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US 7,624,195 B1Granted
Method and apparatus for distributed network address translation processing
AssigneeCisco Technology, Inc.
InventorsKaushik P. Biswas, Siva S. Jayasenan, Michael J. Sullenberger, Mark A. Denny, Senthil Sivakumar, Suresh Satapati
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Abstract
Methods and apparatuses for distributing network address translation. By having a gateway inform inside devices of global addresses, the gateway can avoid performing many functions of a traditional NAT box. Specifically, an inside device is informed of a global address shared by all devices on the inside device's network segment. Each device on that segment would be assigned a range of ports to distinguish messages from separate devices that use the same global address.
Claims21
A method of distributing network address translation (NAT) processing within a private network comprising:
- at a gateway device, receiving an IP address request from an intermediary router;
- at the gateway device, assigning a first IP address to the intermediary router;
- at the gateway device, assigning a second IP address to the intermediary router;
- from the gateway device, notifying the intermediary router of an outside IP address and a port range associated with devices on the intermediary router's network segment, wherein the outside IP address and the port range belong to an outside address pool to be utilized by the intermediary router for translating IP traffic that is being sent between a first device that is in the intermediary router's network segment and a second device that is outside the private network, and wherein the port range is apportioned from the outside address pool to the intermediary router so as to distinguish the intermediary router from other intermediary routers of the private network;
- routing outside IP traffic from the gateway device to the intermediary router's second IP address when the outside IP traffic includes the outside IP address and the port range as a destination so that such routing to the intermediary router's second address is indicative to the intermediary router that such intermediary router is to perform NAT on the routed outside IP traffic based on the outside IP address and the port range prior to routing such outside IP traffic to a final destination associated with said outside IP traffic;
- and
- routing inside IP traffic from the gateway device to the intermediary router's first IP address so that such routing to the intermediary router's first IP address is indicative to the intermediary router that such intermediary router is not to perform NAT on the routed inside IP traffic based on the outside IP address and the port range prior to routing such inside IP traffic to a final destination associated with said inside IP traffic.
4 more elements
A gateway for distributing NAT processing within a private network, comprising:
- a processor;
- memory, operably connected with the processor;
- and a network interface, operably connected with the processor;
- wherein the processor is operable to perform instructions including:
- receiving an IP address request from an intermediary router;
- assigning two IP address to the intermediary router, the first IP address being useful for inside traffic, the second IP address being useful for outside traffic;
- notifying the intermediary router of an outside IP address and a port range associated with devices on the intermediary router's network segment, wherein the outside IP address and the port range belong to an outside address pool to be utilized by the intermediary router for translating IP traffic that is being sent between a first device that is in the intermediary router's network segment and a second device that is outside the private network, and wherein the port range is apportioned from the outside address pool to the intermediary router so as to distinguish the intermediary router from other intermediary routers of the private network;
- and
- routing outside IP traffic to the intermediary router's second IP address when the outside IP traffic includes the outside IP address and the port range as a destination so that such routing to the intermediary router's second address is indicative to the intermediary router that such intermediary router is to perform NAT on the routed outside IP traffic based on the outside IP address and the port range prior to routing such outside IP traffic to a final destination associated with said outside IP traffic;
- and
- routing inside IP traffic to the intermediary router's first IP address so that such routing to the intermediary router's first IP address is indicative to the intermediary router that such intermediary router is not to perform NAT on the routed inside IP traffic based on the outside IP address and the port range prior to routing such inside IP traffic to a final destination associated with said inside IP traffic.
8 more elements
A gateway for distributing NAT processing within a private network, comprising:
- means for receiving an IP address request from an intermediary router;
- means for assigning two IP address to the intermediary router, the first IP address being useful for inside traffic, the second IP address being useful for outside traffic;
- means for notifying the intermediary router of an outside IP address and a port range associated with devices on the intermediary router's network segment, wherein the outside IP address and the port range belong to an outside address pool to be utilized by the intermediary router for translating IP traffic that is being sent between a first device that is in the intermediary router's network segment and a second device that is outside the private network and wherein the port range is apportioned from the outside address pool to the intermediary router so as to distinguish the intermediary router from other intermediary routers of the private network;
- means for routing outside IP traffic to the intermediary router's second IP address when the outside IP traffic includes the outside IP address and the port range as a destination so that such routing to the intermediary router's second IP address is indicative to the intermediary router that such intermediary router is to perform NAT on the routed outside IP traffic based on the outside IP address and the port range prior to routing such outside IP traffic to a final destination associated with said outside IP traffic;
- and
- means for routing inside IP traffic to the intermediary router's first IP address so that such routing to the intermediary router's first IP address is indicative to the intermediary router that such intermediary router is not to perform NAT on the routed inside IP traffic based on the outside IP address and the port range prior to routing such inside IP traffic to a final destination associated with said inside IP traffic.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.