Dynamic DNS Surrogation for Scalable Content Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current DNS systems face challenges in scaling to support millions of devices while providing localized and optimized content delivery, as they require a highly localized and distributed infrastructure that is costly to maintain and difficult to elasticly scale.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a dynamic DNS surrogation system that distributes DNS requests to a network of surrogates based on policy lookups, including user device location, surrogate status, and locality, allowing any client to act as a surrogate and reducing the load on the DNS infrastructure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If DNS servers are highly localized and distributed to provide optimized content delivery, then content delivery optimization is improved, but infrastructure cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a DNS surrogate as an intermediary component that mediates between the authoritative DNS server and the client. The surrogate receives DNS requests, performs policy lookups, and forwards requests to appropriate surrogates or authoritative servers, thereby eliminating the need for a highly distributed localized DNS infrastructure while maintaining content delivery optimization capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The DNS surrogate is designed to perform multiple functions: it acts as a DNS resolver, policy lookup engine, request router, and can function as an authoritative server for certain domains. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require multiple specialized distributed components into a single versatile system.
2Reliability
If all DNS traffic is taken to apply policy, then policy enforcement is improved, but system load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments DNS traffic handling into different paths: policy lookups are performed separately from DNS resolution. The surrogate performs policy lookups based on factors like client location and surrogate status, then routes requests accordingly. This segmentation allows policy enforcement without requiring all DNS traffic to pass through the same high-load path.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs policy lookups in advance before DNS resolution. The surrogate determines whether surrogation is required, identifies the appropriate surrogate, and establishes routing decisions before the actual DNS resolution process begins, thereby distributing load more effectively.
3Productivity
If DNS infrastructure is massively distributed for localization, then content delivery is improved, but scalability and elastic scaling become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic DNS surrogation where the system can adaptively route requests based on current conditions. The surrogate performs policy lookups that consider surrogate status, location, and load conditions in real-time. This dynamic routing allows the system to scale elastically by adding or removing surrogates without requiring a fixed distributed infrastructure.
Data Source
AI summary
A Dynamic Name Server (DNS) surrogation method, a DNS system, and a DNS server provide DNS surrogation which is the idea that if a user device sends a DNS resolution request to a given DNS server that server does not need to actually perform the recursion itself. A policy can be defined telling the server that first received the request to take other factors into account and “relay” or “surrogate” that request to another node. This additional node is called a “surrogate” and it actually performs the recursion therefore allowing the resolving party to perform proper localization, optimization, or any other form of differentiated resolution. This surrogation also distributes the job of actually performing resolution, which adds scalability to the DNS server or service itself. A network of “surrogate” resolvers is possible as well as the concept of every client needing DNS resolution can also become a surrogate.