Peking University files patent for blockchain applied to DNS.
Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School has filed a U.S. patent application (pdf) for “Systems and Methods for Managing Top-Level Domain Names Using Consortium Blockchain”.
The application admits that the current domain name system is efficient but argues that it has flaws. It states that root servers in Asia are shared by many more internet users than those in North America, leading to slower domain name resolution speed.
The present disclosure has the following beneficial effects: the present disclosure is different from the DNS in that the internet DNS at all levels are centrally managed; the present disclosure is a Top-level domain name management scheme based on blockchain technology. The present disclosure decentralizes in selecting top-level domain managers (TLD nodes) and Top-level domain registrations—none of the TLD nodes in a consortium or a small group can control the entire management process. The present disclosure separates the domain name system into two layers, each corresponding to a sub-domain name system, and how the sub-domain name system is designed is determined by the holder of the Top-level domain name. Therefore, the sub-domain name system can be designed as either centralized system or decentralized system according to the institutions’ wishes.
In addition, since the information on blockchain is public and immutable, trusted agencies and even individuals can access information on blockchain and build a corresponding seed file database to store the mapping relations between the top-level and sub-domain name system. This means that all regions can set up a corresponding number of domain name servers according to their actual need in order to ensure the speed of internet access without being limited by other institutions.
It seems that there are better ways to improve DNS than applying blockchain to it, but I’m certainly open to the concept.
Mike C says
the best thing about DNS on blockchain is that it will be decentralized and domains can’t be confiscated