Routing traffic between networks governed by different versions of the internet protocol

A system, comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• a processing device, coupled to the memory, the processing device to:
• receive a domain name system (DNS) request specifying a DNS name identifying a destination host, wherein the destination host is associated with a destination host address that is defined in a first address space associated with a first Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) network layer protocol ;
• and
• transmit a DNS response specifying a dummy destination address associated with the destination host address, the dummy destination address defined in a second address space associated with a second OSI network layer protocol;
• receive, by a kernel space network layer address translation module, a network packet having an original source address defined in a first address space and an original destination address matching the dummy destination address;
• identify, using a network layer address mapping transformation, a new destination address associated with the original destination address, wherein the new destination address matches the destination host address;
• substitute the original destination address of the network packet with the new destination address;
• select, from a pool of available network layer addresses defined in the second address space, a new source address;
• substitute the original source address of the network packet with the new source address;
• and
• cause the network packet to be transmitted to the destination host.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having thereon executable instructions that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to:

• receive, by a processing device executing a kernel space network layer address translation module, a network packet having an original source address defined in a first address space and an original destination address defined in the first address space, wherein the first address space is associated with a first Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) network layer protocol;
• identify, using a network layer address mapping transformation, a new destination address associated with the original destination address, wherein the new destination address is defined in a second address space associated with a second OSI network layer protocol;
• substitute the original destination address of the network packet with the new destination address;
• substitute the original source address of the network packet with a new source address;
• cause the network packet to be transmitted to a destination host identified by the new destination address;
• receive a response packet having a source address matching the substitute destination address and further having a destination address matching the substitute source address;
• substitute, in the response packet, the source address with the original destination address;
• substitute, in the response packet, the destination address with the original source address;
• and
• cause the network packet to be transmitted to a source host identified by the original source address.