DNS Answer Sharing for Cluster Consistency
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Solution Overview
Problem
DNS queries within a cluster often result in inconsistent answers due to different versions of responses from peer DNS servers, caused by varying query times and authoritative server connections, leading to increased load and errors when network connectivity is interrupted.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method for sharing DNS answers between peer DNS servers within a cluster, where a first DNS server system receives a query, determines if the answer should be shared, and then shares it with other peer DNS servers, reducing the need for duplicate queries and improving answer consistency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If DNS queries are distributed among multiple peer DNS servers for load balancing, then the load on individual servers is reduced, but answer consistency deteriorates due to different versions of responses from different peers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cached answers from multiple peer DNS servers into a shared data structure that all peers can access. When one server obtains a cached answer, it is stored in a shared location that other peers can retrieve, ensuring all servers return consistent answers while maintaining load distribution benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (shared cache data structure or coordination protocol) that mediates between multiple peer servers. This intermediary ensures that cached answers are consistently propagated across all peers, resolving the consistency issue without centralizing the DNS query handling.
2Reliability
If each DNS server independently queries authoritative servers when cache TTL expires, then data freshness is maintained, but the load on authoritative servers increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the query functionality of multiple peer servers by having them share cached answers. When one server has a valid cached answer, other servers can retrieve it from the shared cache instead of independently querying authoritative servers, reducing redundant queries while maintaining data freshness through coordinated cache updates.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-caching answers at peer servers before TTL expiration. The shared cache mechanism allows servers to prepare and share valid answers in advance, so that when TTL expires, not all servers need to simultaneously query authoritative servers, thus reducing the peak load on authoritative servers.
3Speed
If DNS servers maintain separate local caches, then query response speed is improved, but answer inconsistency occurs across the cluster
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the isolated local caches into a shared cache infrastructure accessible by all peer servers. This allows servers to maintain fast local access to cached answers while ensuring consistency across the cluster, as all peers access the same cached data rather than maintaining separate, potentially divergent caches.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single-dimension local cache model to a multi-dimensional cache architecture where cached data exists both locally for fast access and in a shared space for consistency. This dimensional change allows servers to benefit from local cache speed while participating in cluster-wide consistency through the shared cache dimension.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure describes systems, methods, and apparatus for sharing DNS answers between DNS server systems within a DNS cluster, between proxy servers, and/or between DNS server systems of different DNS clusters. When a DNS answer is obtained by a DNS server system, the answer can be shared with peer DNS server systems within a same DNS cluster or with DNS server systems having a logical relation to the first DNS server system (e.g., geographic relationship), but being in different DNS clusters. Proxy servers may also mediate communication between a client and the DNS clusters. These proxies can also include the ability to share DNS answers between each other.