When establishing a communication path between a client system and a server system which are coupled over a data network, the client system accesses distributed directory information in order to determine whether a communication path to the server computer can use an enhanced communication approach, such as an enhanced transport or application layer protocol, and to obtain an address of a second server system which will provide communication services needed to communicate using the enhanced communication approach. By using distributed information, and in particular by distributing the information at the server systems themselves, the invention reduces or eliminates the reliance on critical points of failure or congestion, such as a Internet Domain Name Server (DNS) or a centralized repository of information related to the enhanced communication.