Method and system having an application for IPv6 extension headers and destination options

A method of enabling a computer device to process data packets in an Internet Protocol (IP) network environment, the method comprising:

• providing an Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) extensions application, which runs on an operating system of the computer device, and where the IPv6 extensions application is configured to execute the following steps:
• setting an IPv6 extension header policy for the computer device, the IPv6 extension header policy having a database of designated routes for extension headers or destination options, the database of designated routes for extension headers or destination options being a list of extension headers or destination options that are to be modified for interoperability, fragmentation, and/or security reasons;
• retrieving an original IPv6 packet from a network stack on the computer device before the IPv6 packet is sent on the IPv6 network, the original IPv6 packet having an extension header or destination option;
• determining if a designated route in the extension header or destination option is in the database of designated routes for extension headers or destination options for the computer device;
• when the designated route is in the database of designated routes for extension headers or destination options, modifying the extension header or destination option in accordance with the IPv6 extension header policy for the computer device to generate a modified IPv6 packet, and sending the modified IPv6 packet on the IPv6 network;
• or
• when the designated route is not in the database of designated routes for extension headers or destination options for the computer device, sending the original IPv6 packet on the IPv6 network;
• and
• when the original IPv6 packet is not successfully transmitted to a destination host, updating the database of designated routes for extension headers or destination options to include the designated route in the extension header or destination option for the original IPv6 packet that was not successfully transmitted to the destination host, and wherein the IPv6 extensions application modifies the original IPv6 packet by adding or removing the extension header or destination option in accordance with the IPv6 extension header policy and resends the modified original IPv6 packet on the IPv6 network.

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium having a computer readable code embodied therein for controlling a computer device, the computer readable program code configured to cause an application running on an operating system of the computer device to process data packets, the process comprising:

• setting an Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) extension header policy for the computer device, the IPv6 extension header policy having a database of designated routes for extension headers or destination options, the database of designated routes for extension headers or destination options being a list of extension headers or destination options that are to be modified for interoperability, fragmentation, and/or security reasons;
• retrieving an original IPv6 packet from a network stack on the computer device before the IPv6 packet is sent on the IPv6 network, the original IPv6 packet having an extension header or destination option;
• determining if a designated route in the extension header or destination option is in the database of designated routes for extension headers or destination options;
• when the designated route is the database of designated routes for extension headers or destination options, modifying the extension header or destination option in accordance with the IPv6 extension header policy for the computer device to generate a modified IPv6 packet, and sending the modified IPv6 packet on the IPv6 network;
• or
• when the designated route is not in the database of designated routes for extension headers or destination options for the computer device, sending the original IPv6 packet on the IPv6 network;
• and
• when the original IPv6 packet is not successfully transmitted to a destination host, updating the database of designated routes for extension headers or destination options to include the designated route in the extension header or destination option for the original IPv6 packet that was not successfully transmitted to the destination host, and wherein the IPv6 extensions application modifies the original IPv6 packet by adding or removing the extension header or destination option in accordance with the IPv6 extension header policy and resends the modified original IPv6 packet on the IPv6 network.