Network address server

A method for resolving a target domain name label with a network address in a multi-level network address name space, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving at a first network address server a query for the network address corresponding to the target domain name label, the first network address server being one of a plurality of network address servers each being associated with a common name space level of the network address name space, the network address servers each defining a subset of address names of the common name space level, each address server including a plurality of database records, each said database record including an address name label and a network address uniquely associated with the address name label;
• at the first network address server, determining a correlation between the received target domain name label and the corresponding subset of address names of the common name space level;
• at the first network address server, receiving an indication of a correlation from at least one of the other network address servers;
• and
• at the first network address server, providing an output signal corresponding to a response to the query in accordance with the determined correlations.

A method for resolving network domain names comprising the steps of:

• providing a plurality of network address servers for mapping a hierarchical network address name space, the hierarchical address name space having a plurality of levels, each said network address server being associated with at least one other of said network address servers and a common name space level of the network address name space, each said network address server including database records defining a subset of address names of the associated common name space level, each said database record including an address name label and a network address uniquely associated with the address name label;
• receiving at one of the network address servers a target domain name for resolving, the target domain name comprising a plurality of address name labels, each said address name label being associated with one of the subset of address names of a respective one of the common name space levels;
• and
• for each said address label, querying the plurality of network address servers defining the one common name space level.

Computer network apparatus for resolving a domain name with a network address, comprising:

• a first network address server storing a first address name database, the first address name database comprising (i) a first plurality of domain names for a computer network domain, and (ii) a plurality of network addresses respectively corresponding to the first plurality of domain names, the first plurality of domain names corresponding to an ASCII character set;
• the first network address server including a first address name processor configured to provide a reply when a received inquiry requests a domain name resident in the first address name database;
• a second network address server in communication with said first network address server and storing a second address name database, the second address name database comprising (i) a second plurality of domain names for the computer network domain, and (ii) a plurality of network addresses respectively corresponding to the second plurality of domain names, the second plurality of domain names corresponding to a non ASCII character set;
• and
• the second network address server including a second address name processor configured to provide a reply when the received inquiry requests a domain name resident in the second address name database.