Controlling registration floods in VoIP networks via DNS

• US 8,761,040 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2012
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jackson, James E., Qiu, Chaoxin, Yasrebi, Mehrad
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, MINH TRANG T
• Application Number:
  US13/682,131
• Publication Number:
  US 20130077487A1
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/50 Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/286 Time to live
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/765 triggered by the end-points
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1073 Registration or de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1036 Load balancing of requests to servers for services different from user content provisioning, e.g. load balancing across domain name servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

A mechanism controls global synchronization, or registration floods, that may result when a large number of endpoints in a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network such as an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) come online simultaneously after a catastrophic failure. The mechanism allows the Domain Name System (DNS) infrastructure to efficiently control the overload condition by registering user end points with backup border elements, and by staggering and by randomizing the time-to-live (TTL) parameter in registrations with backup border elements.

Claims

1. A method for registering a multimedia endpoint via a border element in a multimedia network, the method comprising:

at a domain name system server in the multimedia network, receiving a domain name system query from the multimedia endpoint, the query containing an identifier of the multimedia end point and requesting an address of the border element for use in registering for a multimedia service;

based on the identifier of the multimedia end point, determining a primary border element associated with the multimedia end point;

determining that a volume of domain name system queries from endpoints associated with the primary border element is above a threshold capacity of the primary border element;

determining a backup border element associated with the multimedia end point;

determining that a volume of domain name system queries from endpoints associated with the backup border element is below a threshold capacity of the backup border element; and

responding to the domain name system query with;

an identification of the backup border element for use by the multimedia endpoint in registering for the multimedia service; and

a randomized time-to-live parameter for use by the multimedia endpoint in reverting to the primary border element.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the time-to-live parameter expires at a random point during a predefined future time period.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the domain name system server utilizes a standard domain name system protocol in receiving and responding to domain name system queries.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the border elements are session border controllers.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the multimedia service is a voice-over Internet protocol service.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the backup border element is a primary border element associated with a second endpoint.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier of the multimedia endpoint is an Internet protocol address.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the address of the border element is a fully qualified domain name.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving at the backup border element a registration request from the multimedia end point; and

transmitting from the backup border element to a network registrar a registration request on behalf of the multimedia endpoint.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at the domain name system server in the multimedia network, after responding to the domain system query, receiving additional domain name system queries from a plurality of multimedia endpoints, the queries being received at points in time that are randomized over a predefined time period.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer readable instructions for registering a multimedia endpoint via a border element in a multimedia network, wherein execution of the computer readable instructions by a processor causes the processor to perform operations comprising:

at a domain name system server in the multimedia network, receiving a domain name system query from the multimedia endpoint, the query containing an identifier of the multimedia end point and requesting an address of the border element for use in registering for a multimedia service;

based on the identifier of the multimedia end point, determining a primary border element associated with the multimedia end point;

determining that a volume of domain name system queries from endpoints associated with the primary border element is above a threshold capacity of the primary border element;

determining a backup border element associated with the multimedia end point;

determining that a volume of domain name system queries from endpoints associated with the backup border element is below a threshold capacity of the backup border element; and

responding to the domain name system query with;

an identification of the backup border element for use by the multimedia endpoint in registering for the multimedia service; and

a randomized time-to-live parameter for use by the multimedia endpoint in reverting to the primary border element.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the time-to-live parameter expires at a random point during a predefined future time period.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the domain name system server utilizes a standard domain name system protocol in receiving and responding to domain name system queries.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the border elements are session border controllers.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the multimedia service is a voice-over Internet protocol service.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the backup border element is a primary border element associated with a second endpoint.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the identifier of the multimedia endpoint is an Internet protocol address.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the address of the border element is a fully qualified domain name.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise:

at the domain name system server in the multimedia network, after responding to the domain system query, receiving additional domain name system queries from a plurality of multimedia endpoints, the queries being received at points in time that are randomized over a predefined time period.

20. A system comprising a processor and a tangible computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer readable instructions for registering a multimedia endpoint via a border element in a multimedia network, wherein execution of the computer readable instructions by the processor causes the system to perform operations comprising:

at a domain name system server in the multimedia network, receiving a domain name system query from the multimedia endpoint, the query containing an identifier of the multimedia end point and requesting an address of the border element for use in registering for a multimedia service;

based on the identifier of the multimedia end point, determining a primary border element associated with the multimedia end point;

determining that a volume of domain name system queries from endpoints associated with the primary border element is above a threshold capacity of the primary border element;

determining a backup border element associated with the multimedia end point;

determining that a volume of domain name system queries from endpoints associated with the backup border element is below a threshold capacity of the backup border element; and

responding to the domain name system query with;

an identification of the backup border element for use by the multimedia endpoint in registering for the multimedia service; and

a randomized time-to-live parameter for use by the multimedia endpoint in reverting to the primary border element.