Virtual Distributed DNS Server Bandwidth Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
The Domain Name System (DNS) protocol generates significant network bandwidth demands due to the large number of DNS queries and replies in computer networks, especially in large networks with few DNS servers, as existing operating systems lack DNS caching and data sharing capabilities to speed up lookups.
Innovation Solution
A virtual distributed domain name server (D-DNS) intercepts and caches DNS queries and replies, sharing the cached data among virtual machines (VMs) and hypervisors, reducing the need for forwarding queries to DNS servers by using unicast and multicast communications to synchronize local DNS caches across the network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If DNS queries are transmitted through many routers and switches in a large network with few DNS servers, then DNS resolution can be achieved, but network bandwidth is significantly congested
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements DNS caching in hypervisors to perform DNS resolution in advance and store the results locally. When DNS queries are generated by virtual machines, the hypervisor first checks its local cache before forwarding queries to DNS servers, thereby resolving commonly accessed domain names without consuming network bandwidth for repeated lookups.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces hypervisors as intermediary components between virtual machines and DNS servers. The hypervisor intercepts DNS queries from multiple virtual machines, aggregates them, and forwards them to DNS servers. This intermediary layer reduces the number of individual query transmissions through the network, thereby reducing bandwidth congestion while maintaining DNS resolution capability.
2Speed
If operating systems are configured to perform DNS caching and share DNS-related data, then DNS lookup speed is improved, but operating system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the DNS caching function from the operating system and places it in the hypervisor layer. This segmentation allows DNS caching to be implemented without modifying operating system configurations, as the hypervisor operates independently of the guest operating systems. The DNS caching functionality is divided into cache storage, cache management, and cache synchronization components within the hypervisor.
Solution Approach 2:
The hypervisor acts as an intermediary that provides DNS caching services to multiple virtual machines without requiring modifications to their operating systems. The hypervisor intercepts DNS queries, manages local caches, and synchronizes cache data across hypervisors, thereby improving DNS lookup speed while avoiding the complexity of configuring each operating system individually.
3Productivity
If local DNS caches are synchronized across multiple hypervisors using unicast and multicast communications, then DNS resolution efficiency is improved, but network communication overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic cache synchronization between hypervisors using multicast communications. Instead of continuous real-time synchronization, the system periodically exchanges cache updates at scheduled intervals. This periodic action maintains DNS resolution efficiency across the distributed cache system while significantly reducing network communication overhead compared to continuous synchronization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines unicast and multicast communication mechanisms for cache synchronization. Multicast is used for broadcasting cache updates to multiple hypervisors simultaneously, while unicast is used for targeted updates. This combination optimizes network utilization by using the more efficient multicast protocol for general updates and reserving unicast for specific cases, thereby improving DNS resolution efficiency while minimizing overall communication overhead.
Data Source
AI summary
An approach for intercepting and caching Domain Name System (DNS) related data and sharing the cached DNS related data among hypervisors is provided. In an embodiment, a method comprises: receiving a DNS query from a virtual machine, determining whether a DNS reply to the DNS query has been received from a DNS server and whether an Internet Protocol (IP) address has been stored in a local DNS cache; in response to determining that tire DNS reply to the DNS query has been received from the DNS server and the IP address has been stored in the local DNS cache; retrieving the IP address from the local DNS cache; and providing the IP address to the virtual machine.