Method and apparatus for limiting reuse of domain name system response information

A method of limiting reuse of domain name information, the method comprising the steps of:

• requesting domain name information from an authoritative domain name server;
• providing the domain name information to a local domain name server in response to the request, the domain name information comprising an allowable usage limit, the allowable usage limit representing a maximum number of times that the domain name information may be provided to at least one requestor before validating the domain name information;
• determining whether the residual usage counter has expired;
• providing the domain name information to the at least one requestor in response to the residual usage counter not being expired;
• and
• decrementing the residual usage counter in response to the residual usage counter not being expired.

A system for limiting reuse of domain name information, the system comprising:

• an authoritative domain name server;
• a local domain name server, the local domain name server being operatively coupled to the authoritative domain name server;
• and
• at least one requestor, the at least one requestor being operatively coupled to the local domain name server, the at least one requestor requesting domain name information from the local domain name server, the local domain name server requesting domain name information from the authoritative domain name server in response to the at least one requestor requesting domain name information, the authoritative domain name server providing the domain name information in response to the local domain name server requesting domain name information, the domain name information including an allowable usage limit, the allowable usage limit representing a maximum number of times the domain name information may be provided to at least one requestor before validating the domain name information, the local domain name server determining whether the residual usage counter has expired, the local domain name server decrementing the residual usage counter in response to the residual usage counter not being expired, the local domain name server providing the domain name information to the at least one requestor in response to the residual usage counter not being expired.

A method of limiting reuse of domain name information, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a request for domain name information from a lower-level server;
• requesting the domain name information by a mid-level server from an upper-level server in response to receiving the request from the lower-level server;
• and
• providing the domain name information by the mid-level server, the domain name information comprising an allowable usage limit, the allowable usage limit representing a maximum number of times that the domain name information may be provided to at least one requestor before validating the domain name information, the request from the lower-level server comprising an allowable usage limit previously granted to the lower-level server NL, a lower bound of usage observed by the lower-level server OL,LOW, and an upper bound of usage observed by the lower-level server OL,HIGH.

A system for limiting reuse of domain name information, the system comprising:

• an authoritative domain name server;
• a local domain name server, the local domain name server being operatively coupled to the authoritative domain name server;
• and
• at least one requestor, the at least one requestor being operatively coupled to the local domain name server, the at least one requestor requesting domain name information from the local domain name server, the local domain name server requesting domain name information from the authoritative domain name server in response to the at least one requestor requesting domain name information, the authoritative domain name server providing the domain name information in response to the local domain name server requesting domain name information, the domain name information including an allowable usage limit, the allowable usage limit representing a maximum number of times the domain name information may be provided to at least one requestor before validating the domain name information, the local domain name server providing the domain name information and an allowable usage limit subset M to the at least one requestor, the local domain name server decrementing the residual usage counter by M, where M is a non-negative integer being one of less than the residual usage counter and equal to the residual usage counter.

A system for limiting reuse of domain name information, the system comprising:

• an authoritative domain name server;
• a local domain name server, the local domain name server being operatively coupled to the authoritative domain name server;
• and
• at least one requestor, the at least one requestor being operatively coupled to the local domain name server, the at least one requestor requesting domain name information from the local domain name server, the local domain name server requesting domain name information from the authoritative domain name server in response to the at least one requestor requesting domain name information, the authoritative domain name server providing the domain name information in response to the local domain name server requesting domain name information, the domain name information including an allowable usage limit, the allowable usage limit representing a maximum number of times the domain name information may be provided to at least one requestor before validating the domain name information, the local domain name server initializing a residual usage counter value to the allowable usage limit, the local domain name server decrementing the residual usage counter value to represent the domain name information being provided to the at least one requestor.

A system for limiting reuse of domain name information, the system comprising:

• an authoritative domain name server;
• a local domain name server, the local domain name server being operatively coupled to the authoritative domain name server;
• and
• at least one requestor, the at least one requestor being operatively coupled to the local domain name server, the at least one requestor requesting domain name information from the local domain name server, the local domain name server requesting domain name information from the authoritative domain name server in response to the at least one requestor requesting domain name information, the authoritative domain name server providing the domain name information in response to the local domain name server requesting domain name information, the domain name information including an allowable usage limit, the allowable usage limit representing a maximum number of times the domain name information may be provided to at least one requestor before validating the domain name information, the local domain name server initializing an observed usage counter, the local domain name server incrementing the observed usage counter to represent the domain name information being provided to the at least one requestor.