# US 11,909,713 B2 · Address translation for external network appliance > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,909,713 B2 - Document ID: US11909713B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/306,816 - Filed: 2021-05-03 - Published: 2021-08-19 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-27 - Assignees: Cisco Technology, Inc. - Applicants: Cisco Technology, Inc. - Inventors: Vivek Balamurugan; Chandra Nagarajan; Divjyot Sethi; Chaitanya Velpula; Manvesh Vyas; Ramana Rao Kompella; Pradhap Muthuraman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11909713B2 ## CPC - H04L 61/2514: between local and global IP addresses - G06F 9/45558: {Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects} - H04L 12/4641: {Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] (LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272)} - H04L 41/0894: Policy-based network configuration management - H04L 41/0895: Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements - H04L 41/145: {involving simulating, designing, planning or modelling of a network} - H04L 41/5019: Ensuring fulfilment of SLA - H04L 45/64: using an overlay routing layer - H04L 45/74591: {using content-addressable memories [CAM]} - H04L 49/25: Routing or path finding in a switch fabric - H04L 61/256: NAT traversal - H04L 61/2567: for reachability, e.g. inquiring the address of a correspondent behind a NAT server - H04L 69/22: Parsing or analysis of headers - G06F 2009/45595: {Network integration; Enabling network access in virtual machine instances} - H04L 12/4633: {Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling} - H04L 45/74: Address processing for routing - H04L 49/1515: Non-blocking multistage, e.g. Clos - H04L 49/1569: {Clos switching fabrics} - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract Systems, methods, and computer-readable media relate to providing a network management service. A system is configured to request first network information from a first component of a network using a public IP address for the first component, wherein the first network information includes private IP addresses for a second component in the network and translate, based on a mapping information for a private IP address space to a public IP address space, the private IP address for a second component to a public IP address for the second component. The system is further configured to request second network information from the second component using the public IP address and provide a network management service for the network based on the second network information. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: receiving, at a network device external to a network, a public Internet Protocol (IP) address of a network component of the network and network address translation (NAT) data that maps first private IP addresses for first network devices in the network to public IP addresses for the first network devices in the network; obtaining, from the network component, at the network device external to the network and in response to a communication from the network device that is directed to the network component using the public IP address of the network component second private IP addresses for second network devices in the network, wherein the first network devices in the network are different than the second network devices in the network; translating, by the network device external to the network and using the NAT data that maps the first private IP addresses for the first network devices to the public IP addresses for the first network devices, at least one private IP address for at least one network device of the second network devices in the network to at least one public IP address for the at least one network device of the second network devices, and providing, via the network device external to the network, a network management service associated with network assurance services for the network using the at least one public IP address to allow the network device external to the network to communicate with the network component, for the at least one network device of the second network devices and second network information from the at least one network device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining network assurance information from the network component using the public IP address of the network component, wherein the network assurance information comprises the second private IP addresses and at least one of configuration information of the network, a list of network devices on the network, and one or more data models of the network. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the network component comprises a network controller in the network. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the network controller comprises a centralized controller, and wherein the network comprises a software-defined network. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, from the network component and using the at least one public IP address, a request to a network address translation (NAT) device for network assurance information from the at least one network device, wherein the network management service is provided based on the network assurance information. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the network device and from a NAT device associated with the network, network assurance information comprising at least one of switch software configurations, switch hardware configurations, a network model, and network configurations. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising providing network assurance services for the network based on the network assurance information. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising querying a NAT device for the NAT data. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first network devices comprise at least one of switches, routers, servers, and endpoints. ### Claim 10 A system that is external to a network, the system comprising: one or more processors; and at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: receive a public Internet Protocol (IP) address of a network component of the network and network address translation (NAT) data that maps first private IP addresses for first network devices in the network to public IP addresses for the first network devices in the network; obtain, from the network addresses for the first network devices in the network; obtain, from the network component and in response to a communication from the network device that is directed to the network component using the public IP address of the network component, second private IP addresses for second network devices in the network, wherein the first network devices in the network are different than the second network devices in the network; translate, using the NAT data that maps the first private IP addresses for the first network devices to the public IP addresses for the first network devices, at least one private IP address for at least one network device of the second network devices in the network to at least one public IP address for the at least one network device of the second network devices; and provide a network management service associated with network assurance services for the network using the at least one public IP address to allow the network device external to the network to communicate with the network component, for the at least one network device of the second network devices and second network information from the at least one network device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to obtain network assurance information from the network component using the public IP address of the network component, wherein the network assurance information comprises the second private IP addresses and at least one of configuration information of the network, a list of network devices on the network, and one or more data models of the network. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the network component comprises a network controller in the network. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the network controller comprises a centralized controller, and wherein the network comprises a software-defined network. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to transmit, from the network component and using the at least one public IP address, a request to a network address translation (NAT) device for network assurance information from the at least one network device, wherein the network management service is provided based on the network assurance information. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to receive, by the network device and from a NAT device associated with the network, network assurance information comprising at least one of switch software configurations, switch hardware configurations, a network model, and network configurations. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to provide network assurance services for the network based on the network assurance information. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the first network devices comprise at least one of switches, routers, servers, and endpoints. ### Claim 18 A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a network device external to a network, cause the one or more processors to: receive a public Internet Protocol (IP) address of a network component of the network and network address translation (NAT) data that maps first private IP addresses for first network devices in the network to public IP addresses for the first network devices in the network; obtain, from the network component and in response to a communication from the network device that is directed to the network component using the public IP address of the network component, second private IP addresses for second network devices in the network, wherein the first network devices in the network are different than the second network devices in the network; translate, using the NAT data that maps the first private IP addresses for the first network devices to the public IP addresses for the first network devices, at least one private IP address for at least one network device of the second network devices in the network to at least one public IP address for the at least one network device of the second network devices; and provide a network management service associated with network assurance services for the network using the at least one public IP address to allow the network device external to the network to communicate with the network component, for the at least one network device of the second network devices and second network information from the at least one network device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to obtain network assurance information from the network component using the public IP address of the network component, wherein the network assurance information comprises the second private IP addresses and at least one of configuration information of the network, a list of network devices on the network, and one or more data models of the network. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to receive, by the network device and from a NAT device associated with the network, network assurance information comprising at least one of switch software configurations, switch hardware configurations, a network model, and network configurations.