User location dependent DNS lookup
A system and method which may directly resolve a URL into the IP address of a web server running a regional website of a web service provider based on a user's geographic location. A user may type a URL of a website in his browser. A user location analyzer may decide the user's geographic location according to his IP address. With the user's geographic location, a DNS server may resolve the URL to a regional website of a web service provider which provides services specific to the user's geographic location. Consequently, the user may be presented a regional website of a web service provider without delays caused by re-directing, and save the user's time and effort to look for a regional website himself.
1. A method of translating a name of a web server into an IP address, wherein the Web server is one of a plurality of web servers associated with a web service provider and wherein each of the web servers runs a regional or general website of the web service provider, the method comprising:
storing an IP address of a web server together with the geographic region its services are specific to in memory of a domain name system (DNS) server;
receiving a user request for accessing a first web server associated with the web service provider at the DNS server, wherein the user request includes identity information of the web service provider;
obtaining the user's geographic location at the DNS server; and
searching with the identity information of the web service provider and the user's geographic location in the memory of the DNS server to determine an IP address of a web server which is associated with the web service provider and runs a regional website providing services specific to the user's geographic location.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: providing an IP address of a web server running a general website of the web server provider when there is no match for the user's geographic location.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user request is a URL request.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user's geographic location is obtained from the user request.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the user's geographic location is obtained from the user's IP address.
6. An apparatus for translating a name of a web server into an IP address, wherein the web server is one of a plurality of web servers associated with a web service provider and wherein each of the web servers runs a regional or general website of the web service provider, the apparatus comprising:
a memory of a domain name system (DNS) server for storing a plurality of IP addresses, wherein each of the IP addresses is stored together with a geographic region its services are specific to;
a user location analyzer executed at the DNS server for obtaining a user's geographic location; and
a control unit of the DNS server for receiving a user's request for accessing a first web server associated with the web service provider, and searching the memory for an IP address of a web server associated with the web service provider and matching the user's geographic location.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the user request includes identity information of the web service provider.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the control unit searches the memory with the user's geographic location and the identity information of the web service provider.
9. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the control unit provides an IP address of a general website of the web service provider when there is no match for the user's geographic location in the memory.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the user request is a URL request.
11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the user's geographic location is obtained from the user request.
12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the user's geographic location is obtained from the user's IP address.
13. A Non-transitory computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium having instructions which, when performed by a computer, perform a method of translating a name of a web server into an IP address, wherein the web server is one of a plurality of web servers associated with a web service provider and wherein each of the web servers runs a regional or general website of the web service provider, the method comprising:
receiving at a domain name service (DNS) server a user request for accessing a first web server of the web service provider, wherein the user request includes identity information of the web service provider;
obtaining the user's geographic location at the DNS server; and
searching at the DNS server for an IP address with the identity information and the user's geographic location.
14. The computer program product of claim 13 , further comprising:
providing an IP address of a web server running a general website of the web server provider when there is no match for the users geographic location.
15. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the user request is a URL request.
16. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the users geographic location is obtained from the user request.
17. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the users geographic location is obtained from the user request.
18. The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the users geographic location is obtained from the user's IP address.