Server and method for providing specific network services

A method for dynamically managing pools of IP addresses on a computer network with different characteristics and moving a user from pool to pool as required comprising the steps of:

• 1) maintaining a registry of user records and associated sets of characteristics;
• 2) further maintaining a registry of IP address pools with associated sets of characteristics;
• 3) receiving a request from a user to switch from a first set of characteristics to a second set of characteristics;
• 4) modifying the user record in the registry so that the set of characteristics associated with the user matches the second set of characteristics;
• and
• 5) assigning an IP address to the user from the IP address pool associated with the second set of characteristics.

A method for providing a routable IP address to a remote computer comprising the steps of:

• 1) providing a pool of routable IP addresses on a server;
• 2) receiving at the server a request from the remote computer to establish an IP tunnel between the remote computer and the server;
• 3) establishing an IP tunnel between the remote computer and the server;
• 4) further receiving a request from the remote computer through the tunnel for the routable IP address from the server;
• and
• 5) further providing the routable IP address to the remote computer from the server through the tunnel.

A server to provide enhanced and secure access to a group of users initiated by a non-technically trained user on a computer network without the intervention of information systems personnel comprising:

• 1) a registration module to receive a request including a group identifier from the user;
• 2) a registration driver to register the user to access the group of users, assign the group of users and maintain registration information and state information of a network infrastructure associated with the group of users;
• 3) a module to assign VLAN tags based on registration status;
• and
• 4) a packet driver module to insert/remove VLAN tags from packets based on registration status.

A server for dynamically managing pools of IP addresses on a computer network with different characteristics and moving a user from pool to pool as required comprising:

• 1) a module to receive a request from a user to switch from a first set of characteristics to a second set of characteristics;
• 2) a registration driver to register the user and assign an IP address to the user from IP address pools associated with the second set of characteristics, and maintain a registry of user records, associated sets of characteristics and IP address pools with associated sets of characteristics;
• and
• 3) a DHCP module to issue an address switching request to the registration driver and receive IP addresses from the registration driver and allocate IP addresses to users.

A server for providing a routable IP address to a remote computer comprising:

• 1) a module to receive a request from the remote compute through a tunnel for the routable IP address;
• 2) a registration driver to assign the routable IP address to the remote computer from a pool of routable IP addresses and establish an IP tunnel;
• and
• 3) a DHCP module to provide the routable IP address to the remote computer through the tunnel.