1. A method for updating resource records in a name-server database, the method comprising: creating an update-request message containing a set of resource-record updates, and a requested lease, which specifies the length of time for which the name server is being requested to store the resource-record updates; sending the update-request message to a name server, which is part of a distributed system that provides a global naming service; and receiving a response message from the name server, which acknowledges that the update-request message has been received.