Routing of IP traffic directed at domain names using DNS redirection

• US 9,059,884 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2011
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Openwave Mobility Inc. (Enea AB)
• Original Assignee: Openwave Mobility Inc. (Enea AB)
• Inventors: Robinson, Gary, Sullivan, Kieran
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Harris, Christopher C
• Application Number:
  US13/010,757
• Publication Number:
  US 20120191874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,608 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/355 containing special suffixes
• 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

Abstract

A domain name system (DNS) server is disclosed. The DNS server includes: a receiver to receive a DNS query comprising a domain name from a client device, wherein the domain name corresponds to a host server; a modifier to append a domain to an end of the domain name to create a modified domain name; and a mapping engine to compare the modified domain name to a local cache, wherein the local cache comprises a list of domain names, at least some of which are to be routed to an Internet Protocol (IP) address corresponding to an intermediate server.

Claims

1. A domain name system (DNS) server, comprising:

at least one hardware processor;

a receiver to receive a DNS query comprising a domain name from a client device, wherein the domain name corresponds to a host server;

a memory comprising computer readable instructions, executable by the at least one hardware processor in the DNS server, the computer readable instructions comprising;

a modifier to append an appended domain to an end of the domain name of the DNS query to create a modified domain name;

a mapping engine to search for a matching domain name to the modified domain name in a zone file corresponding to the appended domain, wherein the zone file is stored in a local cache on a memory device, wherein the zone file comprises a list of domain names, at least some of which are to be routed to an Internet Protocol (IP) address corresponding to an intermediate server, wherein the at least one hardware processor and memory are configured to return the IP address of the intermediate server to the client device in response to the mapping engine finding in the zone file a matching domain name, to the modified domain name, that is to be routed to the IP address corresponding to the intermediate server; and

a forwarding engine to remove the appended domain from the modified domain name in response to the mapping engine not finding a match for the modified domain name and forwarding the domain name to a forwarding server if the DNS server is not authoritative for the domain name to obtain a destination IP address for the host server for sending to the client device.

2. The DNS server of claim 1, wherein the mapping engine is further configured to store the domain name and the destination IP address in the local cache after obtaining the destination IP address for the domain name from the forwarding DNS server.

3. The DNS server of claim 1, wherein the mapping engine is further configured to remove the domain from the modified domain name for a response to the client device, wherein the response corresponds to a successful search for the modified domain name in the list of domain names.

4. The DNS server of claim 1, wherein the DNS server is configured to perform a second search after removing the appended domain from the modified domain name to determine if the DNS server is authoritative for the domain name.

5. A method for routing Internet traffic, the method comprising:

at a domain name system (DNS) server;

receiving a DNS query comprising a domain name from a client device, wherein the domain name corresponds to a host server;

appending an appended domain at an end of the domain name of the DNS query to create a modified domain name;

comparing the modified domain name to a list of domain names in a zone file corresponding to the appended domain, wherein the zone file is stored in a local cache and at least some of the domain names in the list are to be routed to an Internet Protocol (IP) address corresponding to an intermediate server;

returning the IP address of the intermediate server to the client device in response to finding a match for the modified domain name when the match corresponds to a domain name in the list to be routed to the intermediate server;

removing the appended domain name from the modified domain name in response to not finding a match for the modified domain name in the list; and

forwarding the domain name to a forwarding DNS server, after the appended domain has been removed from the modified domain name, if the DNS server is not authoritative for the domain name, to obtain a destination IP address for the host server.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising storing the domain name and destination IP address for the domain name in the local cache after obtaining the destination IP address for the domain name from the forwarding DNS server.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising removing the domain from the modified domain name for a response to the client device, wherein the response corresponds to a successful search for the modified domain name in the list of domain names.

8. The method of claim 5 further comprising performing a second search after removing the appended domain from the modified domain name to determine if the DNS server is authoritative for the domain name.

9. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium to store a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program, when executed by a processor within a computer, causes the computer to perform operations for routing Internet Protocol (IP) traffic through an intermediate server, the operations comprising;

at a domain name system (DNS) server;

receiving a DNS query comprising a domain name from a client device, wherein the domain name corresponds to a host server;

appending an appended domain at an end of the domain name of the DNS query to create a modified domain name; and

comparing the modified domain name to a list of domain names in a zone file corresponding to the appended domain, wherein the zone file is stored in a local cache and at least some of the domain names in the list are to be routed to an Internet Protocol (IP) address corresponding to the intermediate server;

returning the IP address of the intermediate server to the client device in response to finding a match for the modified domain name when the match corresponds to a domain name in the list to be routed to the intermediate server;

removing the appended domain name from the modified domain name in response to not finding a match for the modified domain name in the list; and

forwarding the domain name to a forwarding DNS server, after the appended domain has been removed from the modified domain name if the DNS server is not authoritative for the domain name, to obtain a destination IP address for the host server.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the computer program product, when executed on the computer, causes the computer to perform additional operations, comprising:

storing the domain name and destination IP address for the domain name in the local cache after obtaining the destination IP address for the domain name from the forwarding DNS server.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the computer program product, when executed on the computer, causes the computer to perform additional operations, comprising:

removing the domain from the modified domain name for a response to the client device, wherein the response corresponds to a successful search for the modified domain name in the list of domain names.

12. The computer program product of claim 9 wherein the computer program product, when executed on the computer, causes the computer to perform additional operations, comprising:

performing a second search after removing the appended domain from the modified domain name to determine if the DNS server is authoritative for the domain name.