: Pismo Labs Technology Limited
• Inventors: Tsai, Min-Fu, Chan, Alex Wing Hong, Chan, Ho Ming, Chau, Kit Wai, Yip, Chi Pan
• Granted Patent: US 9,912,630 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/69 using geographic information, e.g. room number
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5053 Lease time; Renewal aspects

Abstract

A method and system for processing Domain name Services (DNS) request in a gateway. The gateway receives a DNS request from a host from its local area network. The gateway then selects DNS server(s) and transmits a new DNS request to at least one DNS server(s). DNS server(s) may or may not be accessible through a first tunnel. The contents of the new DNS request are the same as the content of the received DNS request. Further, when the gateway receives a DNS response corresponding to the DNS request, it determines a decision whether to transfer data to the host whose IP address is specified in the DNS response through a second tunnel. The decision may be based on a geographical location of an IP address.

Claims

1. A method for processing Domain Name Services (DNS) request in a gateway, wherein the gateway comprises at least one local area network (LAN) interface and at least one wide area network (WAN) interface, the method comprising:

receiving a first DNS request from a first host via one of the at least one LAN interface of the gateway;

selecting at least one DNS server;

transmitting a first at least one new DNS request to the at least one DNS server through at least one tunnel via the at least one WAN interface if the at least one DNS server is accessible through the at least one tunnel;

transmitting the first at least one new DNS request to the at least one DNS server without using a tunnel via the at least one WAN interface if the at least one DNS server is not accessible through any of the at least one tunnel; and

wherein the contents of the first at least one new DNS request are the same as the content of the first DNS request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting the at least one DNS server comprising:

determining one or more DNS servers that are accessible by the gateway through the at least one tunnel; and

selecting at least one DNS server from the one or more DNS servers.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a first DNS response from the at least one DNS server;

transmitting a new DNS response to the first host via the one of the at least one LAN interfaces of the gateway, wherein the new DNS response is based on the first DNS response;

determining the geographical location of an IP address specified in the first DNS response by using an IP geolocation database;

determining a decision whether to transfer data to a second host using a second tunnel;

transferring data to the second host using the second tunnel if the decision is to use the second tunnel;

transferring data to the second host not using the second tunnel if the decision is not to use the second tunnel or there is no decision;

wherein the second host is accessible through the IP address specified in the first DNS response; and

wherein the first DNS response corresponds to the first at least one new DNS request.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first DNS response is received through a first tunnel, wherein the first tunnel is one of the at least one tunnel used to transmit the first at least one new DNS request and the first tunnel is the same as the second tunnel.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the first DNS response is received through a first tunnel, wherein the first tunnel is one of the at least one tunnel used to transmit the first at least one new DNS request and the first tunnel is not the same as the second tunnel.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of determining whether to transfer data is based on the geographical location of the IP address specified in the first DNS response.

7. The method of claim 3,

wherein the number of the first at least one new DNS request is at least two;

wherein the first DNS response is selected from a plurality of DNS responses, wherein;

if there is at least one DNS response received through the at least one tunnel, the first DNS response is selected from the at least one DNS response received through the at least one tunnel; and

if there is no DNS response received through any of the at least one tunnel, the first DNS response is selected from the plurality of DNS responses received.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of DNS responses are received within a predefined time period.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of determining whether to transfer data is based on the whether the IP addresses specified in at least two of the plurality of DNS responses are the same.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein the decision is stored in a computer readable storage medium of the gateway;

and

wherein the decision is deleted from the computer readable storage medium when a time period specified in a time-to-live (TTL) field of the first DNS response has expired.

11. The method of claim 3, wherein the decision is stored in a computer readable storage medium, and the decision contains the IP address specified in the first DNS response;

wherein the IP address in the decision is updated to an IP address specified in a second DNS response;

wherein the second DNS response corresponds to a second at least one new DNS request; and

wherein the second DNS response is received after transmitting the second at least one new DNS request, wherein the second at least one new DNS request is transmitted when a time period specified in a TTL field of the first DNS response has expired.

12. A gateway for processing Domain Name Services (DNS) request, comprising:

at least one local area network (LAN) interface;

at least one wide area network (WAN) interface;

at least one processing unit;

at least one computer readable storage medium storing program instructions executable by the at least one processing unit for;

receiving a first DNS request from a first host via one of the at least one LAN interface of the gateway;

selecting at least one DNS server;

transmitting a first at least one new DNS request to the at least one DNS server through at least one tunnel via the at least one WAN interface if the at least one DNS server is accessible through the at least one tunnel;

transmitting the first at least one new DNS request to the at least one DNS server without using a tunnel via the at least one WAN interface if the at least one DNS server is not accessible through any of the at least one tunnel; and

wherein the contents of the first at least one new DNS request are the same as the content of the first DNS request.

13. The gateway of claim 12, wherein the step of selecting the at least one DNS server comprising:

determining one or more DNS servers that are accessible by the gateway through the at least one tunnel; and

selecting at least one DNS server from the one or more DNS servers.

14. The gateway of claim 12, wherein the at least one computer readable storage medium further storing program instructions executable by the at least one processing unit for:

receiving a first DNS response from the at least one DNS server;

transmitting a new DNS response to the first host via the one of the at least one LAN interfaces of the gateway, wherein the new DNS response is based on the first DNS response;

determining the geographical location of an IP address specified in the first DNS response by using an IP geolocation database;

determining a decision whether to transfer data to a second host using a second tunnel;

transferring data to the second host using the second tunnel if the decision is to use the second tunnel;

transferring data to the second host not using the second tunnel if the decision is not to use the second tunnel or there is no decision;

wherein the second host is accessible through the IP address specified in the first DNS response; and

wherein the first DNS response corresponds to the first at least one new DNS request.

15. The gateway of claim 14, wherein the first DNS response is received through a first tunnel, wherein the first tunnel is one of the at least one tunnel used to transmit the first at least one new DNS request and the first tunnel is the same as the second tunnel.

16. The gateway of claim 14, wherein the first DNS response is received through a first tunnel, wherein the first tunnel is one of the at least one tunnel used to transmit the first at least one new DNS request and the first tunnel is not the same as the second tunnel.

17. The gateway of claim 14, wherein the step of determining whether to transfer data is based on the geographical location of the IP address specified in the first DNS response.

18. The gateway of claim 14,

wherein the number of the first at least one new DNS request is at least two;

wherein the first DNS response is selected from a plurality of DNS responses, wherein;

if there is at least one DNS response received through the at least one tunnel, the first DNS response is selected from the at least one DNS response received through the at least one tunnel; and

if there is no DNS response received through any of the at least one tunnel, the first DNS response is selected from the plurality of DNS responses received.

19. The gateway of claim 18, wherein the plurality of DNS responses are received within a predefined time period.

20. The gateway of claim 18, wherein the step of determining whether to transfer data is based on the whether the IP addresses specified in at least two of the plurality of DNS responses are the same.

21. The gateway of claim 14, wherein the decision is stored in the computer readable storage medium of the gateway;

and

wherein the decision is deleted from the computer readable storage medium when a time period specified in a time-to-live (TTL) field of the first DNS response has expired.

22. The gateway of claim 14, wherein the decision is stored in a computer readable storage medium, and the decision contains the IP address specified in the first DNS response;

wherein the IP address in the decision is updated to an IP address specified in a second DNS response;

wherein the second DNS response corresponds to a second at least one new DNS request; and

wherein the second DNS response is received after transmitting the second at least one new DNS request, wherein the second at least one new DNS request is transmitted when a time period specified in a time-to-live (TTL) field of the first DNS response has expired.