Apparatus and Method for Community Relay Node Discovery

A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing steps of a method of bootstrapping communication between a community relay node and a requesting client comprising:

• computer executable instructions for receiving a domain name from a requesting client;
• computer executable instructions for associating the domain name with a peer name;
• computer executable instructions for resolving the peer name to one or more internet protocol addresses, where each internet protocol address relates to a community relay;
• computer executable instructions for selecting a community relay node from the one or more resolved internet protocol addresses;
• and
• computer executable instructions for returning the internet protocol address of the selected community relay node to the requesting client.

A computing apparatus, comprising:

• a processing apparatus comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to the processor,
• a domain name system network interface operatively coupled to a network and to the processing apparatus;
• a peer name resolution protocol network interface operatively coupled to at least one community relay, to the domain name system network interface and to the processing apparatus;
• a first cache associated with a first peer name resolution protocol name and adapted to store internet protocol addresses of a first plurality of community relay nodes, the first cache being operatively coupled to the peer name resolution protocol network interface;
• a second cache associated with a second peer name resolution protocol name and adapted to store internet protocol addresses of a second plurality of community relay nodes, the second cache being operatively coupled to the peer name resolution protocol network interface;
• the processing apparatus being programmed to receive a request message from a client relating to a request for a community relay node;
• the processing apparatus being programmed to resolve the request message to the first peer name resolution protocol name or to the second peer name resolution protocol name;
• the processing apparatus being programmed to select a community relay node from the first cache if the request message is resolved to the first peer name resolution protocol name;
• the processing apparatus being programmed to select a community relay node from the second cache if the request message is resolved to the second peer name resolution protocol name;
• and
• the processing apparatus being programmed to transmit the internet protocol address of the selected community relay node to the client.