System and method for implementing multiple IP addresses on multiple ports

A packet translation system for handling connections from clients on an external network to a plurality of IP addresses with a plurality of servers on an internal network, the plurality of servers having a plurality of server IP addresses and a plurality of server port numbers comprising:

• a client interface to the external network, the client interface being operative to receive and send packets to and from a remote client;
• a server interface to the internal network, the server interface being operative to receive and send packets to and from a server, the server being operative to establish a connection with the remote client;
• a connection distributor which is operative to distribute connections to a selected server having a selected server IP address and a selected server port number from the plurality of servers;
• a packet interceptor which is operative to intercept incoming packets received at the client interface which have a packet destination IP address and a packet destination port number corresponding to a virtual machine IP address and a virtual machine port number which is supported by the packet translation system;
• a packet header translator which is operative to translate the packet destination IP address and the packet destination port number of incoming packets to a physical machine IP address and a physical machine port number that corresponds to the selected server IP address and the selected server port number which runs a real process corresponding to a virtual process simulated on the virtual port number;
• whereby the packet translation system receives packets at the client interface and the packet destination IP address and the packet destination port number corresponding to the virtual machine IP address and the virtual machine port number are translated to the server IP address and the server port number and the packets are forwarded to the server via the server interface.

A method for handling connections from clients on an external network to a plurality of IP addresses with a server having a server IP address and a plurality of server port numbers, each port number corresponding to a distinct one of the plurality of IP addresses comprising:

• receiving an incoming packet from a remote client, the incoming packet having a packet destination IP address and a packet destination port number corresponding to a virtual machine IP address and a virtual machine port number which is supported by the server;
• translating the packet destination IP address and the packet destination port number of incoming packets to a physical machine IP address and a physical machine port number that corresponds to the server IP address and the server port number of the server, the server running a real process corresponding to a virtual process simulated on the virtual port number;
• forwarding the packet to the server, the server being operative to establish a connection with the remote client;
• whereby packets are received and the packet destination IP address and the packet destination port number corresponding to the virtual machine IP address and the virtual machine port number are translated to the server IP address and the server port number and the packets are forwarded to the server.

A packet translation system for forwarding a packet to a server having a server IP address and two or more server ports, each corresponding to a distinct one of two or more defined virtual IP addresses, the packet having a packet destination IP address matching one of the two or more defined virtual IP addresses, the packet translation system comprising:

• a client interface to an external network, the client interface being operative to receive packets from a remote client;
• a server interface to the server, the server interface being operative to send packets to the server, the server being operative to handle packets sent from the remote client;
• and
• a packet translator which is operative to translate the packet destination IP address to the server IP address and to provide a destination port address to the packet, which destination port address is selected from the two or more ports and corresponds to the packet destination IP address.