Patent ID: 8001271

Claim:
In a distributed computer system, a method for locating a discrepancy in mapping information that maps an identifier to a particular resource in a domain naming system database, the method comprising acts of: compiling a list of domain nameservers to be queried comprising acts of: sending a namespace mapping resolution query to a plurality of network nodes; waiting for one or more responses from the plurality of network nodes; determining whether a network node in the plurality of network nodes is a domain nameserver based on a format of one or more responses received from the network node; and if the network node is a domain nameserver, adding the network node to the list of domain nameservers to be queried; determining a first mapping in a domain naming system, the act of determining the first mapping comprising an act of obtaining an authoritative mapping from an authoritative source of domain information in the domain naming system; determining a second mapping in the domain naming system, the act of determining a second mapping comprising acts of querying a domain nameserver of the list of nameservers to be queried and receiving a response from the domain nameserver, the response containing the second mapping, wherein the first mapping is a first namespace mapping that maps a first name to a first resource and the second mapping is a second namespace mapping that maps a second name to a second resource, and wherein the domain nameserver is a non-authoritative source for the second mapping in the domain naming system; comparing the first mapping to the second mapping and identifying at least one discrepancy between the first and second mapping; and generating and sending an alert message to a user, the alert message indicating the at least one discrepancy between the first and second mapping.