Systems, apparatus and method for hosting and assigning domain names on a wide area network

Abstract

Embodiments of the instant invention are directed to a domain management system, apparatus and method for hosting and assigning domain names. Embodiments of the domain management system comprise a name assignment system and a hosting system, wherein the hosting system comprises a domain retrieval system and a data storage apparatus. The name assignment system verifies availability and assigns domain names to requesting clients. The name assignment system comprises an input component, a confirmation mechanism and a name storage means. Preferred embodiments of the domain retrieval system comprise a scheduler, a parsing member having a plurality of redirectors and a plurality of servers. The domain retrieval system locates the domain referenced by the domain name by parsing header information and utilizing a wildcard DNS. Once the domain is located, the domain retrieval system forwards the domain to the user computer.

1 - 39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a host computing device, a content request comprising a requested address, wherein the requested address comprises:
 a host name corresponding to the host computing device, and 
 a content label in a wildcard portion of the requested address; 
   determining a content address corresponding to the content label, wherein the content address provides a mapping to a location of corresponding content on a directory structure of a separate host computing device; and   serving the corresponding content in response to the content request.   
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the wildcard portion of the requested address is a subdomain of a domain name system, the requested address further comprising at least one higher-level domain name. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising:
 configuring a zone file of a domain name server to provide an address of the host computing device based on the requested address having the wildcard portion.   
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , further comprising:
 configuring the zone file to provide a different address based on an additional requested address without a wildcard portion.   
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the content request is made in an HTTP request. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the determining the content address corresponding to the content label comprises using a redirector to determine the content address corresponding to the content label. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the receiving the content request comprises receiving the content request by a scheduler of the host computing device, the scheduler configured to select a redirector from a set of redirectors to handle the determining the content address. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising:
 receiving a request to register the content label; and   associating the content label with the content address.   
     
     
         48 . A computer-readable storage device having computer program logic recorded thereon, execution of which, by a computing device, causes the computing device to perform operations comprising:
 receiving a content request comprising a requested address, wherein the requested address comprises:
 a host name corresponding to a host computing device, and 
 a content label in a wildcard portion of the requested address; 
   determining a content address corresponding to the content label, wherein the content address provides a mapping to a location of corresponding content on a directory structure of a separate host computing device; and   serving the corresponding content in response to the content request.   
     
     
         49 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 48 , wherein the wildcard portion of the requested address is a subdomain of a domain name system, the requested address further comprising at least one higher-level domain name. 
     
     
         50 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 48 , the operations further comprising:
 configuring a zone file of a domain name server to provide an address of the host computing device based on the requested address having the wildcard portion.   
     
     
         51 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 50 , the operations further comprising:
 configuring the zone file to provide a different address based on an additional requested address without a wildcard portion.   
     
     
         52 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 48 , wherein the content request is made in an HTTP request. 
     
     
         53 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 48 , wherein the determining the content address corresponding to the content label comprises using a redirector to determine the content address corresponding to the content label. 
     
     
         54 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 48 , wherein the receiving the content request comprises receiving the content request by a scheduler, the scheduler configured to select a redirector from a set of redirectors to handle the determining the content address. 
     
     
         55 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 48 , the operations further comprising:
 receiving a request to register the content label; and   associating the content label with the content address.   
     
     
         56 . A system comprising:
 a memory configured to store instructions comprising:
 instructions to receive a content request comprising a requested address, wherein the requested address comprises:
 a host name corresponding to a host computing device, and 
 a content label in a wildcard portion of the requested address, 
 
   instructions to determine a content address corresponding to the content label, wherein the content address provides a mapping to a location of corresponding content on a directory structure of a separate host computing device, and
 instructions to serve the corresponding content in response to the content request; and 
   one or more processors configured to process the instructions.   
     
     
         57 . The system of  claim 56 , wherein the wildcard portion of the requested address is a subdomain of a domain name system, the requested address further comprising at least one higher-level domain name. 
     
     
         58 . The system of  claim 56 , further comprising:
 instructions to configure a zone file of a domain name server to provide an address of the host computing device based on the requested address having the wildcard portion.   
     
     
         59 . The system of  claim 58 , further comprising:
 instructions to configure the zone file to provide a different address based on an additional requested address without a wildcard portion.   
     
     
         60 . The system of  claim 56 , wherein the content request is made in an HTTP request. 
     
     
         61 . The system of  claim 56 , wherein the determining the content address corresponding to the content label comprises using a redirector to determine the content address corresponding to the content label. 
     
     
         62 . The system of  claim 56 , wherein the receiving the content request comprises receiving the content request by a scheduler of the host computing device, the scheduler configured to select a redirector from a set of redirectors to handle the determining the content address. 
     
     
         63 . The system of  claim 56 , further comprising:
 instructions to receive a request to register the content label, and   instructions to associate the content label with the content address.   
     
     
         64 . A system comprising:
 a host computing device comprising a scheduler, the scheduler configured to receive a content request comprising a requested address, wherein the requested address comprises:
 a host name corresponding to the host computing device, and 
 a content label in a wildcard portion of the requested address; and 
   a redirector configured to determine a content address corresponding to the content label, wherein the content address provides a mapping to a location of corresponding content on a directory structure of a separate host computing device, and to serve the corresponding content in response to the content request.   
     
     
         65 . The system of  claim 64 , wherein the wildcard portion of the requested address is a subdomain of a domain name system, the requested address further comprising at least one higher-level domain name. 
     
     
         66 . The system of  claim 64 , further comprising:
 a domain name server comprising a zone file, the zone file configured to provide an address of the host computing device based on the requested address having the wildcard portion.   
     
     
         67 . The system of  claim 66 , wherein the zone file is further configured to provide a different address based on an additional requested address without a wildcard portion. 
     
     
         68 . The system of  claim 64 , wherein the scheduler is configured to receive the content request in an HTTP request. 
     
     
         69 . The system of  claim 64 , wherein the scheduler is configured to select the redirector from a set of redirectors to handle the determining the content address. 
     
     
         70 . The system of  claim 64 , wherein the host computing device is further configured to receive a request to register the content label and to associate the content label with the content address.