Systems and methods for storing a security parameter index in an options field of an encapsulation header

A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions to be executed in a computer system comprising a first host machine, wherein the instructions when executed in the computer system perform a method for exchanging a first Security Parameter Index (SPI) value and a second SPI value with a second host machine, the method comprising:

• encapsulating, by the first host machine, a data packet, using an encapsulation frame format, with an encapsulation header that includes an options field to generate an encapsulated data packet;
• storing, by the first host machine, the first SPI value corresponding to the data packet in the options field of the encapsulation header of the encapsulated data packet;
• encrypting, by the first host machine, the encapsulated data packet using one or more security protocols to generate an encapsulated encrypted data packet with an added security protocol header and storing the second SPI value in the security protocol header of the encapsulated encrypted data packet, wherein:
• the encapsulated encrypted data packet comprises an encrypted portion and an unencrypted portion,
• the options field is in the encrypted portion, and
• the security protocol header is in the unencrypted portion;
• the first SPI value and the second SPI value are the same;
• and
• transmitting, by the first host machine, the encapsulated encrypted data packet to the second host machine.

A computer system comprising a first host machine, comprising:

• a non-transitory memory comprising executable instructions;
• and
• a processor in data communication with the memory and configured to execute the instructions to cause the computer system to execute a method for exchanging a first Security Parameter Index (SPI) value and a second SPI value with a second host machine, the method comprising:
• encapsulating, by the first host machine, a data packet, using an encapsulation frame format, with an encapsulation header that includes an options field to generate an encapsulated data packet;
• storing, by the first host machine, the first SPI value corresponding to the data packet in the options field of the encapsulation header of the encapsulated data packet;
• encrypting, by the first host machine, the encapsulated data packet using one or more security protocols to generate an encapsulated encrypted data packet with an added security protocol header and storing the second SPI value in the security protocol header of the encapsulated encrypted data packet, wherein:
• the encapsulated encrypted data packet comprises an encrypted portion and an unencrypted portion,
• the options field is in the encrypted portion, and
• the security protocol header is in the unencrypted portion;
• the first SPI value and the second SPI value are the same;
• and
• transmitting, by the first host machine, the encapsulated encrypted data packet to the second host machine.

A computer system comprising a first host machine, comprising:

• means for encapsulating a data packet, using an encapsulation frame format, with an encapsulation header that includes an options field to generate an encapsulated data packet;
• means for storing a first Security Parameter Index (SPI) value corresponding to the data packet in the options field of the encapsulation header of the encapsulated data packet;
• means for encrypting the encapsulated data packet using one or more security protocols to generate an encapsulated encrypted data packet with an added security protocol header and storing a second SPI value in & the security protocol header of the encapsulated encrypted data packet, wherein:
• the encapsulated encrypted data packet comprises an encrypted portion and an unencrypted portion,
• the options field is in the encrypted portion, and
• the security protocol header is in the unencrypted portion;
• the first SPI value and the second SPI value are the same;
• and
• means for transmitting the encapsulated encrypted data packet to the second host machine.