Interesting times...not only did the network get re-numbered, but I became a manager. I hope this doesn't mean I will become technically incompetent (or worse, pointy-haired :). Once I get everything sorted out (internal promotions == 2 jobs for a time) should be good. I'm almost done sorting out all the things I had to do, and I'm coming up to speed on the new stuff.
On the distributed information store issue, only a small amount accomplished. It seems to me, that if an individual server is aware of all servers in it's "area" and knows of one server in each other possible are, I can solve part of the problem. Each server would behave as a "DNS Root server" within the area it knows, and as a "caching only DNS" that does recursive queries for the remaining areas. Sort of :). There are a large number of issues I have to come to terms with, adding new servers to an area, tracking new nodes on the information store, reducing the network load for searches, and a host of related things. Fortunately, this starts as a closed, one-server only system. The distributed bit happens when it becomes an open-source project. There's also some thought needed for types and levels of extraneous functionality.
Other than that, if we can get the air-condioner going around here, should be a good week.