Patent ID: 6895431

Claim:
A method for a computer to display Domain Name System (DNS) information in active use for a domain name to a remote customer and to dynamically update the DNS information in response to a request from the customer, the computer storing the DNS information as a service to the customer in multiple DNS resource records (RRs) in a first of multiple zone data files, the dynamic updating using an update file distinct from the zone data files to identify updates to DNS information, comprising: under control of a device operated by the customer, sending a request to the computer for DNS information for the domain name, and receiving DNS information from the stored DNS RRs in response; displaying the received DNS information to the customer; receiving an indication from the customer of a change to displayed DNS information that corresponds to a first of the DNS RRs; and instructing the computer to modify the DNS information for the first DNS RR to include the changed DNS information; and under control of the computer, before receiving the sent request for the DNS information, responding to requests from clients for DNS information about the domain name by sending copies of cached DNS information that was read from the stored DNS RRs; receiving the sent request from the device, and sending a copy of the cached DNS information to the device in response; receiving the instruction to modify the DNS information; and in response to the instruction, updating the first DNS RR in the stored first zone data file to contain the changed DNS information and modifying the update file to indicate that the stored first zone data file has been updated, so that before the DNS information in the first DNS RR is next sent to a client, the indication of the stored first zone data file in the modified update file will cause the changed DNS information for the first DNS RR in the updated stored first zone data file to replace the cached DNS information for the first DNS RR.