Patent ID: 7720997

Claim:
A network device adapted for processing a service request, comprising: a processor; and a memory, at least one of the processor or the memory being adapted for: receiving a service request; sending a plurality of response packets in response to receiving the service request, each of the plurality of response packets identifying a different type of service via which to send a corresponding one of the plurality of response packets, wherein the type of service directly corresponds to a Service Provider of the Internet such that each of the plurality of response packets is sent via a different one of a plurality of Service Providers of the Internet; maintaining a mapping of each different type of service to an IP address, thereby enabling the service request to be processed via an IP address associated with a type of service identified in a first one of the plurality of response packets to be received, wherein the type of service identified in the first one of the plurality of response packets to be received identifies one of the plurality of Service Providers of the Internet; and providing the IP address of the one of the plurality of Service Providers of the Internet that is mapped to the type of service identified in the first one of the plurality of response packets to be received; wherein maintaining the mapping comprises maintaining a plurality of A-records, each of the A-records having a type of service field adapted for indicating a type of service that corresponds to one of the plurality of Service Providers of the Internet and wherein receiving the request comprises receiving a DNS A-record request.