Method and node for employing network connections over a connectionless transport layer protocol

A node for a communication network, the node comprising:

• a communication interface configured to transmit and receive data packets with another node of the network;
• and
• control circuitry configured to randomly generate a first port indicator, generate a data packet comprising a header and a payload formatted according to a connectionless transport layer communication protocol, wherein the connectionless protocol payload comprises a separate header comprising the first port indicator for the node, a second port indicator for the other node, and an indication to establish a connection with the other node using a port associated with the first port indicator at the node and a port associated with the second port indicator at the other node;
• wherein the control circuitry is configured to transmit the data packet by way of the communication interface to the other node;
• wherein the control circuitry is configured to receive by way of the communication interface a second data packet from the other node, wherein the second data packet comprises a header and a payload formatted according to the connectionless protocol, and wherein connectionless protocol payload of the second data packet comprises a separate header comprising an indication of a first acknowledgment of the indication to establish the connection, the first port indicator, and the second port indicator;
• and
• wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine that a connection between the node and the other node is established using the port associated with the first port indicator at the node and the port associated with the second port indicator at the other node after the second data packet is received at the node.

A node for a communication network, the node comprising:

• a communication interface configured to transmit and receive data packets with another node of the network;
• and
• control circuitry configured to receive a data packet comprising a header and a payload formatted according to a connectionless transport layer communication protocol from the other node via the communication interface, wherein the communication protocol payload comprises a separate header comprising a first port indicator for the other node randomly selected by the other node, a second port indicator for the node, and an indication to establish a connection with the other node using a port associated with the first port indicator at the other node and a port associated with the second port indicator at the node;
• wherein the control circuitry is configured to generate a second data packet comprising a header and a payload formatted according to the connectionless protocol, and wherein the connectionless protocol payload of the second data packet comprises a separate header comprising an indication of a first acknowledgment of the indication to establish the connection, the first port indicator, and the second port indicator;
• wherein the control circuitry is configured to transmit the second data packet by way of the communication interface to the other node;
• and
• wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine that a connection between the node and the other node is established using the port associated with the first port indicator at the other node and the port associated with the second port indicator at the node after the second data packet is transmitted via the communication interface.