Patent ID: 8355395

Claim:
A method for registering a multimedia endpoint via a border element in a multimedia network, the method comprising: at a domain name system server in the multimedia network, receiving a domain name system query from the multimedia endpoint, the query containing an identifier of the multimedia end point and requesting an address of the border element for use in registering for a multimedia service; based on the identifier of the multimedia end point, determining a primary border element associated with the multimedia end point; if a volume of domain name system queries from end points associated with the primary border element is below a threshold capacity of the primary border element, then responding to the domain name system query with an identification of the primary border element for use by the multimedia endpoint in registering for the multimedia service; if the volume of domain name system queries from endpoints associated with the primary border element is above the threshold capacity of the primary border element, then: determining a backup border element associated with the multimedia end point; and if a volume of domain name system queries from endpoints associated with the backup border element is below a threshold capacity of the backup border element, then responding to the domain name system query with an identification of the backup border element for use by the multimedia endpoint in registering for the multimedia service; if the volume of domain name system queries from endpoints associated with the primary border element is above a threshold capacity of the primary border element and if the volume of domain name system queries from endpoints associated with the backup border element is above a threshold capacity of the backup border element, then: responding to the domain name system query with a message forcing the multimedia endpoint to transmit another domain name system query at a later time.