convert urls to physical machine addresses such as internet protocol addresses for example naming module 204 d may transmit the url soap reuters docs ms to name server 210 and name server 210 may return the internet protocol addresses 11 222 33 44 this allows topics to be dynamically hosted on different servers by changing the logical to physical association in name server 210 in one embodiment name server 210 may be implemented with a network of distributed name servers a first name server resolves part of the url and forwards the message to a destination corresponding to the resolved part of the url the destination if it is another name server resolves a next part of the url and the process continues until the physical destination endpoint is resolved with this embodiment the functions of the individual name servers can be performed at different locations and can be moved between the name servers topic manager 204 may transmit event notifications to a subscription manager 212 via the internet 208 in alternative embodiments the functions of topic manager 204 and subscription manager 212 may be performed with a single computer device fig2 shows an event consumer 214 coupled to subscription manager.