Carrying TCP over an ICN network

• US 10,158,570 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2016
• Issued: 12/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Moiseenko, Ilya V., Oran, David R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Duong, Duc T
• Application Number:
  US15/263,639
• Publication Number:
  US 20170373975A1
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/748 using longest matching prefix
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure are directed to systems, network nodes, and methods performed in a network node. A network node can host a TCP/ICN proxy for routing TCP packets through an ICN network. The network node can serve as a forward proxy or a reverse proxy. As a forward proxy, the network node can receive a first packet at the network node, the first packet compliant with a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) protocol; encapsulate one or more TCP headers from the first packet into a payload field of a second packet, the second packet compliant with an Information Centric Networking (ICN) protocol; and transmit the second packet to a destination through an ICN network. As a reverse proxy, the network node can receive an ICN packet from an ICN network, decapsulate the ICN packet to its TCP components, and transmit the TCP packet through a TCP network.

Claims

1. A method performed in a network node, the method comprising:

receiving a first packet at the network node, the first packet compliant with a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) protocol;

encapsulating one or more TCP headers from the first packet into a payload field of a second packet, the second packet compliant with an Information Centric Networking (ICN) protocol;

transmitting the second packet to a destination through an ICN network;

determining that the first packet does not have a data payload;

identifying a control flag from the first packet; and

determining to encapsulate the control flag from the first packet into an ICN Interest message based on the lack of payload in the first packet; and

wherein transmitting the second packet comprises transmitting the ICN Interest message.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a name for the ICN Interest message for routing the ICN Interest message;

augmenting the name of the ICN Interest message with the control flag from the first packet.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising encapsulating the control flag in the payload field of the second packet.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the control flag comprises one or more of a SYN, ACK, SYN-ACK, NACK, or FIN flag.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the first packet includes a data payload; and

determining to encapsulate the data from the first packet into an ICN Data message based on the presence of data payload in the first packet; and

wherein transmitting the second packet comprises transmitting the ICN Data message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein encapsulating one or more TCP headers from the first packet into a payload field of a second packet comprises:

determining that a number of TCP data segments in a TCP queue has reached a threshold number of segments; and

encapsulating a predetermined number of TCP data segments in a payload field the second packet, wherein the second packet is an ICN Data message.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving one or more ICN Interest messages;

adding the one or more ICN Interest messages to an Interest queue;

identifying an oldest ICN Interest message in the Interest queue that has not expired; and

using a name of the oldest ICN Interest message in the Interest queue as a name for the second packet.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining that all of the ICN Interest messages in the Interest queue have expired;

transmitting a wake up message to a network node hosting a reverse proxy through the ICN network,

receiving one or more ICN Interest messages based on the wake up message; and

storing the one or more ICN Interest messages in the Interest queue.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an ICN data message from a network node hosting a forward proxy through the ICN network;

decapsulating the ICN data message to extract TCP/IP header information and TCP data payload from a payload of the ICN data message;

determining a destination for the TCP data payload; and

transmitting the TCP data payload as a TCP packet to the destination.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an ICN name for routing the second packet based on a domain name service (DNS) lookup using TCP/IP information in the first packet; and

using the ICN name as a routing prefix for the second packet.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recording ACK numbers for traffic routed through the network node;

receiving a data packet comprising a data payload and an ACK number that is higher than a highest recorded ACK number;

sending an ICN Interest message to a reverse proxy hosted by a network node through the ICN network requesting an Interest message from the reverse proxy;

receiving an ICN Interest message from the reverse proxy; and

using the ICN Interest message to encapsulate the data packet as an ICN data packet for routing through the ICN network.

12. A computer-readable non-transitory medium comprising one or more instructions, the instructions when executed on a processor are operable to:

receive a first packet at the network node, the first packet compliant with a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) protocol;

encapsulate one or more TCP headers from the first packet into a payload field of a second packet, the second packet compliant with an Information Centric Networking (ICN) protocol;

transmit the second packet to a destination through an ICN network;

determine that the first packet does not have a data payload;

identify a control flag from the first packet; and

determine to encapsulate the control flag from the first packet into an ICN Interest message based on the lack of payload in the first packet; and

wherein transmitting the second packet comprises transmitting the ICN Interest message.

13. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions when executed are further operable to:

identify a name for the ICN Interest message for routing the ICN Interest message;

augment the name of the ICN Interest message with the control flag from the first packet.

14. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions when executed are further operable to:

encapsulate the control flag in the payload field of the second packet.

15. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 12, wherein the control flag comprises one or more of a SYN, ACK, SYN-ACK, NACK, or FIN flag.

16. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions when executed are further operable to:

determine that the first packet includes a data payload; and

determine to encapsulate the data from the first packet into an ICN Data message based on the presence of data payload in the first packet; and

wherein transmitting the second packet comprises transmitting the ICN Data message.

17. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 12, wherein encapsulating one or more TCP headers from the first packet into a payload field of a second packet comprises:

determining that a number of TCP data segments in a TCP queue has reached a threshold number of segments; and

encapsulating a predetermined number of TCP data segments in a payload field the second packet, wherein the second packet is an ICN Data message.

18. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions when executed are further operable to:

receive one or more ICN Interest messages;

add the one or more ICN Interest messages to an Interest queue;

identify an oldest ICN Interest message in the Interest queue; and

use a name of the oldest ICN Interest message in the Interest queue as a name for the second packet.

19. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions when executed are further operable to:

determine that all of the ICN Interest messages in the Interest queue have expired;

transmit a wake up message to a network node hosting a reverse proxy through the ICN network,

receive one or more ICN Interest messages based on the wake up message; and

store the one or more ICN Interest messages in the Interest queue.

20. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions when executed are further operable to:

receive an ICN data message from a network node hosting a forward proxy through the ICN network;

decapsulate the ICN data message to extract TCP /IP header information and TCP data payload from a payload of the ICN data message;

determine a destination for the TCP data payload; and

transmit the TCP data payload as a TCP packet to the destination.

21. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions when executed are further operable to:

determine an ICN name for routing the second packet based on a domain name service (DNS) lookup using TCP/IP information in the first packet; and

use the ICN name as a routing prefix for the second packet.

22. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions when executed are further operable to:

record ACK numbers for traffic routed through the network node;

receive a data packet comprising a data payload and an ACK number that is higher than a highest recorded ACK number;

send an ICN Interest message to a reverse proxy hosted by a network node through the ICN network requesting an Interest message from the reverse proxy;

receive an ICN Interest message from the reverse proxy; and

use the ICN Interest message to encapsulate the data packet as an ICN data packet for routing through the ICN network.

23. A network element, the network element comprising:

at least one memory element having instructions stored thereon;

at least one processors coupled to the at least one memory element and configured to execute the instructions to cause the network element to;

receive a first packet at the network node, the first packet compliant with a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) protocol;

encapsulate one or more TCP headers from the first packet into a payload field of a second packet, the second packet compliant with an Information Centric Networking (ICN) protocol; and

transmit the second packet to a destination through an ICN network

wherein the instructions cause the network element to;

determine that the first packet does not have a data payload;

identify a control flag from the first packet; and

determine to encapsulate the control flag from the first packet into an ICN Interest message based on the lack of payload in the first packet; and

wherein transmitting the second packet comprises transmitting the ICN Interest message.

24. The network element of claim 23, wherein the instructions cause the network element to:

identify a name for the ICN Interest message for routing the ICN Interest message;

augment the name of the ICN Interest message with the control flag from the first packet.

25. The network element of claim 23, wherein the instructions when executed are further operable to:

encapsulate the control flag in the payload field of the second packet.

26. The network element of claim 23, wherein the control flag comprises one or more of a SYN, ACK, SYN-ACK, NACK, or FIN flag.

27. The network element of claim 23, wherein the instructions cause the network element to:

determine that the first packet includes a data payload; and

determine to encapsulate the data from the first packet into an ICN Data message based on the presence of data payload in the first packet; and

wherein transmitting the second packet comprises transmitting the ICN Data message.

28. The network element of claim 23, wherein encapsulating one or more TCP headers from the first packet into a payload field of a second packet comprises:

determining that a number of TCP data segments in a TCP queue has reached a threshold number of segments; and

encapsulating a predetermined number of TCP data segments in a payload field the second packet, wherein the second packet is an ICN Data message.

29. The network element of claim 23, wherein the instructions cause the network element to:

receive one or more ICN Interest messages;

add the one or more ICN Interest messages to an Interest queue;

identify an oldest ICN Interest message in the Interest queue; and

use a name of the oldest ICN Interest message in the Interest queue as a name for the second packet.

30. The network element of claim 29, wherein the instructions cause the network element to:

determine that all of the ICN Interest messages in the Interest queue have expired;

transmit a wake up message to a network node hosting a reverse proxy through the ICN network,

receive one or more ICN Interest messages based on the wake up message; and

store the one or more ICN Interest messages in the Interest queue.

31. The network element of claim 23, wherein the instructions cause the network element to:

receive an ICN data message from a network node hosting a forward proxy through the ICN network;

decapsulate the ICN data message to extract TCP /IP header information and TCP data payload from a payload of the ICN data message;

determine a destination for the TCP data payload; and

transmit the TCP data payload as a TCP packet to the destination.

32. The network element of claim 23, wherein the instructions cause the network element to:

determine an ICN name for routing the second packet based on a domain name service (DNS) lookup using TCP /IP information in the first packet; and

use the ICN name as a routing prefix for the second packet.

33. The network element of claim 23, wherein the instructions cause the network element to:

record ACK numbers for traffic routed through the network node;

receive a data packet comprising a data payload and an ACK number that is higher than a highest recorded ACK number;

send an ICN Interest message to a reverse proxy hosted by a network node through the ICN network requesting an Interest message from the reverse proxy;

receive an ICN Interest message from the reverse proxy; and

use the ICN Interest message to encapsulate the data packet as an ICN data packet for routing through the ICN network.

34. A method performed in a network node, the method comprising:

receiving a first packet at the network node, the first packet compliant with a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) protocol;

encapsulating one or more TCP headers from the first packet into a payload field of a second packet, the second packet compliant with an Information Centric Networking (ICN) protocol; and

transmitting the second packet to a destination through an ICN network,

wherein encapsulating one or more TCP headers from the first packet into a payload field of a second packet comprises;

determining that a number of TCP data segments in a TCP queue has reached a threshold number of segments; and

encapsulating a predetermined number of TCP data segments in a payload field the second packet, wherein the second packet is an ICN Data message.

35. A method performed in a network node, the method comprising:

receiving a first packet at the network node, the first packet compliant with a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) protocol;

encapsulating one or more TCP headers from the first packet into a payload field of a second packet, the second packet compliant with an Information Centric Networking (ICN) protocol;

transmitting the second packet to a destination through an ICN network;

receiving one or more ICN Interest messages;

adding the one or more ICN Interest messages to an Interest queue;

identifying an oldest ICN Interest message in the Interest queue that has not expired; and

using a name of the oldest ICN Interest message in the Interest queue as a name for the second packet.