System and method for creating a secure hybrid overlay network
AssigneeVMware, Inc.
InventorsAdi Ruppin, Elad Rave
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for creating a secure overlay network on top of the public Internet, optionally by creating an identity-based network in which user identities are the identifiers rather than IP addresses, and whereas only authenticated and authorized users whose identity has been established have visibility and access to the network; establishing fully encrypted and private network segments; providing superior performance through improved protocols and routing; and implementing a decentralized topology that allows any two nodes on it to communicate regardless of each node's location or network settings—as if the two nodes are on the same local area network.
Claims21
1-20. (canceled)
A method of connecting network nodes, the method comprising:
- in response to a first request to connect a first network node to a second network node, examining a first policy to determine whether the first network node is allowed to connect to the second network node;
- based on a determination that the first network node is allowed to connect to the second network node, accepting the first request to allow the first and second network nodes to connect through a tunnel;
- in response to a second request to connect the third network node to a fourth network node, examining a second policy to determine whether the third network node is allowed to connect to the fourth network node;
- based on a determination that the third network node is not allowed to connect to the fourth network node, rejecting the second request.
A non-transitory machine readable medium storing a program for execution by at least one processing unit to connect network nodes, the program comprising sets of instructions for:
- in response to a first request to connect a first network node to a second network node, examining a first policy to determine whether the first network node is allowed to connect to the second network node;
- based on a determination that the first network node is allowed to connect to the second network node, accepting the first request to allow the first and second network nodes to connect through a tunnel;
- in response to a second request to connect the third network node to a fourth network node, examining a second policy to determine whether the third network node is allowed to connect to the fourth network node;
- based on a determination that the third network node is not allowed to connect to the fourth network node, rejecting the second request.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.