Methods and systems for intelligently choosing an authoritative name server from among a group of name servers for resolving Domain Name System requests. Systems and methods are provided that enable choosing of a first server associated with and/or operated by a first service provider based on a first measurement associated with that first server. The systems and methods further comprise requesting first data from that first server, determining that the first server is unresponsive, and choosing a second server. The second server is chosen based on a second measurement, and chosen contingent on it being associated with and/or operated by to a different service provider than that associated with the first server. The systems and methods then comprise requesting second data from the second server.