Name resolution server and packet transfer device

• US 20040215707A1
• Filed: 02/25/2004
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Iwata, Atsushi, Ishikawa, Yuichi, Fujita, Norihito
• Granted Patent: US 7,840,699 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/201
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

The DNS server according to the present invention includes a user information identification unit which identifies an attribute of a user who has transmitted a DNS query message through a user information obtaining unit and handing over an identification result to a response generation unit, a user information obtaining unit for referring to a user information database to obtain user attribute information of a user who has transmitted a DNS query message, and a response generation unit for searching a response database for a name resolution method relevant to user attribute information handed over from the user information identification unit to conduct name resolution according to the found name resolution method, thereby enabling name resolution to be minutely customized for each attribute of a user.

Claims

1. A name resolution server which conducts name resolution with respect to a received name resolution request message and returning a result of said name resolution by a name resolution response message, which obtains,

based on information contained in said name resolution request message, attribute information regarding a user as a sender which is not contained in the name resolution request message to conduct said name resolution based on the attribute information.

29. The name resolution server as set forth in claim 1, wherein

said name resolution response message contains a packet transfer method at a packet transfer device.

2. A name resolution server which conducts name resolution with respect to a received name resolution request message and returning a result of said name resolution by a name resolution response message, comprising:

a user information obtaining unit which obtains, as attribute information regarding a user as a sender of said received name resolution request message, said attribute information other than information contained in said name resolution request message, and a response generation unit which conducts said name resolution by using said attribute information obtained by said user information obtaining unit to generate a name resolution response message.

3. The name resolution server as set forth in claim 2, wherein

said attribute information obtained by said user information obtaining unit are of two or more kinds.

4. The name resolution server as set forth in claim 2, wherein

said attribute information obtained by said user information obtaining unit includes

at least arbitrary one of a user ID, user location information, information regarding a terminal used and information regarding a network including a kind of connection line, a connection line speed and an IP address of a connected NAS.

5. The name resolution server as set forth in claim 2, further comprising

as an internal element, a user information database in which said attribute information is stored, wherein

said user information obtaining unit obtains said attribute information from said user information database.

6. The name resolution server as set forth in claim 2, wherein

said user information obtaining unit obtains said attribute information from an external database server having a user information database in which said attribute information is stored.

7. The name resolution server as set forth in claim 6, wherein

said user information obtaining unit uses a name resolution request message in obtaining said attribute information from said external database server.

8. The name resolution server as set forth in claim 6, wherein

said external database server is other name resolution server externally disposed.

9. The name resolution server as set forth in claim 2, wherein

said response generation unit transmits a name resolution request message containing said attribute information obtained by said user information obtaining unit to other name resolution server to execute processing of making said name resolution be conducted at said other name resolution server.

10. The name resolution server as set forth in claim 5, further comprising:

an authentication information obtaining unit which obtains, from an authentication server which authenticates a user in response to an authentication request from said user, said attribute information obtained when said authentication server conducts authentication processing of said user, and

a user information updating unit which updates the contents of said user information database based on said attribute information obtained.

11. The name resolution server as set forth in claim 10, wherein

said authentication information obtaining unit detects a change of log-in statuses of a user and when the user logs in, the user information updating unit registers information indicative of the log-in statuses and said attribute information at said user information database and when the user logs out, deletes said information indicative of the log-in statuses and said attribute information from said user information database.

12. The name resolution server as set forth in claim 10, wherein

said authentication information obtaining unit obtains said attribute information by using a Proxy function in a RADIUS protocol.

13. The name resolution server as set forth in claim 10, wherein

said authentication information obtaining unit obtains said attribute information by using a Relay function in a RADIUS protocol.

14. The name resolution server as set forth in claim 10, wherein

said authentication information obtaining unit obtains said attribute information by using an NFS protocol.

15. The name resolution server as set forth in claim 10, wherein

said authentication information obtaining unit obtains said attribute information by using an SNMP protocol.

16. The name resolution server as set forth in claim 10, wherein

said user information updating unit uses a DNS Dynamic Update function for updating the contents of said user information database.

17. A packet transfer device which transfers a received packet to other node, wherein

control of a packet transfer method as a method of transferring said received packet to said other node is conducted based on information contained in a name resolution response message transmitted from a name resolution server to a client.

19. The packet transfer device as set forth in claim 17, wherein

said packet transfer method includes at least one of packet transfer priority, a logical network ID, a logical channel ID, and header rewriting, addition and deletion methods.

18. A packet transfer device which transfers a received packet to other node, comprising

a DNS proxy unit which once receives a name resolution response message transmitted from a name resolution server to a client and rewrites the contents of a routing table in which a packet transfer method as a method of transferring said received packet to said other node is held based on information contained in said name resolution response message.

20. The packet transfer device as set forth in claim 18, wherein

in response to said name resolution response message once received, said DNS proxy unit deletes information regarding said packet transfer method among information contained in said name resolution response message to transmit said name resolution response message obtained to said client.

22. The packet transfer device as set forth in claim 18, further comprising

a user information obtaining unit which obtains attribute information regarding a sender of a name resolution request message transmitted from said client to said name resolution server, wherein

said DNS proxy unit once receives said name resolution request message, obtains attribute information regarding the sender of said name resolution request message through said user information obtaining unit and transmits said name resolution request message with said attribute information added to said name resolution server.

21. A packet transfer device which transfers a received packet to other node, comprising:

a user information obtaining unit which obtains attribute information regarding a user as a sender of a name resolution request message transmitted from a client to a name resolution server, and

a DNS proxy unit which once receives said name resolution request message, obtains attribute information regarding the user of said name resolution request message through said user information obtaining unit and adding said attribute information to said name resolution request message to transmit said name resolution request message obtained to said name resolution server.

23. The packet transfer device as set forth in claim 21, further comprising,

as an internal element, a user information database in which said attribute information is stored, wherein

said user information obtaining unit obtains-said attribute information from said user information database.

24. The packet transfer device as set forth in claim 21, wherein

said user information obtaining unit obtains said attribute information from an external database server having a user information database in which said attribute information is stored.

25. The packet transfer device as set forth in claim 24, wherein

said user information obtaining unit uses a name resolution request message in obtaining said attribute information from said external database server.

26. The packet transfer device as set forth in claim 21, wherein

said external database server is a name resolution server externally disposed.

27. The packet transfer device as set forth in claim 23, further comprising:

a user authentication unit which identifies and authenticates a user at a client connected to its own node, and

a user information updating unit which updates the contents of said user information database based on attribute information regarding said user obtained at the time of authentication.

28. A name resolution server which conducts name resolution with respect to a received name resolution request message and returns a result of said name resolution by a name resolution response message, wherein

said name resolution response message contains a packet transfer method at a packet transfer device.

30. A name resolution program operable on a name resolution server which executes processing of conducting name resolution with respect to a received name resolution request message and returning a result of said name resolution by a name resolution response message, comprising

a function of obtaining, based on information contained in said name resolution request message, attribute information regarding a user as a sender which is not contained in the name resolution request message to conduct said name resolution based on the attribute information.

31. A name resolution program operable on a name resolution server which executes processing of conducting name resolution with respect to a received name resolution request message and returning a result of said name resolution by a name resolution response message, comprising:

a user information obtaining function of obtaining, as attribute information regarding a user as a sender of said received name resolution request message, said attribute information other than information contained in said name resolution request message, and

a response generation function of conducting said name resolution by using said attribute information obtained by said user information obtaining function to generate a name resolution response message.

32. The name resolution program as set forth in claim 31, wherein

said attribute information obtained by said user information obtaining function are of two or more kinds.

33. The name resolution program as set forth in claim 31, wherein

said attribute information obtained by said user information obtaining function includes

at least arbitrary one of a user ID, user location information, information regarding a terminal used and information regarding a network including a kind of connection line, a connection line speed and an IP address of a connected NAS.

34. The name resolution program as set forth in claim 31, further comprising,

as an internal element, a user information database in which said attribute information is stored, wherein

said user information obtaining function obtains said attribute information from said user information database.

35. The name resolution program as set forth in claim 31, wherein

said user information obtaining function obtains said attribute information from an external database server having a user information database in which said attribute information is stored.

36. The name resolution program as set forth in claim 35, wherein

said user information obtaining function uses a name resolution request message in obtaining said attribute information from said external database server.

37. The name resolution program as set forth in claim 35, wherein

said external database server is other name resolution server externally disposed.

38. The name resolution program as set forth in claim 31, wherein

said response generation function transmits a name resolution request message containing said attribute information obtained by said user information obtaining function to other name resolution server to execute processing of making said name resolution be conducted at said other name resolution server.

39. The name resolution program as set forth in claim 34, further comprising:

an authentication information obtaining function of obtaining, from an authentication server which authenticates a user in response to an authentication request from said user, said attribute information obtained when said authentication server conducts authentication processing of said user, and

a user information updating function of updating the contents of said user information database based on said attribute information obtained.

40. The name resolution program as set forth in claim 39, wherein

said authentication information obtaining function detects a change of log-in statuses of a user and when the user logs in, the user information updating function registers information indicative of the log-in statuses and said attribute information at said user information database and when the user logs out, deletes said information indicative of the log-in statuses and said attribute information from said user information database.

41. The name resolution program as set forth in claim 39, wherein

said authentication information obtaining function obtains said attribute information by using a Proxy function in a RADIUS protocol.

42. The name resolution program as set forth in claim 39, wherein

said authentication information obtaining function obtains said attribute information by using a Relay function in a RADIUS protocol.

43. The name resolution program as set forth in claim 39, wherein

said authentication information obtaining function obtains said attribute information by using an NFS protocol.

44. The name resolution program as set forth in claim 39, wherein

said authentication information obtaining function obtains said attribute information by using an SNMP protocol.

45. The name resolution program as set forth in claim 39, wherein

said user information updating function uses a DNS Dynamic Update function for updating the contents of said user information database.

46. A packet transfer program operable on a packet transfer device which conducts processing of transferring a received packet to other node, comprising

a function of conducting control of a packet transfer method as a method of transferring said received packet to said other node based on information contained in a name resolution response message transmitted from a name resolution server to a client.

48. The packet transfer program as set forth in claim 46, wherein

said packet transfer method includes at least one of packet transfer priority, a logical network ID, a logical channel ID, and header rewriting, addition and deletion methods.

47. A packet transfer program operable on a packet transfer device which conducts processing of transferring a received packet to other node, comprising

a DNS proxy function of once receiving a name resolution response message transmitted from a name resolution server to a client and rewriting the contents of a routing table in which a packet transfer method as a method of transferring said received packet to said other node is held based on information contained in said name resolution response message.

49. The packet transfer program as set forth in claim 47, wherein

in response to said name resolution response message once received, said DNS proxy function deletes information regarding said packet transfer method among information contained in said name resolution response message to transmit said name resolution response message obtained to said client.

50. A packet transfer program operable on a packet transfer device which conducts processing of transferring a received packet to other node, comprising:

a user information obtaining function of obtaining attribute information regarding a user as a sender of a name resolution request message transmitted from a client to a name resolution server, wherein

a DNS proxy function is executed of once receiving said name resolution request message, obtaining attribute information regarding the user of said name resolution request message through said user information obtaining function and adding said attribute information to said name resolution request message to transmit said name resolution request message obtained to said name resolution server.

51. A name resolution method by a name resolution server which executes processing of conducting name resolution with respect to a received name resolution request message and returning a result of said name resolution by a name resolution response message, comprising

the step of obtaining, based on information contained in said name resolution request message, attribute information regarding a user as a sender which is not contained in the name resolution request message to conduct said name resolution based on the attribute information.

52. A name resolution method by a name resolution server which executes processing of conducting name resolution with respect to a received name resolution request message and returning a result of said name resolution by a name resolution response message, comprising the steps of:

obtaining, as attribute information regarding a user as a sender of said received name resolution request message, said attribute information other than information contained in said name resolution request message, and

conducting said name resolution by using said attribute information obtained to generate a name resolution response message.

53. A packet transfer method which conducts processing of transferring a received packet to other node, comprising

the step of conducting control of the packet transfer method as a method of transferring said received packet to said other node based on information contained in a name resolution response message transmitted from a name resolution server to a client.

54. A packet transfer method which conducts processing of transferring a received packet to other node, comprising

the step of once receiving a name resolution response message transmitted from a name resolution server to a client and rewriting the contents of a routing table in which the packet transfer method as a method of transferring said received packet to said other node is held based on information contained in said name resolution response message.

55. A packet transfer method which conducts processing of transferring a received packet to other node, comprising the steps of:

obtaining attribute information regarding a user as a sender of a name resolution request message transmitted from a client to a name resolution server, and

once receiving said name resolution request message, obtaining attribute information regarding the user of said name resolution request message by said user information obtaining function and adding said attribute information to said name resolution request message to transmit said name resolution request message obtained to said name resolution server.