Patent ID: 7844745

Claim:
A first Home Subscriber Server (HSS) database node for connection to an Internet Protocol (IP) network, said first HSS database node having an interface comprising: a port configured to receive a request for information from a network node connected to said IP network; a processor configured to determine if said first HSS database node can respond to said request; and a transmitter configured to forward the request to a second HSS database node if said first HSS database node cannot respond, wherein said first HSS database node is a member of a plurality of remotely and separately located HSS database nodes that also include the second HSS database node, said first HSS database node being configured to communicate with other HSS database nodes of said plurality of HSS database nodes to ensure that requests for information from network nodes are sent to an appropriate one of said plurality of HSS database nodes, and wherein said first HSS database node further has an application layer configured to provide HSS functionality specific to said first HSS database node, and wherein said interface is isolated from said application layer and is configured to communicate with said other HSS database nodes via the IP network.