Method and apparatus providing virtual private network access
AssigneeCisco Technology, Inc.
InventorsJohn Bazzinotti, Peter Davis, Victor Volpe, Rashmi Pitre, Keith Mader
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A virtual private network device enables individual machines at a remote subnet to be visible and addressable from a central site by establishing a private address range for the remote machines, forming a virtual private network tunnel from the virtual private network device to the central site, and communicating the private address range to the central site to enable connections from the central site to individual machines on the remote subnet.
Claims22
A method of providing access to a plurality of clients, through a virtual private network tunnel, from a central computer site, comprising the steps of:
- establishing a private address range to be used for address assignment between a private interface device and at least one client station, the private address range including an existing range of addresses pre-assigned to said at least one client station;
- forming a virtual private network tunnel between the private interface device and a central computer site;
- communicating network configuration information including a private address of the VPN device and the private address range of remote stations coupled to the VPN device from the private interface device to the central computer site via the virtual private network tunnel;
- comparing the network configuration information including the private address range to attributes in a stored profile at the central computer site to check the validity of the VPN device;
- and
- selectively establishing communication to the VPN device based on the comparing by allowing connections from the central computer site through the private interface device to the at least one client station using an address from said private address range.
A virtual private network (VPN) device, comprising:
- a memory;
- a database to store network configuration information including a private address of the VPN device and a range of default network addresses for use as a private address range for a plurality of client stations coupled to the VPN device, the private address range including an existing range of addresses pre-assigned to said at least one client station;
- a network interface to interface with a public network and a virtual private network for comparing the network configuration information including the private address range to attributes in a stored profile at a central computer site to check the validity of the VPN device, the virtual private network including a virtual private network tunnel;
- and
- a processor including a DHCP server to assign network addresses from said default network address range to said plurality of client stations and to selectively establish communication to the VPN device based on the comparing, said processor to communicate said assigned network addresses through said network interface across said public network via said virtual private network tunnel, thereby making each said client station accessible via said virtual private network.
A hardware client having a set of instructions for providing access to a plurality of clients through a virtual private network tunnel, from a central computer site, comprising:
- means for establishing a private address range to be used for address assignment between a private interface device and at least one client station, the private address range including an existing range of addresses pre-assigned to said at least one client station;
- means for forming a virtual private network tunnel between the private interface device and a central computer site;
- means for communicating network configuration information including a private address of the VPN device and the private address range of remote stations coupled to the VPN device from the private interface device to the central computer site via the virtual private network tunnel;
- means for comparing the network configuration information including the private address range to attributes in a stored profile at the central computer site to check the validity of the VPN device;
- and
- means for selectively establishing communication to the VPN device based on the comparing by allowing connections from the central computer site through the private interface device to the at least one client station using an address from said private address range.
A computer program product having a computer-readable storage medium including computer program logic encoded thereon that, when performed on a computer system having a coupling of a memory, a processor, and at least one communications interface, cause the computer to perform steps for performing a method of providing access to a plurality of clients, through a virtual private network tunnel, from a central computer site comprising:
- establishing a private address range to be used for address assignment between a private interface device and at least one client station, the private address range including an existing range of addresses pre-assigned to said at least one client station;
- forming a virtual private network tunnel between the private interface device and a central computer site;
- communicating network configuration information including a private address of the VPN device and the private address range of remote stations coupled to the VPN device from the private interface device to the central computer site via the virtual private network tunnel;
- comparing the network configuration information including the private address range to attributes in a stored profile at the central computer site to check the validity of the VPN device;
- and
- selectively establishing communication to the VPN device based on the comparing by allowing connections from the central computer site through the private interface device to the at least one client station using an address from said private address range.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.