Patent ID: 7343397

Claim:
A method for use in an IP packet-based data network, the method comprising the steps of: receiving first and second IP packets and extracting corresponding first and second IP addresses therefrom; determining a first set of one or more domain names associated with said first IP address and a second set of one or more domain names associated with said second IP address; correlating the first set of domain names with the second set of domain names based upon a corresponding correlation of a time of receipt of said first IP packet with a time of receipt of said second IP packet; receiving a third IP packet, extracting a third IP address therefrom, and determining a third set of one or more domain names associated with said third IP address; identifying said first set of domain names as including one or more domain names included in said third set of domain names; and performing one or more DNS requests relating to one or more of said domain names included in said second set of domain names based on said correlation of said second set of domain names with said identified first set of domain names.