US 6,101,543 A · Pseudo network adapter for frame capture, encapsulation and encryption

Abstract

A new pseudo network adapter is disclosed providing an interface for capturing packets from a local communications protocol stack for transmission on the virtual private network. The system further includes a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server emulator, and an Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) server emulator. The new system indicates to the local communications protocol stack that nodes on a remote private network are reachable through a gateway that is in turn reachable through the pseudo network adapter. The new pseudo network adapter includes a transmit path for processing data packets from the local communications protocol stack for transmission through the pseudo network adapter. The transmit path includes an encryption engine for encrypting the data packets and an encapsulation engine for encapsulating the encrypted data packets into tunnel data frames. The pseudo network adapter passes the tunnel data frames back to the local communications protocol stack for transmission to a physical network adapter on a remote server node. The new pseudo network adapter further includes an interface into a transport layer of the-local communications protocol stack for capturing received data packets from the remote server node, and a receive path for processing received data packets captured from the transport layer of the local communications protocol stack. The receive path includes a decapsulation engine, and a decryption engine, and passes the decrypted, decapsulated data packets back to the local communications protocol stack for delivery to a user.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A pseudo network adapter providing a virtual private network, comprising:

an interface for capturing packets from a local communications protocol stack for transmission on said virtual private network, said interface appearing to said local communications protocol stack as a network adapter device driver for a network adapter connected to said virtual private network;
a first server emulator, providing a first reply packet responsive to a first request packet captured by said interface for capturing packets from said local communications protocol stack for transmission on said virtual private network, said first request packet requesting a network layer address for said pseudo network adapter, said first reply indicating a network layer address for said pseudo network adapter;
and
a second server emulator, providing a second reply packet responsive to an second request packet captured by said interface for capturing packets from said local communications protocol stack for transmission on said virtual private network, said second request packet requesting a physical address corresponding to a network layer address of a second pseudo network adapter, said second pseudo network adapter located on a remote server node, said second reply indicating a predetermined, reserved physical address.

1 more element

A method for providing a pseudo network adapter for a virtual private network, comprising:

capturing packets from a local communications protocol stack for transmission on said virtual private network, said capturing through an interface appearing to said local communications stack as a network adapter device driver for a network adapter connected to said virtual private network;
issuing a first reply packet responsive to a first request packet captured by said interface for capturing packets from said local communications protocol stack for transmission on said virtual private network, said first request packet requesting a network layer address for said pseudo network adapter, said first reply indicating a network layer address for said pseudo network adapter;
and
issuing a second reply packet responsive to a second request packet captured by said interface for capturing packets from said local communications protocol stack for transmission on said virtual private network, said second request packet requesting a physical address corresponding to a network layer address of a second pseudo network adapter, said second pseudo network adapter located on a remote server node, said ARP Reply indicating a predetermined, reserved physical address.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Pseudo network adapter for frame capture, encapsulation and encryption

Life of this patent

Pseudo network adapter for frame capture, encapsulation and encryption

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22