Patent ID: 6920498

Claim:
A method for using a phased learning approach for determining closest of s multiple content serving sites to a client Domain Name System (DNS) server in a computer network in including: in a setup phase: storing data as to the transit times of each of the content serving sites in a table; in an execution phase: determining a response time each of n fastest content serving sites and m other content serving sites, said n fastest content serving sites chosen by using said data and choosing the n content serving sites with the lowest transit times, said m other content serving sites chosen by selecting new content serving sites as well as randomly selecting old content serving sites, wherein n is less than s and greater than zero; sending transit time requests to each of the n fastest content serving sites and m other content serving sites, timing said transit times requests so that they arrive at each of the n fastest content serving sites and m other content serving sites at the same time by using said response time for each of the n fastest content serving sites and m other content serving sites; receiving data from said client DNS server as to the transit times of each of the n fastest content serving sites and m other content serving sites; and storing said data in said table.