Patent ID: 8824299

Claim:
A method for configuring a network to route data on a first network service that connects a user's network with a service provider network, comprising: (a) receiving, from a user, an instruction to route data from the user's network addressed to a hostname on the first network service; (b) determining, according to the hostname, a first IP address that addresses a server identified by the hostname, wherein the determining (b) comprises: looking up the hostname on a local cache; when no unexpired match is found in the local cache, looking up the hostname on a domain name service to determine the first IP address; (c) determining a second IP address, the second IP address of the first network service; and (d) sending, to the user's network, a message specifically instructing a router on the user's network to route data addressed to the first IP address to the second IP address whereby the message causes configuration of the router on the user's network to route data, addressed to the first IP address, on the first network service instead of a second network service that has a more general routing entry encompassing the first IP address.