Abstract: A method that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, determining at a first directory server of a first regional call processing system whether a new name authority pointer associated with a telephone number is within a first geographic region of the first regional call processing system, transmitting the new name authority pointer to a first name server of the first regional call processing system for provisioning the name authority pointer to the first name server responsive to determining that the telephone number is located within the first geographic region, and transmitting the new name authority pointer to a second directory server for provisioning the new name authority pointer to a second name server of a second regional call processing system responsive to determining that the telephone number is not located within the first geographic region. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A method that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, transmitting a first request for a name authority pointer to a first in-region name server of a plurality of in-region name servers of a first geographic region responsive to determining that a telephone number of a call is located in the first geographic region, transmitting a second request for the name authority pointer to an out-of-region name server associated with a second geographic region responsive to determining that the telephone number is located in the second geographic region, and receiving the name authority pointer from at least one of the in-region name server or the out-of-region server. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A method that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, transmitting a first request for an identity of a first regional name authority pointer server of a plurality of regional name authority pointer servers to a national domain name system server responsive to determining that a name authority pointer associated with a telephone number is not stored in cache memory, transmitting a second request for the name authority pointer to the first regional pointer server identified by the domain name system server, where the first regional name authority pointer server corresponds to a geographic region associated with the telephone number, and receiving the name authority pointer from the first regional name authority pointer server. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method can be used to collect communication information including Layer 2 and Layer 3 information during normal communications between devices or other elements within a network. In a particular embodiment, the information can be generated as address resolution protocol tables and media access control tables, which are used to keep track of which elements are connected to other elements and to map network addresses to media access control identifiers. The communication information can be used in performing an action, such as servicing the system, auditing the system, checking for security breaches or policy violations, or other suitable action.