Global traffic management using modified hostname

• US 8,732,268 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2011
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Huang, Cheng, Batanov, Ivan Ivanov, Li, Jin
• Primary Examiner(s): Hussain, Tauqir
• Application Number:
  US13/090,022
• Publication Number:
  US 20120271909A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/35 containing special prefixes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/69 using geographic information, e.g. room number
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/12 Avoiding congestion; Recovering from congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/301 Name conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers

Abstract

A particular method includes receiving a request from a client at a server and sending a global traffic management identifier in response to the request from the client. The global traffic management identifier is determined based on an attribute of the client. In response to the client requesting access to a service based on a modified hostname of the service, a data center associated with the service is identified based on the modified hostname of the service. The modified hostname identifies the global traffic management identifier, and the identified data center is useable by the client to access the service.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a request from a client at a global traffic management server, the request including a hostname;

sending, to the client, a global traffic management identifier in response to the request from the client, wherein the global traffic management identifier is determined based on an address of the client, wherein the global traffic management identifier includes an alphanumeric string that is usable by the client to be combined with the hostname to form a modified hostname, and wherein the modified hostname is generated at the client before the client submits the modified hostname to a domain name system interface for resolution; and

in response to the client requesting access to a service based on the modified hostname, identifying a data center associated with the service based on the modified hostname.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second request from a domain name system server, wherein the second request includes the modified hostname; and

sending data identifying the data center to the domain name system server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified data center is one of a plurality of available data centers that support the service and wherein the global traffic management identifier is assigned to a plurality of clients.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of data centers is associated with a different geographic location.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising requesting the global traffic management identifier from a second global traffic management server.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second global traffic management server is operated by an interne service provider that issues global traffic management identifiers for a plurality of Internet services.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the second global traffic management server is operated by a corporation that provides geo-location services.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the global traffic management identifier is determined based on an Internet Protocol address of the client or based on an Internet service provider of the client.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the global traffic management identifier is determined based on a latitude and longitude of the client.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the global traffic management identifier expires after a predetermined time period has elapsed.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the server is configured to perform load balancing by issuing particular global traffic management identifiers to particular groups of clients.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the service comprises an Internet search service, a cloud computing service, a web service, or any combination thereof and wherein the global traffic management identifier is determined further based on the service.

13. A computer-readable storage device comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

send a first request from a client to a global traffic management server, the first request including a hostnames;

receive, from the global traffic management server at the client, a global traffic management identifier that is based on a network address of the client, wherein the global traffic management identifier includes an alphanumeric string, and wherein the alphanumeric string is combinable with the hostname to form a modified hostname;

generate, by the client, the modified hostname by combining the hostname with the global traffic management identifier, wherein the modified hostname is generated before the modified hostname is submitted to be resolved at a domain name system interface; and

access a service based on the modified hostname.

14. The computer-readable storage device of claim 13, wherein the global traffic management identifier is further based on the service.

15. The computer-readable storage device of claim 13, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to:

send a second request to access the service to a domain name system server; and

receive data identifying a data center from the domain name system server, wherein the data center is identified based on the modified hostname.

16. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to access the service via the identified data center.

17. The computer-readable storage device of claim 13, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to:

cache the global traffic management identifier; and

use the global traffic management identifier during at least one subsequent access of the service.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 13, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to:

receive a script from the global traffic management server; and

execute the script to generate the modified hostname.

19. A system, comprising:

a web interface;

a domain name system (DNS) interface;

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to;

receive a request from a client via the web interface, the request including a hostname;

send a global traffic management identifier to the client via the web interface in response to the request from the client, wherein the global traffic management identifier is determined based on a service identified by the request and based on a network address of the client, wherein the global traffic management identifier includes an alphanumeric string that is usable by the client to be combined with the hostname to form a modified hostname, wherein the modified hostname is generated at the client before the client submits the modified hostname to the DNS interface for resolution;

receive a second request via the DNS interface from a DNS server, wherein the second request includes the modified hostname, the modified hostname originated from the client, and wherein the DNS server identifies information related to the service based on the global traffic management identifier;

identify a data center associated with the service based on the modified hostname; and

send data identifying the data center to the DNS server.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor and the memory are integrated into an authoritative name server.