Method and system for dual-network address utilization

A dual network address utilization system, comprising in combination:

• a dual protocol stack, wherein the dual protocol stack includes a first portion for networking protocols using X-bit network addresses and a second portion for networking protocols using Y-bit network addresses;
• a plurality of network devices including the dual protocol stack;
• a local network using X-bit network addresses;
• a remote network using X-bit network addresses;
• an intermediate network using Y-bit network addresses;
• a virtual tunnel gateway for adding a remote tunnel header for a remote virtual tunnel for a data packet with a header including X-bit network addresses sent from a local network device on a local network using X-bit network addresses across an intermediate network using Y-bit network addresses to a remote network device on a remote network using X-bit network addresses for removing a local tunnel header including X-bit network addresses for a data packet with a header including Y-bit network addresses, and for transmitting the data packet with the header including Y-bit network address across the intermediate network using Y-bit network addresses.

A method for dual network address utilization, comprising the steps of:

• receiving an data packet in a dual Internet Protocol stack on a first network device on a local Internet Protocol network for a second network device on a remote Internet Protocol network, wherein the local Internet Protocol network uses 128-bit Internet Protocol version-6 addresses, the remote second network uses 128-bit Internet Protocol Network addresses and the local Internet Protocol network is connected to the remote Internet Protocol network by a third Internet Protocol network that uses 32-bit Internet Protocol addresses;
• determining from the dual Internet Protocol stack whether the data packet will use a 128-bit Internet Protocol version-6 address, and if so,
• selecting a first portion of the dual Internet Protocol stack using 128-bit Internet Protocol version-6 addresses,
• adding a header to the data packet including a 128-bit Internet Protocol version-6 network addresses,
• transmitting the data packet to a local virtual tunnel gateway on the local Internet Protocol network using the header with 128-bit Internet Protocol version-6 network addresses, wherein the local virtual tunnel gateway adds a remote virtual tunnel header including 32-bit Internet Protocol version-4 network addresses and transmits the data packet to the second network-device on the remote Internet Protocol network over a remote virtual tunnel via the third Internet Protocol network that uses 32-bit Internet Protocol version-4 addresses;
• determining from the dual Internet Protocol stack whether the data packet will use a 128-bit Internet Protocol version-6 address, and if not,
• selecting a second portion of the dual Internet Protocol stack using 32-bit Internet Protocol version-4 addresses,
• adding a header to the data packet including 32-bit Internet Protocol version-4 network addresses,
• adding a virtual tunnel header to the data packet including 128-bit Internet Protocol version-6 network addresses,
• transmitting the data packet in a local virtual tunnel to the local virtual tunnel gateway using the 128-bit Internet Protocol addresses version-6 in the virtual tunnel header,
• removing the virtual tunnel header with the 128-bit Internet Protocol addresses version-6 on the local virtual tunnel gateway, and
• transmitting the data packet from the local virtual tunnel gateway on the local Internet Protocol network to the second network device on the remote Internet Protocol network over the third Internet Protocol network using the 32-bit Internet Protocol version-4 addresses in the data packet.