Patent ID: 8214524

Claim:
A method for selecting an optimal authoritative name server, comprising: receiving a resolution request for a selected domain name of a predetermined zone from a local name server initially at a global authoritative name server publicly registered to respond to the resolution request for the selected domain name of the predetermined zone; evaluating the resolution request to determine at least a network location of the local name server; generating at the global authoritative name server an authoritative name server guide at least based on the network location of the local name server, the authoritative name server guide identifying a candidate regional authoritative name server which is internally designated to serve the network location of the local name server and the predetermined zone, wherein the authoritative name server guide refers the local name server to the candidate regional authoritative name server as an authoritative name server for the resolution request for the selected domain name of the predetermined zone; and returning at the global authoritative name server both an internet protocol (IP) address (A record) of the selected domain name and the authoritative name server guide to the local name server and guiding the local name server to communicate with the candidate regional authoritative name server for a subsequent resolution request for the selected domain name of the predetermined zone; arranging multiple global authoritative name servers registered with a top-level domain name server to manage the predetermined zone; and arranging regional authoritative name servers recognized in each of the multiple global authoritative name servers for managing designated network locations in the predetermined zone; associating a web server with one or more of the regional authoritative name servers wherein the web server responds to a request for a web object; and returning information of the associated web server to the local name server.