Method and system for implementing and managing a multimedia access network device

• US 20030093563A1
• Filed: 10/09/2002
• Published: 05/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Edgewater Networks Incorporated (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Edgewater Networks Incorporated (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Inventors: Allen, Noel Gerard, Young, Bruce Fitzgerald, Hurwit, David Mitchell
• Granted Patent: US 7,274,684 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/25 of the same type
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/029 Firewall traversal, e.g. tunnelling or, creating pinholes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/90 Internet, e.g. Internet phone, webphone, internet-based telephony

Abstract

In a complete network-in-a-box system acting as an enterprise network demarcation point, packets such as voice, video and data packets, are routed over common network connections, such as LAN and WAN. The packets are mapped from a public address field (such as an IP address) and port number to a private address field and port number, the mapping process typically being handled by a NAT (Network Address Translation). The packets are also prioritized, by marking the packets for priority queuing and routing, and configuring the bandwidths of the WAN traffic and the voice traffic to predetermined quantities and configuring the address fields of the voice devices. Simultaneous transmission of the various packets can be limited to predetermined quantities, typically by utilizing a CAC (Client Access Control). Secure firewalls are also included as well as a performance test client application that provides a defined workload generated across the WAN interface for capacity planning measurements and allows remote monitoring of the QoS (Quality of Service) data, such as latency, jitter, lost packets and MOS scores. Optionally, a simple, common remote management interface is included, allowing service providers to configure, upgrade and manage the system. Additionally, address fields can be provided to voice, video or data devices attached to a LAN port. VPN authentication and encrypted sessions can be tunneled through the firewall for access to an internal network by using a VPN terminator. For power outages and other emergency purposes, additional ports that connect to PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) analog telephone lines as well as other analog telephones or devices, can be provided. Another advantageous element is that most of the above components or features may be enabled or disabled.

Claims

1. A method for processing at least one packet over a network, comprising the steps of:

transmitting and receiving said at least one packet;

mapping said at least one packet from a private IP address field and a private port number to a public IP address field and a public port number respectively, using an ALG database;

mapping said at least one packet from said public IP address field and said public port number to said private IP address field and said private port number respectively, using said ALG database;

limiting concurrent transmission and reception of said at least one packet;

providing a firewall for said at least one packet;

generating a broadband traffic workload for analysis and capacity planning of broadband usage; and

improving QoS by prioritizing transmission and reception of said at least one packet.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one packet is a voice, video or data packet.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said port numbers are UDP port numbers.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of remote configuring, managing, monitoring or upgrading at least one of said steps of claim 1.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing at least one IP address to at least one of voice, video and data devices attached to at least one LAN port.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of tunneling at least one of VPN, encrypted and decrypted sessions through said firewall for access to an internal network.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing an analog voice means.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said analog voice means comprise at least one of Foreign Exchange Office (FXO) port connectable to at least one Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) analog telephone line, and at least one Foreign Exchange Station (FXS) port connectable to at least one analog telephone or device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said mapping step comprises processing said at least one data packet through a Network Address Translation (NAT) process.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of improving QoS comprises marking said at least one packet for priority queuing and routing, and configuring bandwidths of WAN and voice traffic to predetermined quantities and further configuring at least one IP address of at least one voice device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said limiting step comprises restricting concurrent calls to a predetermined quantity or an aggregate amount of bandwidth.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said QoS comprises at least one of latency, jitter, lost packets and MOS scores.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said broadband traffic workload comprises a mix of voice and data packets.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of said steps may be enabled or disabled.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said method is a primary method which further comprises a secondary method identical to said primary method, wherein said secondary method replaces said primary method when said primary method fails.

16. A method for processing at least one SIP or H.323 packet over a network, comprising the steps of:

receiving said at least one SIP or H.323 packet; and

mapping said at least one SIP or H.323 packet from a private IP address field to a public IP address field and a private TID number to a public TID number using an ALG database.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said mapping step comprises the steps of:

receiving said at least one SIP or H.323 packet from a LAN comprising said private IP address field;

storing said private IP address field and said private TID number in said ALG database and assigning said public TID number and inserting said public TID number into said ALG database;

determining whether a destination route is through an SIP or H.323 proxy, wherein if said destination route is not through said SIP or H.323 proxy, then said at least one SIP or H.323 packet is dropped; and

wherein if said destination route is through said SIP or H.323 proxy, then replacing said private IP address field with said public IP address field and replacing said private TID number with said public TID number, and transmitting said at least one SIP or H.323 packet to a WAN comprising said public IP address field.

17. A method for processing at least one SIP or H.323 packet over a network, comprising the steps of:

receiving said at least one SIP or H.323 packet; and

mapping said at least one SIP or H.323 packet from a public IP address field to a private IP address field and a public TID number to a private port TID number using an ALG database.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said mapping step comprises the steps of:

receiving said at least one SIP or H.323 packet from a WAN comprising said public IP address field;

storing said public IP address field and said public TID number in said ALG database and assigning said private TID number and inserting said private TID number into said ALG database;

determining whether said public TID number and said mapped private TID number and said mapped private IP address field exists in said ALG database, wherein if said public TID number or said mapped private TID number or said mapped private IP address field does not exist in said ALG database, then said at least one SIP or H.323 packet is dropped; and

wherein if said public TID number or said mapped private TID number or said mapped private IP address field does exist in said ALG database, then replacing said public IP address field with said private IP address field and replacing said public TID number with said private TID number, and transmitting said at least one SIP or H.323 packet to a LAN comprising said private IP address field.

20. A method for processing at least one SIP or H.323 packet over a network, comprising the steps of:

receiving said at least one SIP or H.323 packet;

mapping said at least one SIP or H.323 packet from a private IP address field to a public IP address field and a private TID number to a public TID number using an ALG database;

scanning said at least one SIP or H.323 packet to detect an SDP field wherein said SDP field includes at least one private UDP port number for receiving at least one RTP or RTCP packet from a LAN comprising said private IP address field and transmitting said at least one RTP or RTCP packet to a WAN comprising said public IP address field;

binding said private IP address field with said at least one private UDP port number included in said SDP field to a new private UDP port number selected by a MAND, and binding said public IP address field to a new public port number selected by said MAND such that said at least one RTP or RTCP packet can be received via said LAN comprising said private IP address field on said new private UDP port number, and is transmitted on said new public UDP port number via said WAN comprising said public IP address field, and said at least one RTP or RTCP packet can also be received via said WAN comprising said public IP address field on said new public UDP port number, and is transmitted on said new private UDP port number via said LAN comprising said private IP address field; and

unbinding said private IP address field with said at least one private UDP port number included in said SDP field from said new private UDP port number, and unbinding said public IP address field from said new public UDP port number such that said at least one RTP or RTCP packet is not transmitted on said new public and said new private UDP port numbers wherein said new public and said new private UDP port numbers are available for reuse.

22. The method of claim 20 or 21, wherein said mapping step occurs within 10 milliseconds (ms) of receiving said at least one SIP or H.323 packet comprising at least one said SDP field.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein said mapping step comprises the steps of:

receiving said at least one SIP or H.323 packet from a LAN comprising said private IP address field;

storing said private IP address field and said private TID number in said ALG database and assigning said public TID number and inserting said public TID number into said ALG database;

determining whether a destination route is through a MAND proxy, wherein if said destination route is not through said MAND proxy, then said at least one SIP or H.323 packet is dropped; and

wherein if said destination route is through said MAND proxy, then replacing said private IP address field with said public IP address field and replacing said private TID number with said public TID number, and transmitting said at least one SIP or H.323 packet to a WAN comprising said public IP address field.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of mapping said at least one RTP or RTCP packet received from said LAN, comprising the steps of:

receiving said at least one RTP or RTCP packet from said LAN comprising said private IP address field;

storing said private IP address field and a private UDP port number in said ALG database and assigning said public UDP port number and inserting said public UDP port number into said ALG database;

determining whether a destination route is through a MAND proxy, wherein if said destination route is not through said MAND proxy, then said at least one RTP or RTCP packet is dropped;

determining whether said private UDP port number corresponding to said at least one RTP or RTCP packet exists in said ALG database, wherein if said private UDP port number corresponding to said at least one RTP or RTCP packet does not exist in said ALG database, then said at least one RTP or RTCP packet is dropped; and

wherein if said private UDP port number corresponding to said at least one RTP or RTCP packet does exist in said ALG database, then replacing said private IP address field with said public IP address field and replacing said private UDP port number with said corresponding public UDP port number from said ALG database and transmitting said at least one RTP or RTCP packet to said WAN comprising said public IP address field.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of mapping said at least one RTP or RTCP packet received from said LAN, comprising the steps of:

receiving said at least one RTP or RTCP packet from said LAN comprising said private IP address field;

storing said private IP address field and a private UDP port number in said ALG database and assigning said public UDP port number and inserting said public UDP port number into said ALG database;

determining whether a destination route is through said MAND proxy, wherein if said destination route is not through said MAND proxy, then said at least one RTP or RTCP packet is dropped;

determining whether said private UDP port number corresponding to said at least one RTP or RTCP packet exists in said ALG database, wherein if said private UDP port number corresponding to said at least one RTP or RTCP packet does not exist in said ALG database, then said at least one RTP or RTCP packet is dropped; and

wherein if said private UDP port number corresponding to said at least one RTP or RTCP packet does exist in said ALG database, then replacing said private IP address field with said public IP address field and replacing said private UDP port number with said corresponding public UDP port number from said ALG database and transmitting said at least one RTP or RTCP packet to said WAN comprising said public IP address field.

21. A method for processing at least one SIP or H.323 packet over a network, comprising the steps of:

receiving said at least one SIP or H.323 packet

mapping said at least one SIP or H.323 packet from a public IP address field to a private IP address field and a public TID number to a private TID number using an ALG database;

scanning said at least one SIP or H.323 packet to detect an SDP field wherein said SDP field includes at least one public UDP port number for receiving at least one RTP or RTCP packet from a WAN comprising said public IP address field and transmitting said at least one RTP or RTCP packet to a LAN comprising said private IP address field;

binding said public IP address field with said at least one public UDP port number included in said SDP field to a new public UDP port number selected by a MAND, and binding said private IP address field to a new private UDP port number selected by said MAND such that said at least one RTP or RTCP packet can be received via said WAN comprising said public IP address field on said new public UDP port number, and is transmitted on said new private UDP port number via said LAN comprising said private IP address field, and said at least one RTP or RTCP packet can also be received via said LAN comprising said private IP address field on said new private UDP port number, and is transmitted on said new public UDP port number via said WAN comprising said public IP address field; and

unbinding said public IP address field with said at least one public UDP port number included in said SDP field from said new public UDP port number, and unbinding said private IP address field from said new private UDP port number such that said at least one RTP or RTCP packet is not transmitted on said new private and said new public UDP port numbers wherein said new private and said new public UDP port numbers are available for reuse.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein said mapping step comprises the steps of:

receiving said at least one SIP or H.323 packet from said WAN comprising said public IP address field;

storing said public IP address field and said public TID number in said ALG database and assigning said private TID number and inserting said private TID number into said ALG database;

determining whether said public TID number and said mapped private TID number and said mapped private IP address field exists in said ALG database, wherein if said public TID number or said mapped private TID number or said mapped private IP address field does not exist in said ALG database, then said at least one SIP or H.323 packet is dropped; and

wherein if said public TID number or said mapped private TID number or said mapped private IP address field does exist in said ALG database, then replacing said public IP address field with said private IP address field and replacing said public TID number with said private TID number, and transmitting said at least one SIP or H.323 packet to a LAN comprising said private IP address field.

27. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of mapping said at least one RTP or RTCP packet transmitted to said WAN, comprising the steps of:

receiving said at least one RTP or RTCP packet from said WAN comprising said public IP address field;

storing said public IP address field and a public UDP port number in said ALG database, assigning a private UDP port number and inserting said private UDP port number into said ALG database;

determining whether said public UDP port number and said private UDP port number and said private IP address exist in said ALG database, wherein if said public UDP port number or said private UDP port number or said private IP address does not exist in said ALG database, then said at least one RTP or RTCP packet is dropped; and

wherein if said public UDP port number or said private UDP port number or said private IP address does exist in said ALG database, then replacing said public IP address field with said private IP address field, replacing said public UDP port number with said corresponding private UDP port number and transmitting said at least one RTP or RTCP packet to said LAN comprising said private IP address field.

28. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of mapping said at least one RTP or RTCP packet transmitted to said WAN, comprising the steps of:

receiving said at least one RTP or RTCP packet from said WAN comprising said public IP address field;

storing said public IP address field and a public UDP port number in said ALG database, assigning a private UDP port number and inserting said private UDP port number into said ALG database;

determining whether said public UDP port number and said private UDP port number and said private IP address exist in said ALG database, wherein if said public UDP port number or said private UDP port number or said private IP address does not exist in said ALG database, then said at least one RTP or RTCP packet is dropped; and

wherein if said public UDP port number or said private UDP port number or said private IP address does exist in said ALG database, then replacing said public IP address field with said private IP address field, replacing said public UDP port number with said corresponding private UDP port number and transmitting said at least one RTP or RTCP packet to said LAN comprising said private IP address field.

29. A method for processing at least one of MGCP, SIP and H.323 packets over a network, comprising the step of:

transmitting said at least one of MGCP, SIP or H.323 packets from at least one voice device through an MAND out to a WAN.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said at least one voice device is an IP phone, a digital phone or an analog phone with a client adapter, or a computer with a VoIP capability.

31. A system for processing at least one packet over a network, comprising:

at least one of WAN and LAN ports for transmitting and receiving said at least one packet;

a call control proxy for managing a plurality of protocols and standards;

a mapping device for mapping said at least one packet from a private IP address field and a private port number to a public IP address field and a public port number respectively, and mapping said at least one packet from said public IP address field and said public port number to said private IP address field and said private port number respectively, using an ALG database;

a device for limiting concurrent transmission and reception of said at least one packet;

a firewall for said at least one packet;

a traffic simulator for generating a broadband traffic workload for analysis and capacity planning of broadband usage; and

a traffic shaper for improving QoS by prioritizing transmission and reception of said at least one packet.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein said at least one packet is a voice, video or data packet.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein said port numbers are UDP port numbers.

34. The system of claim 31, further comprising at least one DMZ port.

35. The system of claim 31, further comprising at least one of T1 and E1 ports.

36. The system of claim 31, wherein said call control proxy manages at least one of MGCP, SIP and H.323 signaling and resulting dynamic media communications.

37. The system of claim 31, further comprising a remote management interface and capability for configuring, managing, monitoring, troubleshooting or upgrading at least one of said devices of claim 31.

38. The system of claim 31, further comprising a remote management interface and capability for configuring, managing, monitoring, troubleshooting or upgrading at least one of said devices of claim 31, wherein said remote management interface and capability enables said system to serve as a demarcation between a network side of a WAN and a customer premises side of a LAN.

39. The system of claim 31, further comprising a device for providing at least one IP address to at least one of voice, video and data devices attached to at least one LAN port.

40. The system of claim 31, further comprising at least one of VPN terminator, encryption terminator and decryption terminator for tunneling at least one of VPN, encryption and decryption sessions through said firewall for access to an internal network.

41. The system of claim 31, further comprising an analog voice means.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein said analog voice means comprise at least one of Foreign Exchange Office (FXO) port connectable to at least one Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) analog telephone line, and at least one Foreign Exchange Station (FXS) port connectable to at least one analog telephone or device.

43. The system of claim 31, wherein said mapping device uses a Network Address Translation (NAT) process for mapping said at least one data packet, including signaling and resulting dynamic media communications.

44. The system of claim 31, wherein said traffic shaper marks said at least one packet for priority queuing and routing, and configures bandwidths of WAN and voice traffic to predetermined quantities and further configures at least one IP address of at least one voice device.

45. The system of claim 31, wherein said limiting device restricts concurrent calls to a predetermined quantity or an aggregate amount of bandwidth.

46. The system of claim 31, wherein said QoS comprises at least one of latency, jitter, lost packets and MOS scores.

47. The system of claim 31, wherein said broadband traffic workload comprises a mix of voice and data packets.

48. The system of claim 31, wherein at least one of said devices may be enabled or disabled.

49. The system of claim 31, wherein said system is a primary system which further comprises a secondary system identical to said primary system, wherein said secondary system replaces said primary system when said primary system fails.

50. A system for processing at least one SIP or H.323 packet over a network, comprising:

at least one physical port for receiving said at least one SIP or H.323 packet;

a call control proxy for processing said at least one SIP or H.323 packet; and

a mapping device for mapping said at least one SIP or H.323 packet from a private IP address field to a public IP address field and a private TID number to a public TID number using an ALG database.

52. The system of claim 50, wherein said mapping device comprises:

a device which receives said at least one SIP or H.323 packet from a LAN comprising said private IP address field, and determines whether a destination route is through an MAND proxy, wherein if said destination route is not through said MAND proxy, then said at least one SIP or H.323 packet is dropped;

a device which, if said destination route is through said MAND proxy, then stores said private IP address field and said private TID number in said ALG database, assigns said public TID number and inserts said public TIED number into said ALG database, replaces said private IP address field with said public IP address field and replaces said private TID number with said public TID number; and

a device for transmitting said at least one SIP or H.323 packet to a WAN comprising said public IP address field.

51. A system for processing at least one SIP or H.323 packet over a network, comprising:

at least one physical port for receiving said at least one SIP or H.323 packet;

a call control proxy for processing said at least one SIP or H.323 packet; and

a mapping device for mapping said at least one SIP or H.323 packet from a public IP address field to a private IP address field and a public TID number to a private TID number using an ALG database.

53. The system of claim 51, wherein said mapping device comprises:

a device which receives said at least one SIP or H.323 packet from a WAN comprising said public IP address field, and determines whether said public TID number and said mapped private TID number and said mapped private IP address field exists in said ALG database, wherein if said public TID number or said mapped private TID number or said mapped private IP address field does not exist in said ALG database, then said at least one SIP or H.323 packet is dropped, and

a device which, if said public TID number or said mapped private TID number or said mapped private IP address field does exist in said ALG database, then stores said public IP address field and said public TID number in said ALG database, assigns said private TID number and inserts said private TID number into said ALG database, replaces said public IP address field with said private IP address field and replaces said public TID number with said private TID number; and

a device for transmitting said at least one SIP or H.323 packet to a LAN comprising said private IP address field.

54. A system for processing at least one SIP or H.323 packet over a network, comprising:

a device which receives said at least one SIP or H.323 packet;

a mapping device for mapping said at least one SIP or H.323 packet from a private IP address field to a public IP address field and a private TID number to a public TID number using an ALG database;

a device which scans said at least one SIP or H.323 packet to detect an SDP field wherein said SDP field includes at least one private UDP port number for receiving at least one RTP or RTCP packet from a LAN comprising said private IP address field and transmitting said at least one RTP or RTCP packet to a WAN comprising said public IP address field;

a device for binding said private IP address field with said at least one private UDP port number included in said SDP field to a new private UDP port number selected by an MAND, and binding said public IP address field to a new public port number selected by said MAND such that said at least one RTP or RTCP packet can be received via said LAN comprising said private IP address field on said new private UDP port number, and is transmitted on said new public UDP port number via said WAN comprising said public IP address field, and said at least one RTP or RTCP packet can also be received via said WAN comprising said public IP address field on said new public UDP port number, and is transmitted on said new private UDP port number via said LAN comprising said private IP address field; and

a device for unbinding said private IP address field with said at least one private UDP port number included in said SDP field from said new private UDP port number, and unbinding said public IP address field from said new public UDP port number such that said at least one RTP or RTCP packet is not transmitted on said new public and said new private UDP port numbers wherein said new public and said new private UDP port numbers are available for reuse.

56. The system of claim 54 or 55, wherein said mapping device maps said at least one SIP or H.323 packet within 10 milliseconds (ms) of receiving said at least one SIP or H.323 packet comprising at least one said SDP field.

57. The system of claim 54, wherein said mapping device comprises:

a device which receives said at least one SIP or H.323 packet from said LAN comprising said private IP address field, and determines whether a destination route is through an MAND proxy, wherein if said destination route is not through said MAND proxy, then said at least one SIP or H.323 packet is dropped;

a device which, if said destination route is through said MAND proxy, then stores said private IP address field and said private TID number in said ALG database, assigns said public TID number and inserts said public TID number into said ALG database, replaces said private IP address field with said public IP address field and replaces said private TID number with said public TID number; and

a device for transmitting said at least one SIP or H.323 packet to said WAN comprising said public IP address field.

59. The system of claim 54, further comprising a mapping device for mapping said at least one RTP or RTCP packet received from said LAN, comprising:

a device which receives said at least one RTP or RTCP packet from said LAN comprising said private IP address field, stores said private IP address field and a private UDP port number in said ALG database, and assigns a public UDP port number and inserts said public UDP port number into said ALG database;

a device which determines whether a destination route is through an MAND proxy, wherein if said destination route is not through said MAND proxy, then said at least one RTP or RTCP packet is dropped, and determines whether a private UDP port number corresponding to said at least one RTP or RTCP packet exists in said ALG database, wherein if said private UDP port number does not exist in said ALG database, then said at least one RTP or RTCP packet is dropped;

further wherein, if said private UDP port number does exist in said ALG database, then replaces said private IP address field with a corresponding public IP address field and replaces said private UDP port number with said corresponding public UDP port number from said ALG database; and

a device for transmitting said at least one RTP or RTCP packet to said WAN comprising said public IP address field.

60. The system of claim 57, further comprising a mapping device for mapping said at least one RTP or RTCP packet received from said LAN, comprising:

a device which receives said at least one RTP or RTCP packet from said LAN comprising said private IP address field, stores said private IP address field and a private UDP port number in said ALG database, and assigns a public UDP port number and inserts said public UDP port number into said ALG database;

a device which determines whether a destination route is through said MAND proxy, wherein if said destination route is not through said MAND proxy, then said at least one RTP or RTCP packet is dropped, and determines whether a private UDP port number corresponding to said at least one RTP or RTCP packet exists in said ALG database, wherein if said private UDP port number does not exist in said ALG database, then said at least one RTP or RTCP packet is dropped;

further wherein, if said private UDP port number does exist in said ALG database, then replaces said private IP address field with a corresponding public IP address field and replaces said private UDP port number with said corresponding public UDP port number from said ALG database; and

a device for transmitting said at least one RTP or RTCP packet to said WAN comprising said public IP address field.

55. A system for processing at least one SIP or H.323 packet over a network, comprising:

a device which receives said at least one SIP or H.323 packet

a mapping device for mapping said at least one SIP or H.323 packet from a public IP address field to a private IP address field and a public TID number to a private TID number using an ALG database;

a device which scans said at least one SIP or H.323 packet to detect an SDP field wherein said SDP field includes at least one public UDP port number for receiving at least one RTP or RTCP packet from a WAN comprising said public IP address field and transmitting said at least one RTP or RTCP packet to a LAN comprising said private IP address field;

a device for binding said public IP address field with said at least one public UDP port number included in said SDP field to a new public UDP port number selected by an MAND, and binding said private IP address field to a new private UDP port number selected by said MAND such that said at least one RTP or RTCP packet can be received via said WAN comprising said public IP address field on said new public UDP port number, and is transmitted on said new private UDP port number via said LAN comprising said private IP address field, and said at least one RTP or RTCP packet can also be received via said LAN comprising said private IP address field on said new private UDP port number, and is transmitted on said new public UDP port number via said WAN comprising said public IP address field; and

a device for unbinding said public IP address field with said at least one public UDP port number included in said SDP field from said new public UDP port number, and unbinding said private IP address field from said new private UDP port number such that said at least one RTP or RTCP packet is not transmitted on said new private and said new public UDP port numbers wherein said new private and said new public UDP port numbers are available for reuse.

58. The system of claim 55, wherein said mapping device comprises:

a device which receives said at least one SIP or H.323 packet from said WAN comprising said public IP address field, and determines whether said public TID number and said mapped private TID number and said mapped private IP address field exists in said ALG database, wherein if said public TID number or said mapped private TID number or said mapped private IP address field does not exist in said ALG database, then said at least one SIP or H.323 packet is dropped, and

a device which, if said public TID number or said mapped private TID number or said mapped private IP address field does exist in said ALG database, then stores said public IP address field and said public TID number in said ALG database, assigns said private TID number and inserts said private TID number into said ALG database, replaces said public IP address field with said private IP address field and replaces said public TID number with said private TID number; and

a device for transmitting said at least one SIP or H.323 packet to said LAN comprising said private IP address field.

61. The system of claim 55, further comprising a mapping device for mapping said at least one RTP or RTCP packet received from said LAN, comprising:

a device which receives said at least one RTP or RTCP packet from said WAN comprising said public IP address field, stores said public IP address field and a public UDP port number in said ALG database, and assigns a private UDP port number and inserts said private UDP port number into said ALG database;

a device which determines whether a public UDP port number and a corresponding private UDP port number and a corresponding private IP address exist in said ALG database, wherein if said public UDP port number or said corresponding private UDP port number or said corresponding private IP address does not exist in said ALG database, then said at least one RTP or RTCP packet is dropped;

further wherein, if said public UDP port number or said corresponding private UDP port number or said corresponding private IP address does exist in said ALG database, then replaces said public IP address field from a destination address field with said private IP address field and replaces said public UDP port number with said corresponding private UDP port number; and

a device for transmitting said at least one RTP or RTCP packet to said LAN comprising said private IP address field.

62. The system of claim 58, further comprising a mapping device for mapping said at least one RTP or RTCP packet received from said LAN, comprising:

a device which receives said at least one RTP or RTCP packet from said WAN comprising said public IP address field, stores said public IP address field and a public UDP port number in said ALG database, and assigns a private UDP port number and inserts said private UDP port number into said ALG database;

a device which determines whether a public UDP port number and a corresponding private UDP port number and a corresponding private IP address exist in said ALG database, wherein if said public UDP port number or said corresponding private UDP port number or said corresponding private IP address does not exist in said ALG database, then said at least one RTP or RTCP packet is dropped;

further wherein, if said public UDP port number or said corresponding private UDP port number or said corresponding private IP address does exist in said ALG database, then replaces said public IP address field from a destination address field with said private IP address field and replaces said public UDP port number with said corresponding private UDP port number; and

a device for transmitting said at least one RTP or RTCP packet to said LAN comprising said private IP address field.

63. A system for processing at least one of MGCP, SIP and H.323 packets over a network, comprising:

a device for transmitting said at least one of MGCP, SIP and H.323 packets from at least one voice device through an MAND out to a WAN.

64. The system of claim 63, wherein said at least one voice device is an IP phone, a digital phone or an analog phone with a client adapter, or a computer with a VoIP capability.