Domain name service resolver
View Patent ↗A domain name service (DNS) resolver returns Internet protocol (IP) addresses. A connection with an Internet application or device receives domain name resolution requests that originate outside of the Internet. A direct DNS resolver identifies IP addresses without referring to the Internet or using other DNS resolvers. An address store includes a predetermined list of domain names and corresponding IP addresses specified from a point remote to the DNS resolver. The DNS resolver processes the domain name resolutions for the predetermined list of domain names differently than domain name resolutions for other domain names not on the predetermined list of domain names. At least part of the predetermined list is pushed to a destination upon receiving a resolution request for a domain name in the predetermined list of domain names, the request being of a type other than an authoritative resolution request to be performed by the direct DNS resolver.
1. A point of presence (POP), in a content delivery network (CDN), for returning Internet protocol (IP) addresses to resolve domain name service (DNS) requests, the POP comprising:
a content store, the content store having content from one or more content providers for distribution over the Internet to end-users;
a hybrid DNS resolver wherein:
the hybrid DNS resolver acts in an authoritative mode for DNS requests for content in the content store;
the hybrid DNS resolver acting in the authoritative mode determines a first IP address in response to a first DNS request, without the hybrid DNS resolver receiving the first IP address from another DNS resolver after the hybrid DNS resolver received the first DNS request;
the hybrid DNS resolver acts in a recursive mode for DNS requests for content not in the CDN; and
the hybrid DNS resolver acting in the recursive mode receives a second DNS request and refers the second DNS request to another DNS system to return a second IP address; and
a connection with an end-user device, wherein:
the end-user device comprises:
a device DNS resolver, wherein the device DNS resolver is configured to assist in resolving IP addresses for DNS requests from the end-user device; and
an Internet application; and
the hybrid DNS resolver receives DNS requests from the Internet application for resolving IP addresses without going through the device DNS resolver.
2. The POP for returning IP addresses to resolve DNS requests as recited in claim 1 , wherein the Internet application encrypts DNS requests to the hybrid DNS resolver.
3. The POP for returning IP addresses to resolve DNS requests as recited in claim 1 , wherein the Internet application queries a first DNS address store for an IP address of the hybrid DNS resolver.
4. The POP for returning IP addresses to resolve DNS requests as recited in claim 3 , wherein:
the device DNS revolver queries a second DNS address store for a DNS server for DNS requests by the device DNS resolver;
the first DNS address store comprises a first plurality of IP addresses;
the first plurality of IP addresses identify a first plurality of DNS resolvers;
the second DNS address store comprises a second plurality of IP addresses;
the second plurality of IP addresses identify a second plurality of DNS resolvers; and
the first plurality of IP addresses is not the same as the second plurality of IP addresses.
5. The POP for returning IP addresses to resolve DNS requests as recited in claim 3 , wherein:
the end-user device comprises the first DNS address store;
the first DNS address store comprises the IP address of the hybrid DNS resolver; and
the IP address of the hybrid DNS resolver was stored in the first DNS address store before the end-user device was acquired by an end user.
6. The POP for returning IP addresses to resolve DNS requests as recited in claim 3 , wherein:
the end-user device comprises the first DNS address store;
the first DNS address store comprises the IP address of the hybrid DNS resolver; and
the first DNS address store is populated with the IP address of the hybrid DNS resolver in a setup process of the end-user device.
7. The POP for returning IP addresses to resolve DNS requests as recited in claim 3 , wherein:
the end-user device comprises the first DNS address store;
the first DNS address store comprises the IP address of the hybrid DNS resolver; and
the IP address of the hybrid DNS resolver was stored in the first DNS address store during a firmware update of the end-user device.
8. The POP for returning IP addresses to resolve DNS requests as recited in claim 3 , wherein:
the end-user device comprises the first DNS address store;
the first DNS address store comprises the IP address of the hybrid DNS resolver; and
the IP address of the hybrid DNS resolver was stored in the first DNS address store by the Internet application.
9. The POP for returning IP addresses to resolve DNS requests as recited in claim 1 , wherein the connection with the end-user device is through the Internet.
10. A method for returning Internet protocol (IP) addresses to resolve domain name service (DNS) requests using a hybrid DNS resolver, the method comprising:
receiving a first DNS request, wherein:
the first DNS request is received at a first point of presence (POP);
the first POP is part of a plurality of POPs in a content delivery network (CDN);
the first DNS request is received from an end-user device;
the end-user device comprises:
a device DNS resolver wherein the device DNS resolver is configured to assist in resolving IP addresses for DNS requests from the end-user device; and
an Internet application;
the first DNS request is received from the Internet application of the end-user device and not through the device DNS resolver;
responding, by the hybrid DNS resolver acting in an authoritative mode, to the first DNS request with a first IP address, wherein:
the first POP determines the first IP address without receiving the first IP address from another DNS resolver after the first POP received the first DNS request; and
the first IP address references a server in the CDN;
receiving a second DNS request, wherein:
the second DNS request is received at the first POP;
the second DNS request is received from the end-user device;
the second DNS request is received from the Internet application of the end-user device and not through the device DNS resolver; and
transferring, by the hybrid DNS resolver, the second DNS request to another DNS resolver, whereby the hybrid DNS resolver acts in a recursive mode.
11. The method for returning IP addresses to resolve DNS requests as recited in claim 10 , wherein the first DNS request is encrypted by the Internet application.
12. The method for returning IP addresses to resolve DNS requests as recited in claim 10 , wherein the server in the CDN referenced by the first IP address is in a second POP of the plurality of POPs in the CDN.
13. The method for returning IP addresses to resolve DNS requests as recited in claim 12 , wherein:
the first POP determines an actual or approximate location of the end-user device; and
the first POP determines the first IP address based on the second POP being closer to the end-user device than another POP of the plurality of POPs.
14. The method for returning IP addresses to resolve DNS requests as recited in claim 10 , wherein the first DNS request is routed to the first POP from the Internet application by the Internet application using an IP address that is an anycast IP address.
15. The method for returning IP addresses to resolve DNS requests as recited in claim 10 , wherein:
the end-user device receives Internet access through an access network;
the access network has a recursing DNS resolver; and
the first POP receives the first DNS request from the Internet application without going through the recursing DNS resolver.
16. A computer-memory device having instructions that when executed perform the following steps for returning Internet protocol (IP) addresses to resolve domain name service (DNS) requests using a hybrid DNS resolver:
receive a first DNS request, wherein:
the first DNS request is received at a first point of presence (POP);
the first POP is part of a plurality of POPs in a content delivery network (CDN);
the first DNS request is received from an end-user device;
the end-user device comprises:
a device DNS resolver wherein the device DNS resolver is configured to assist in resolving IP addresses for DNS requests from the end-user device; and
an Internet application;
the first DNS request is received from the Internet application of the end-user device and not through the device DNS resolver; and
respond, by the hybrid DNS resolver acting in an authoritative mode, to the first DNS request with a first IP address, wherein:
the first POP determines the first IP address without receiving the first IP address from another DNS resolver after the first POP received the first DNS request; and
the first IP address references a server in the CDN;
receive a second DNS request, wherein:
the second DNS request is received at the first POP;
the second DNS request is received from the end-user device;
the second DNS request is received from the Internet application of the end-user device and not through the device DNS resolver; and
transfer, by the hybrid DNS resolver, the second DNS request to another DNS resolver, whereby the hybrid DNS resolver acts in a recursive mode.
17. The computer-memory device having instructions for returning IP addresses to resolve DNS requests as recited in claim 16 , wherein the first DNS request is encrypted by the Internet application.
18. The computer-memory device having instructions for returning IP addresses to resolve DNS requests as recited in claim 16 , wherein the Internet application uses a non-standard Internet port to make the first DNS request to the first POP.
19. The computer-memory device having instructions for returning IP addresses to resolve DNS requests as recited in claim 16 , wherein:
the Internet application references a data store for an IP address of the first POP to make the first DNS request; and
the IP address of the first POP is populated in the data store before the end-user device was acquired by an end-user.