Enhanced caching of domain name system (DNS) and reverse DNS queries for traffic management for signaling optimization in a mobile network

1. A method for enhanced domain name system (DNS) caching, the method comprising:

at a mobile device operating in a wireless network:

providing, within the mobile device, a local DNS cache that stores results of DNS lookup queries received from a DNS server for responding to reverse DNS lookup queries issued from applications hosted within the mobile device, wherein each response received from the DNS server is associated with a first time-to-live (TTL) value for that response;

assigning to each query/response pair in the local DNS cache a second TTL value that is larger than that response's first TTL value, wherein the second TTL value is used in place of the first TTL value and the second TTL value is provided by a local DNS harmonizer component within the mobile device that operates to optimize or reduce DNS-related traffic transmitted over the wireless network between the mobile device and the DNS server; and

using mobile device or application status to determine whether to provide a response to a reverse DNS lookup query from the local DNS cache or whether to transmit the reverse DNS lookup query over the wireless network.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first TTL value is provided by the response to the reverse DNS query, by an operating system of the mobile device, or by an application hosted within the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the reverse DNS lookup query is generated as a result of a non-DNS-related network activity and wherein the second TTL value is calculated based on a TTL value of the non-DNS-related network activity.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the non-DNS-related network activity includes at least one of:

a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) transaction;

a hypertext transfer protocol secure (HTTPS) transaction;

a file transfer protocol (FTP) transaction;

a transmission control protocol (TCP) transaction; and

a secure socket later (SSL) transaction.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the second TTL value is calculated based on at least one of:

a traffic type or priority;

an application type or priority; and

a user profile, class, or location.

6. The method of claim 1 , comprising providing, at a network node separate from the mobile device, a remote DNS harmonizer component for:

issuing a reverse DNS lookup query to the DNS server on behalf of the mobile device and receiving a response to the query;

determining, based on the query and response, that a DNS query/response pair cached within the mobile device should invalidated; and

notifying the mobile device that the DNS query/response pair stored within the local DNS cache should be invalidated.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein determining that the DNS query/response pair cached within the mobile device should be invalidated includes determining that the response to the reverse DNS query differs from the previous response to an identical reverse DNS query previously issued.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the remote DNS harmonizer issues reverse DNS lookup queries on behalf of the mobile device based on instructions received from the mobile device.

9. A system for enhanced domain name system (DNS) caching, the system comprising:

a mobile device operating in a wireless network, the mobile device having a processor and including:

a local DNS cache storing results of DNS lookup queries received from a DNS server and for providing responses to reverse DNS lookup queries issued from applications hosted within the mobile device, wherein each response received from the DNS server is associated with a first time-to-live (TTL) value for that response; and

a local DNS harmonizer assigning to each query/response pair in the local DNS cache a second TTL value that is larger than that response's first TTL value, wherein the second TTL value is used in place of the first TTL value,

wherein the second TTL value is provided by the local DNS harmonizer within the mobile device operates to optimize or reduce DNS-related traffic transmitted over the wireless network between the mobile device and the DNS server,

wherein the local DNS harmonizer uses mobile device or application status to determine whether to provide a response to a reverse DNS lookup query from the local DNS cache or whether to transmit the reverse DNS lookup query over the wireless network.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the first TTL value is provided by the response to the reverse DNS query, by an operating system of the mobile device, or by an application hosted within the mobile device.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the reverse DNS lookup query is generated as a result of a non-DNS-related network activity and wherein the second TTL value is calculated based on a TTL value of the non-DNS-related network activity.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the non-DNS-related network activity includes at least one of:

a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) transaction;

a hypertext transfer protocol secure (HTTPS) transaction;

a file transfer protocol (FTP) transaction;

a transmission control protocol (TCP) transaction; and

a secure socket later (SSL) transaction.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the second TTL value is calculated based on at least one of:

a traffic type or priority;

an application type or priority; and

a user profile, class, or location.

14. The system of claim 9 , comprising a remote DNS harmonizer component separate from the mobile device, wherein the remote DNS harmonizer:

issues a reverse DNS lookup query to the DNS server on behalf of the mobile device and receiving a response to the query;

determines, based on the query and response, that a DNS query/response pair cached within the mobile device should invalidated; and

notifies the mobile device that the DNS query/response pair stored within the local DNS cache should be invalidated.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the remote DNS harmonizer determines that the DNS query/response pair cached within the mobile device should be invalidated by determining that the response to the reverse DNS query differs from the previous response to an identical reverse DNS query previously issued.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the remote DNS harmonizer issues reverse DNS lookup queries on behalf of the mobile device based on instructions received from the mobile device.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon executable instructions that when executed by a processor of a mobile device control the computer to perform steps comprising:

providing, within the mobile device, a local DNS cache that stores results of DNS lookup queries received from a DNS server for responding to reverse DNS lookup queries issued from applications hosted within the mobile device, wherein each response received from the DNS server is associated with a first time-to-live (TTL) value for that response; and

assigning to each query/response pair in the local DNS cache a second TTL value that is larger than that response's first TTL value, wherein the second TTL value is used in place of the first TTL value,

and the second TTL value is provided by a local DNS harmonizer component within the mobile device that operates to optimize or reduce DNS-related traffic transmitted over a wireless network between the mobile device and the DNS server; and

using mobile device or application status to determine whether to provide a response to a reverse DNS lookup query from the local DNS cache or whether to transmit the reverse DNS lookup query over the wireless network.