Domain name cache control system generating series of varying nonce-bearing domain names based on a function of time

• US 7,958,261 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2008
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Elson, Jeremy Eric, Douceur, John R., Howell, Jonathan Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): LUU, LE HIEN
• Application Number:
  US12/031,105
• Publication Number:
  US 20090210526A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,209 Days
• Field of Search: 709/245, 709/246, 709/223, 709/214, 709/242, 709/238, 709/244, 709/224, 370/310, 726/3, 455/435.1, 713/185, 713/168
• US Class Current: 709/242
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/30 Types of network names
• 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 61/58 Caching of addresses or names
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

Domain name caching is controlled by adding a nonce to a domain name to force propagation of lookup to an authoritative server or service. Desired caching behavior is dictated by controlling when a new and unique nonce-bearing name is created. For example, caching can be completely eliminated by generating a new nonce-bearing name for every request. While a nonce can simply correspond to a random or pseudo random value, it can also be time based. Furthermore, nonces can be phase or time shifted to limit authoritative server load as well as improve response time.

Claims

1. A system to control caching duration of mappings between domain names to Internet protocol (IP) addresses, comprising:

a memory having computer executable components stored thereon; and

a processor, operatively coupled to the memory, the processor configured to execute the computer executable components, the computer executable components comprising;

a generation component configured to generate a series of nonces; and

a constructor component configured to individually append the series of nonces to a domain name to form a varying nonce-bearing name, wherein the varying nonce-bearing name varies as a function of time and is configured to force propagation of IP address lookup to an authoritative server.

2. The system of claim 1, the constructor component coupled to a server, wherein the server is configured to facilitate generating the varying nonce-bearing name.

3. The system of claim 2, the server configured to replace a domain name of a uniform resource locator (URL) with the varying nonce-bearing name.

4. The system of claim 2, the server configured to redirect requests to another server, the another server configured to replace a domain name with the varying nonce-bearing name.

5. The system of claim 1, the constructor component coupled to a client device, wherein the client device is configured to facilitate generating the varying nonce-bearing name.

6. The system of claim 5, the constructor component configured to generate the varying nonce-bearing name on the client device from web browser active code.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the series of nonces comprises at least one of a number or a string, the number being either random or pseudo-random.

8. The system of claim 1, the generation component configured to generate at least one of the series of nonces as a function of time.

9. The system of claim 8, the generation component configured to generate the at least one of the series of nonces based on a time-to-live (TTL) property that identifies an expiration period imposed to communicate an intent.

10. The system of claim 9, the time shift is a function of one of a random number, a client identity, or client locality.

11. The system of claim 8, the generation component configured to time shift the at least one of the series of nonces to reduce a load on an authoritative server.

12. A method of controlling caching of domain name records, comprising:

employing a processor to execute computer executable instructions stored on a computer readable storage medium to implement the following acts;

generating a series of unique identifiers; and

modifying a varying domain name based on the series of unique identifiers and as a function of time, the varying domain name sequentially including a different one of the series of unique identifiers to control caching of an Internet protocol (IP) address.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising varying the different one of the series of unique identifiers once for each client session.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising varying the different one of the series of unique identifiers as a function of time.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising generating a phase shifted identifier.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising transmitting a domain name to a server for IP address resolution.

17. A computer-readable storage medium comprising:

computer-readable instructions, the computer-readable instructions including instructions for causing at least one processor to perform the following acts;

generating a series of varying nonce-bearing domain names, wherein the series of varying nonce-bearing domain names vary as a function of time; and

provisioning the series of varying nonce-bearing domain names to a client device in response to a request.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, further comprising rewriting a uniform resource locator (URL) with a corresponding nonce-bearing domain name referenced in a requested web page.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, further comprising redirecting a request to a dedicated server to facilitate the generating and the provisioning.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, the redirecting a request comprising rewriting a uniform resource locator in a requested web page to reference the dedicated server.