US6205489B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for providing an internet protocol address with a domain name server
Assignee: RPX Corp
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Filing: 1999-01-05
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Granted: 2001-03-20
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Expires: 2019-01-05
Abstract
Abstract A method for providing Internet protocol (IP) addresses with a domain name server (DNS) for multiple web servers of an Internet host. In one embodiment, each web server of an Internet host having multiple web servers is assigned a relative weight based on the individual processing power of the particular web server. As DNS resolution requests are received from client domains, the DNS returns IP addresses for the web servers such that the total number of times that each IP address of the web server is returned is proportional to the relative weight of each server relative to the total weight of all the servers. In another embodiment, the client domains that have most frequently accessed the web servers according to recent web server access logs are identified. In addition, the total number of accesses of each client domain is considered such that static arrays may be constructed to apportion the web servers among the client domains that most frequently access the web servers. As such, each of the client domains that most frequently access the web servers are assigned to a particular web server such that the percentage of requests served by each particular web server is proportional to the relative weight of that web server. In doing so, the probability of a load imbalance between the web servers is reduced.
Inventors
- 👤 Rupesh Kapoor
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 22:14
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L61/00; H04L61/35; H04L61/45; H04L61/4505; H04L61/4511; H04L67/00; H04L67/01; H04L67/10; H04L67/1001; H04L67/1004; H04L67/1008; H04L67/1019; H04L67/1038; G; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/30; G06F11/34; G06F11/3442; G06F2201/00; G06F2201/88
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
125 words
In a domain name server (DNS), a method of providing an Internet Protocol (IP) address of one of a plurality of servers of an Internet host, the method comprising the steps of: identifying a plurality of client domains that have recently requested to be connected to the plurality of servers; apportioning the plurality of client domains among the plurality of servers such that a percentage of requests served by each one of the plurality of servers is proportional to a relative weight of each respective one of the plurality of servers; receiving a DNS resolution request from one of the plurality of client domains; returning an IP address of one of the plurality of servers to which the one of the client domains was apportioned.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
125 words
In a domain name server (DNS), a method of providing an Internet Protocol (IP) address of one of a plurality of servers of an Internet host, the method comprising the steps of: identifying a plurality of client domains that have recently requested to be connected to the plurality of servers; apportioning the plurality of client domains among the plurality of servers such that a percentage of requests served by each one of the plurality of servers is proportional to a relative weight of each respective one of the plurality of servers; receiving a DNS resolution request from one of the plurality of client domains; returning an IP address of one of the plurality of servers to which the one of the client domains was apportioned.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method described in claim 1 wherein the step of apportioning the plurality of client domains among the plurality of servers includes the step of identifying a number of times each one of the plurality of client domains has recently requested being connected to the plurality of servers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method described in claim 2 wherein the step of identifying a number of times each one of the plurality of client domains has recently requested being connected to the plurality of servers includes the step of reading a recent server log of the Internet host.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method described in claim 1 including the additional steps of: periodically determining whether each one of the plurality of servers is down; setting to zero the relative weight of each one of the plurality of servers that is down; and recalculating the total weight of the plurality of servers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method described in claim 4 including the additional step of notifying the Internet host of each one of the plurality of servers that is down.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method described in claim 1 including the additional steps of: periodically determining whether each one of the plurality of servers is generating a time out error; reducing the relative weight of each one of the plurality of servers that generate the time out error; and recalculating the total weight of the plurality of servers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method described in claim 6 including the additional step of notifying the Internet host of each one of the plurality of servers that is generating the time out error.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
75 words
The method described in claim 1 wherein the IP address of the one of the plurality of servers to which the one of the client domains was apportioned is returned in a list including IP addresses of the other ones of the plurality of servers such that the IP address of the one of the plurality of servers to which the one of the client domains was apportioned is at a top of the list.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
101 words
The method described in claim 1 including the additional steps of: receiving a DNS resolution request from a client domain not included in the plurality of client domains that have recently requested to be connected to the plurality of servers; and returning the IP address of a first one of the plurality of servers such that a total number of times that the IP address of the first one of the plurality of servers is returned is proportional to a leftover capacity of the first one of the plurality of servers relative to a total leftover capacity of the plurality servers.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method described in claim 1 wherein the plurality of client domains that have recently requested to be connected to the plurality of servers include client domains that have recently frequently requested to be connected to the plurality of servers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
100 words
In an Internet domain name server (DNS), a method of providing an Internet Protocol (IP) address of a first one of a plurality of servers of an Internet host, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a DNS resolution request; and returning the IP address of the first one of the plurality of servers such that a total number of times that the IP address of the first one of the plurality of servers is returned is proportional to a relative weight of the first one of the plurality of servers relative to a total weight of the plurality servers.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
100 words
In an Internet domain name server (DNS), a method of providing an Internet Protocol (IP) address of a first one of a plurality of servers of an Internet host, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a DNS resolution request; and returning the IP address of the first one of the plurality of servers such that a total number of times that the IP address of the first one of the plurality of servers is returned is proportional to a relative weight of the first one of the plurality of servers relative to a total weight of the plurality servers.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method described in claim 11 including the additional steps of: periodically determining whether each one of the plurality of servers is down; setting to zero the relative weight of each one of the plurality of servers that is down; and recalculating the total weight of the plurality of servers.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method described in claim 12 including the additional step of informing the Internet host of each one of the plurality of servers that is down.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method described in claim 11 including the additional steps of: periodically determining whether each one of the plurality of servers is generating a time out error; reducing the relative weight of each one of the plurality of servers that generate the time out error; and recalculating the total weight of the plurality of servers.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method described in claim 14 including the additional step of notifying the Internet host of each one of the plurality of servers that is generating the time out error.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
83 words
The method described in claim 11 wherein the first one of the plurality of servers is returned in a list including IP addresses of the other ones of the plurality of servers such that a total number of times that the IP address of the first one of the plurality of servers is at a top of the list is proportional to the relative weight of the first one of the plurality of servers relative to the total weight of the plurality servers.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
238 words
In a domain name server (DNS), a method of providing an Internet Protocol (IP) address of one of a plurality of servers of an Internet host, the method comprising the steps of: determining a relative weight for each one of the plurality of servers; calculating a total weight of the plurality of servers; identifying a plurality of client domains that have recently frequently requested to be connected to the plurality of servers; identifying a number of times each one of the plurality of client domains has recently connected to the plurality of servers calculating a total number of times the plurality of servers has been connected to the plurality of client domains; apportioning the plurality of client domains among the plurality of servers such that the relative weight of the first one of the plurality of servers in comparison to the total weight of the plurality servers is approximately proportional to a cumulative number of times each one of the plurality of client domains apportioned to the first one of the plurality of servers has recently connected to the plurality of servers in comparison to the total number of times the plurality of servers has been connected to the plurality of client domains; receiving a DNS resolution request from one of the plurality of client domains; and returning an IP address of one of the plurality of servers to which the one of the client domains was apportioned.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
238 words
In a domain name server (DNS), a method of providing an Internet Protocol (IP) address of one of a plurality of servers of an Internet host, the method comprising the steps of: determining a relative weight for each one of the plurality of servers; calculating a total weight of the plurality of servers; identifying a plurality of client domains that have recently frequently requested to be connected to the plurality of servers; identifying a number of times each one of the plurality of client domains has recently connected to the plurality of servers calculating a total number of times the plurality of servers has been connected to the plurality of client domains; apportioning the plurality of client domains among the plurality of servers such that the relative weight of the first one of the plurality of servers in comparison to the total weight of the plurality servers is approximately proportional to a cumulative number of times each one of the plurality of client domains apportioned to the first one of the plurality of servers has recently connected to the plurality of servers in comparison to the total number of times the plurality of servers has been connected to the plurality of client domains; receiving a DNS resolution request from one of the plurality of client domains; and returning an IP address of one of the plurality of servers to which the one of the client domains was apportioned.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
102 words
The method described in claim 17 including the additional steps of: receiving a DNS resolution request from a client domain not included in the plurality of client domains that have recently frequently requested to be connected to the plurality of servers; and returning the IP address of a first one of the plurality of servers such that a total number of times that the IP address of the first one of the plurality of servers is returned is proportional to a leftover capacity of the first one of the plurality of servers relative to a total leftover capacity of the plurality servers.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method described in claim 17 including the additional steps of: periodically determining whether each one of the plurality of servers is down; setting to zero the relative weight of each one of the plurality of servers that is down; and recalculating the total weight of the plurality of servers.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method described in claim 17 including the additional steps of: periodically determining whether each one of the plurality of servers is generating a time out error; reducing the relative weight of each one of the plurality of servers that generate the time out error; and recalculating the total weight of the plurality of servers.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-03-19 | 2004-09-18 | 2005-03-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-03-19 | 2008-09-18 | 2009-03-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-03-19 | 2012-09-18 | 2013-03-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |