Patent ID: 7299491

Claim:
In an authoritative name server configured to resolve one or more domain names, a method of selectively resolving a domain name so that a client requesting resolution of the domain name receives a domain name system response based on the client's authorization, the method comprising acts of: at an authoritative name server, receiving, from a client, a first request to resolve a domain name into a corresponding domain name system response, the authoritative name server receiving the first request being capable of resolving the domain name into the corresponding domain name system response; at the authoritative name server, sending, to the client, a first response identifying the authoritative name server sending the first response and indicating that the authoritative name server was unable to retrieve the requested domain name system response corresponding to the domain name; at the authoritative name server, receiving, from the client, a subsequent request to resolve the domain name into a corresponding domain name system response, and the subsequent request having been sent by the client in response to the first response indicating that the authoritative name server was unable to retrieve the requested domain name system response; at the authoritative name server, receiving client authentication from the client; based on the received client authentication, determining at the authoritative name server that the client is authorized to receive the domain name response corresponding to the domain name; and sending the corresponding domain name system response to the client.