Addressing method and system for using an anycast address
OwnerJarno Rajahalmeinventor
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Abstract
The present invention relates to an addressing method and system for using an anycast address, wherein a data source or server (21 to 23) can be registered in a network device to become a possible receiver for anycast traffic for a specific anycast address. This is achieved by providing a mapping and binding update function of the anycast address to the server's real address. The anycast server can provide authentication data to the client providing a proof that the server indeed has been authorized to respond to the used anycast address. Thereby, an anycast address can be used as a source address and an authorization of anycast servers can be provided.
Claims39
A method for addressing a data source (21 to 23) in a data network by using an anycast address assigned to more than one interface, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) designating said data source (21 to 23) in said data network as a possible receiver for data traffic for said anycast address;
- b) mapping said anycast address to a real address of said data source (21 to 23);
- and
- c) providing a binding update function for maintaining a mapping between said anycast address and said real address of said data source (21 to 23) between said data source (21 to 23) and either a client (11, 12), or a network node (6) with an anycast agent functionality, or both.
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a mobility management function of the Mobile IP is used to hand over clients from one data source to another or from a network interface or link to another.
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said data source (21 to 23) binds with said network node (6) to notify its availability.
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein multiple bindings for the same anycast address to different data sources (21 to 23) are managed by said network node (6).
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said data source (21 to 23) initiates bindings via multiple different IP addresses.
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a service handover from a failed link to a working one is performed by a new binding update to said network node (6) and/or to the clients (11, 12).
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said anycast address is routed to said network node (6) according to an anycast group defined by said anycast address, and wherein a data source wishing to join said anycast group sends a binding update message to said network node (6).
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a load or capacity information provided by said binding update function or a network topology information is used for selecting a data source (21 to 23) for a client (11, 12) sending a request.
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a binding update with zero life-time is sent to said network node (6) for each binding initiated by a data source (21 to 23), if said data source (21 to 23) needs to by taken down.
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein plural ones of said network node (6) are used to serve said anycast address, and wherein an anycast address delivery is used to reach one of said plural ones of said network node (6) for an anycast addressed service request.
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a caching of a client to server association is flushed for clients which do not send data packets to said data source (21 to 23) via said network node (6).
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said network node (6) monitors data sources (21 to 23) addressed by said anycast address, to provide a fault tolerance and/or fail-over support.
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said network node (6) assumes that said data source (21 to 23) is down when it does not receive any data packets via a reverse tunnel for response packets from said data source (21 to 23), and verifies this by sending a binding request to said data source (21 to 23).
A system for addressing a data source (21 to 23) in a data network by using an anycast address assigned to more than one interface, said system comprising:
- a) mapping means (11, 12;
- 6) for mapping said anycast address to the real address of said data source (21 to 23);
- and
- b) binding update means (11, 12;
- 6) for providing a binding update function for maintaining an address relation between a client (11, 12) which has used said anycast address and said data source (21 to 23).
A network node for addressing a data source (21 to 23) in a data network by using an anycast address assigned to more than one interface, said network node (6) comprising binding update means for providing a binding update function for maintaining an address relation between a client (11, 12) which has used said anycast address and said data source (21 to 23).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.