Device retrieving a name of a communications node in a communications network

A computer-readable storage medium on which is recorded a program, which is read by a computer when used by the computer configuring a name retrieving device retrieving information identifying a communications node being a network device within a communications network, for causing the computer to execute a function included in a network device within the communications network that receives a message sent from a sender node, the function comprising:

• searching for the information identifying the communications node according to a name search condition into which at least one or a plurality of information effective for identifying the communications node is combined;
• and
• translating a network address into a final network address identifying a destination communications node at a communication destination after the message is received, when a communication from a communications node at a communication source, for which the name search condition designating the communications node at the communication destination as the network address corresponding to the communications node at the communication destination is specified, is to be relayed,
• wherein said information effective for identifying the communications node includes:
• a running state, a use state, positional information, information representing a characteristic of the communications node, and information representing information held by the communications node;
• said searching uses an expanded name database, to which a record including a first field recording said name search condition and a second field recording a communications node satisfying said name search condition, can be registered;
• said second field is updated dynamically as a communication node satisfying said name search condition varies;
• said name database is included in a network device within the communications network;
• said record is an address record, wherein the name search condition is included as part of a domain name registered to the address record;
• said searching uses a domain name server, which is included in the network device within the communications network, searching said name database for the address record including the name search condition as the part of the domain name, and replying information identifying a communications node at a communication destination, which is registered to the address record, to a communications node at a communication source, in response to an inquiry, which is made from the communications node at the communication source, about the name search condition corresponding to the communications node at the communication destination;
• the address record registered to the expanded name database is a type of a resource record containing an owner field, a type field, and an RDATA field in accordance with a specification of a domain name system;
• the first field is the owner field;
• the second field is the RDATA field;
• an owner is specified for the inquiry by a first domain name having a first character string;
• a type for specifying an address record is specified for the inquiry;
• the first character string represents the name search condition and is defined as a reserved word;
• the searching comprises replying, as the information, a reply including a content of RDATA found in a resource record whose owner matches the first domain name and whose type matches the type specified;
• and
• in the expanded name database, the resource record whose owner is a domain name including the first character string is updated as a state of a node changes.

A transmission process for a message having a destination, comprising:

• before sending the message, resolving a part of a destination address responsive to destination information using a first resolver;
• starting transmission of the message over a network toward the destination after the resolving of the part of the destination address;
• resolving a remainder the destination address by a second resolver as the transmission proceeds after the starting of transmission of the message;
• completing transmission to the destination address, where the destination address is represented by a condition to be satisfied at the destination,
• wherein the resolving the remainder comprises searching for information identifying a communications node according to the condition into which at least one or a plurality of information effective for identifying the communications node is combined,
• said information effective for identifying the communications node includes:
• a running state, a use state, positional information, information representing a characteristic of the communications node, and information representing information held by the communications node;
• said searching uses an expanded name database, to which a record including a first field recording said condition and a second field recording a communications node satisfying said condition, can be registered;
• said second field is updated dynamically as a communication node satisfying said condition varies;
• said name database is included in a network device within the communications network;
• said record is an address record, wherein the condition is included as part of a domain name registered to the address record;
• said searching uses a domain name server, which is included in the network device within the communications network, searching said name database for the address record including the condition as the part of the domain name, and replying information identifying the destination, which is registered to the address record, to a communication source, in response to an inquiry, which is made from the communication source, about the condition corresponding to the destination;
• the address record registered to the expanded name database is a type of a resource record containing an owner field, a type field, and an RDATA field in accordance with a specification of a domain name system;
• the first field is the owner field;
• the second field is the RDATA field;
• an owner is specified for the inquiry by a first domain name having a first character string;
• a type for specifying an address record is specified for the inquiry;
• the first character string represents the condition and is defined as a reserved word;
• the searching comprises replying, as the information, a reply including a content of RDATA found in a resource record whose owner matches the first domain name and whose type matches the type specified;
• and
• in the expanded name database, the resource record whose owner is a domain name including the first character string is updated as a state of a node changes.

A message transmission method, comprising:

• transmitting a message toward a destination using an address represented by a condition specifying the destination;
• and
• obtaining, after the transmitting has started, a destination address of the destination responsive to a desired status specified by the condition and routing the message to the destination address,
• wherein the obtaining comprises searching for information identifying a communications node according to the condition into which at least one or a plurality of information effective for identifying the communications node is combined,
• said information effective for identifying the communications node includes:
• a running state, a use state, positional information, information representing a characteristic of the communications node, and information representing information held by the communications node;
• said searching uses an expanded name database, to which a record including a first field recording said condition and a second field recording a communications node satisfying said condition, can be registered;
• said second field is updated dynamically as a communication node satisfying said condition varies;
• said name database is included in a network device within the communications network;
• said record is an address record, wherein the condition is included as part of a domain name registered to the address record;
• said searching uses a domain name server, which is included in the network device within the communications network, searching said name database for the address record including the condition as the part of the domain name, and replying information identifying the destination, which is registered to the address record, to a communication source, in response to an inquiry, which is made from the communication source, about the condition corresponding to the destination;
• the address record registered to the expanded name database is a type of a resource record containing an owner field, a type field, and an RDATA field in accordance with a specification of a domain name system;
• the first field is the owner field;
• the second field is the RDATA field;
• an owner is specified for the inquiry by a first domain name having a first character string;
• a type for specifying an address record is specified for the inquiry;
• the first character string represents the condition and is defined as a reserved word;
• the searching comprises replying, as the information, a reply including a content of RDATA found in a resource record whose owner matches the first domain name and whose type matches the type specified;
• and
• in the expanded name database, the resource record whose owner is a domain name including the first character string is updated as a state of a node changes.

A name retrieving device retrieving information identifying a communications node, which is a network device within a communications network, comprising:

• a condition searching unit searching for the information identifying the communications node according to a name search condition into which at least one or a plurality of information effective for identifying the communications node is combined,
• wherein said information effective for identifying the communications node includes:
• a running state, a use state, positional information, information representing a characteristic of the communications node, and information representing information held by the communications node;
• said condition searching unit comprises an expanded name database, to which a record including a first field recording said name search condition and a second field recording a communications node satisfying said name search condition, can be registered;
• said second field is updated dynamically as a communication node satisfying said name search condition varies;
• said name database is included in a network device within the communications network;
• said record is an address record, wherein the name search condition is included as part of a domain name registered to the address record;
• said condition searching unit comprises a domain name server, which is included in the network device within the communications network, searching said name database for the address record including the name search condition as the part of the domain name, and replying information identifying a communications node at a communication destination, which is registered to the address record, to a communications node at a communication source, in response to an inquiry, which is made from the communications node at the communication source, about the name search condition corresponding to the communications node at the communication destination;
• the address record registered to the expanded name database is a type of a resource record containing an owner field, a type field, and an RDATA field in accordance with a specification of a domain name system;
• the first field is the owner field;
• the second field is the RDATA field;
• an owner is specified for the inquiry by a first domain name having a first character string;
• a type for specifying an address record is specified for the inquiry;
• the first character string represents the name search condition and is defined as a reserved word;
• and
• the condition searching unit replies, as the information, a reply including a content of RDATA found in a resource record whose owner matches the first domain name and whose type matches the type specified;
• and
• in the expanded name database, the resource record whose owner is a domain name including the first character string is updated as a state of a node changes.

A name retrieving device retrieving information identifying a communications node, which is a network device within a communications network, comprising:

• a condition searching unit searching for the information identifying the communications node according to a name search condition into which at least one or a plurality of information effective for identifying the communications node is combined,
• wherein said information effective for identifying the communications node includes:
• a running state, a use state, positional information, information representing a characteristic of the communications node, and information representing information held by the communications node;
• said condition searching unit comprises an expanded name database, to which a record including a first field recording said name search condition and a second field recording a communications node satisfying said name search condition, can be registered;
• said second field is updated dynamically as a communication node satisfying said name search condition varies;
• said name database is included in a network device within the communications network;
• said record is a resource record, wherein a resource record type of the resource record represents the name search condition;
• and
• said condition searching unit comprises a domain name server, which is included in the network device within the communications network, searching said name database for the resource record representing the name search condition, and replying information identifying a communications node at a communication destination, which is registered to the resource record, to a communications node at a communication source, in response to an inquiry, which is made from the communications node at the communication source, about the name search condition corresponding to the communications node at the communication destination;
• the resource record contains an owner field, a type field, and an RDATA field in accordance with a specification of a domain name system;
• the first field is the type field;
• the second field is the RDATA field;
• an owner is specified for the inquiry;
• a type is specified for the inquiry to be a first value representing a name search condition;
• the condition searching unit replies, as the information, a reply including a content of RDATA found in a resource record whose owner matches the owner specified in the inquiry and whose type is the first value;
• in the expanded name database, the resource record with the type of the first value is updated as a state of a node changes.

A name retrieving device retrieving information identifying a communications node, which is a network device within a communications network, comprising:

• a condition searching unit searching for the information identifying the communications node according to a name search condition into which at least one or a plurality of information effective for identifying the communications node is combined,
• wherein said information effective for identifying the communications node includes:
• a running state, a use state, positional information, information representing a characteristic of the communications node, and information representing information held by the communications node;
• said condition searching unit comprises an expanded name database, to which a record including a first field recording said name search condition and a second field recording a communications node satisfying said name search condition, can be registered;
• said second field is updated dynamically as a communication node satisfying said name search condition varies;
• said name database is included in a network device within the communications network;
• said record is a resource record, wherein a resource record type of the resource record corresponds to an instruction to make a first inquiry corresponding to the name search condition;
• said condition searching unit obtains latest information identifying a communications node at a communication destination at a time of the first inquiry by inquiring the communications node at the communication destination about the name search condition that is inquired in a second inquiry by a communications node at a communication source, and replies obtained information to the communications node at the communication source;
• and
• said condition searching unit comprises:
• a domain name server, which is included in the network device within the communications network, searching said name database for the resource record instructing to make the first inquiry corresponding to the name search condition, obtaining the latest information identifying the communications node at the communication destination at the time of the first inquiry by making the first inquiry based on an instruction to make the first inquiry, which is registered to the resource record, replying obtained information to the communications node at the communication source, in response to the second inquiry, which is made from the communications node at the communication source, about the name search condition corresponding to the communications node at the communication destination, and registering the latest information identifying the communications node at the communication destination at the time of the first inquiry to said name database;
• the resource record contains an owner field, a class field, a type field representing the resource record type, and an RDATA field in accordance with a specification of a domain name system;
• the first field is the type field;
• the second field is for caching a result of the first inquiry;
• the RDATA field holds the instruction;
• an owner is specified for the second inquiry;
• for the second inquiry, a first value is specified as a class in order to indicate that the instruction registered in the RDATA field be executed;
• for the second inquiry, a type is specified to be a second value representing the name search condition;
• the condition searching unit executes the instruction thereby identifying a node satisfying the name search condition represented by the second value, and returning a reply as the obtained latest information including information indicating the node identified to the communications node at the communication source;
• and
• the condition searching unit registers by caching the obtained latest information in the second field.

A computer-readable storage medium on which is recorded a program, which is read by a computer when used by the computer configuring a name retrieving device retrieving information identifying a communications node being a network device within a communications network, for causing the computer to execute a function, the function comprising:

• searching for the information identifying the communications node according to a name search condition into which at least one or a plurality of information effective for identifying the communications node is combined,
• wherein said information effective for identifying the communications node includes:
• a running state, a use state, positional information, information representing a characteristic of the communications node, and information representing information held by the communications node;
• said searching uses an expanded name database, to which a record including a first field recording said name search condition and a second field recording a communications node satisfying said name search condition, can be registered;
• said second field is updated dynamically as a communication node satisfying said name search condition varies;
• said name database is included in a network device within the communications network;
• said record is a resource record, wherein a resource record type of the resource record represents the name search condition;
• and
• said searching uses a domain name server, which is included in the network device within the communications network, searching said name database for the resource record representing the name search condition, and replying information identifying a communications node at a communication destination, which is registered to the resource record, to a communications node at a communication source, in response to an inquiry, which is made from the communications node at the communication source, about the name search condition corresponding to the communications node at the communication destination;
• the resource record contains an owner field, a type field, and an RDATA field in accordance with a specification of a domain name system;
• the first field is the type field;
• the second field is the RDATA field;
• an owner is specified for the inquiry;
• a type is specified for the inquiry to be a first value representing a name search condition;
• the searching comprises replying, as the information, a reply including a content of RDATA found in a resource record whose owner matches the owner specified in the inquiry and whose type is the first value;
• in the expanded name database, the resource record with the type of the first value is updated as a state of a node changes.

A computer-readable storage medium on which is recorded a program, which is read by a computer when used by the computer configuring a name retrieving device retrieving information identifying a communications node being a network device within a communications network, for causing the computer to execute a function, the function comprising:

• searching for the information identifying the communications node according to a name search condition into which at least one or a plurality of information effective for identifying the communications node is combined,
• wherein said information effective for identifying the communications node includes:
• a running state, a use state, positional information, information representing a characteristic of the communications node, and information representing information held by the communications node;
• said searching uses an expanded name database, to which a record including a first field recording said name search condition and a second field recording a communications node satisfying said name search condition, can be registered;
• said second field is updated dynamically as a communication node satisfying said name search condition varies;
• said name database is included in a network device within the communications network;
• said record is a resource record, wherein a resource record type of the resource record corresponds to an instruction to make a first inquiry corresponding to the name search condition;
• said searching comprises obtaining latest information identifying a communications node at a communication destination at a time of the first inquiry by inquiring the communications node at the communication destination about the name search condition that is inquired in a second inquiry by a communications node at a communication source, and replying obtained information to the communications node at the communication source;
• and
• said searching uses a domain name server, which is included in the network device within the communications network, searching said name database for the resource record instructing to make the first inquiry corresponding to the name search condition, obtaining the latest information identifying the communications node at the communication destination at the time of the first inquiry by making the first inquiry based on an instruction to make the first inquiry, which is registered to the resource record, replying obtained information to the communications node at the communication source, in response to the second inquiry, which is made from the communications node at the communication source, about the name search condition corresponding to the communications node at the communication destination, and registering the latest information identifying the communications node at the communication destination at the time of the first inquiry to said name database;
• the resource record contains an owner field, a class field, a type field representing the resource record type, and an RDATA field in accordance with a specification of a domain name system;
• the first field is the type field;
• the second field is for caching a result of the first inquiry;
• the RDATA field holds the instruction;
• an owner is specified for the second inquiry;
• for the second inquiry, a first value is specified as a class in order to indicate that the instruction registered in the RDATA field be executed;
• for the second inquiry, a type is specified to be a second value representing the name search condition;
• the searching comprises executing the instruction thereby identifying a node satisfying the name search condition represented by the second value, and returning a reply as the obtained latest information including information indicating the node identified to the communications node at the communication source;
• and
• the searching comprises registering by caching the obtained latest information in the second field.