Apparatus and method for transparent selection of an Internet server based on geographic location of a user
First Claim
1. An apparatus for selecting the optimum location of a network service based on a user'"'"'s geographical location and the configuration of the apparatus by transparently altering Domain Name Service (DNS) messages, the apparatus comprising:
- at least two network interfaces, anda processor that captures data packets through the network interfaces, analyzes captured packets, determines the user'"'"'s geo-location, and modifies the question section, the answer section, or both, of DNS messages according to the user'"'"'s geo-location to direct the user to the optimum server within the network service.
2 Assignments
2 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
This invention is an apparatus and a method that selects the optimum location of a service on the Internet according to the user'"'"'s geo-location and the configuration of the invention by transparently altering the DNS messages. In the preferred embodiment, the invention operates at OSI model'"'"'s data link layer and it is located in front of the DNS server so that it does not require any modification in the existing DNS or IP network setup or on the application servers. It provides a fast and transparent method of locating an Internet service without the overhead of server scripts, HTTP redirects, or extra steps by the user to find the desired location or content.
379 Citations
41 Claims
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1. An apparatus for selecting the optimum location of a network service based on a user'"'"'s geographical location and the configuration of the apparatus by transparently altering Domain Name Service (DNS) messages, the apparatus comprising:
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at least two network interfaces, and a processor that captures data packets through the network interfaces, analyzes captured packets, determines the user'"'"'s geo-location, and modifies the question section, the answer section, or both, of DNS messages according to the user'"'"'s geo-location to direct the user to the optimum server within the network service. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for selecting the optimum location of a network service based on a user'"'"'s geographical location and the configuration of the method by transparently altering DNS messages, the method comprising:
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capturing data packets, analyzing captured packets, determining the user'"'"'s geo-location, and modifying the question section, the answer section, or both, of DNS messages according to the user'"'"'s geo-location to direct the user to the optimum server. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A system for selecting the geographically closest server to a user requesting a service from a network, said system comprising:
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at least two servers at geographically different locations in the network; at least one DNS server; and at least one hardware appliance comprising a database of IP addresses and the respective geographical locations associated with those IP addresses; wherein the hardware appliance; analyzes all DNS requests directed to a particular DNS server, determines the geographically closest server providing the service requested by the user, and provides the user the IP address of the geographically closest server that provides the requested service, wherein the hardware appliance provides the IP address of the closest server by modifying the DNS request from the user and/or modifying the DNS response from the server by modifying the question section of the DNS request, the answer section of the DNS response, or both, p1 and wherein the hardware appliance is located between the particular DNS server and a network backbone. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method of altering the DNS request of a user at a specific geographical location who is requesting a service from a network, said method comprising:
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identifying the geographical location of a server serving the user; and modifying the question section of a DNS request to request an IP address of a server that provides the requested service, and that is located at an optimal geographic location as compared to the user. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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39. A method of modifying a DNS response from a DNS server, said method comprising:
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receiving from a DNS server a response comprising an IP address for a specific server at a specific geo-location; correlating that IP address with a general request from a user for the IP address of a server providing the requested service; and modifying the answer section of a DNS server response to match the general request. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41)
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Specification