System and method of extending virtual address resolution for mapping networks

• US 20040162914A1
• Filed: 02/13/2003
• Published: 08/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: St. Pierre, Robert P., Caronni, Germano
• Granted Patent: US 7,890,633 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/10 of different types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/35 involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function

Abstract

A method of associating a range of destination IP addresses with a real IP address for use with the Virtual Address Resolution Protocol is disclosed. The destination addresses may be a range of virtual IP addresses in a virtual network or a range of real IP addresses in a physical network. A record of the association of the range of destination addresses with a single real IP address is stored in a Virtual Address Resolution Protocol lookup table which is utilized when sending messages from a virtual IP address. The ability to assign a range of destination addresses to a single real IP address represents an extension of the use of VARP. The association of multiple destination addresses to a single real IP address allows an electronic device to function as a router to a widely distributed real or virtual network. The virtual network of the present invention adds a layer of encryption to the originating virtual network by sending encrypted data packets between the origin and destination addresses.

Claims

1. In a network, said network supporting a virtual network, said virtual network including a range of virtual IP addresses, a method, comprising the steps of:

associating said range of virtual IP addresses with a single real IP address, said real IP address identifying a physical component in the network,

storing a record of said range of virtual IP addresses and said association in a network-accessible location; and

sending data addressed to a destination with a virtual IP address, said data being sent from an originating virtual IP address on said network.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of:

determining said destination address is one of said range of virtual IP addresses;

resolving the destination address into said single real IP address using said association; and

sending said data to the resolved single real IP address.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising the further steps of:

providing a default destination address for virtual IP destination addresses;

failing to resolve said virtual IP destination address into a real IP address; and

sending said data to said default destination address.

4. The method of claim 2, comprising the further step of:

encapsulating said data and said virtual IP destination address within a packet addressed to said real IP address.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said data is encrypted.

6. The method of claim 4, comprising the further step of:

decrypting said packet at said physical component referenced by said real IP address to determine said virtual IP address; and

forwarding said packet to said virtual IP destination address.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of:

identifying the range of virtual IP addresses by at least one of listing a starting IP address and an ending IP address in said range and identifying the range of virtual IP addresses using Classless InterDomain Routing (CIDR).

8. The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of:

associating at least one other range of virtual IP addresses configured into a different virtual network with a real IP address.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said virtual network is located at least in part on an external physical network which also includes said physical component, said external physical network different from said network.

10. A method, comprising the steps of:

providing a first physical network and a second physical network, said first physical network having at least one electronic device supporting a virtual network, said second physical network having a plurality of electronic devices, said first physical network and said second physical network both being interfaced with a common electronic device, said virtual network having a lookup table to resolve a destination addresses into a real IP address of a component on said first physical network;

associating a range of real IP addresses on said second physical network with a real IP address of a component on said common electronic device, said association stored in said lookup table;

storing said associations in said virtual lookup table.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising the further steps of:

sending data from an originating virtual IP address in said virtual network to a destination address on said second physical network, said destination address being one of said range of real IP addresses;

resolving said destination address to the real IP address of said common electronic device;

sending said data to said real IP address; and

forwarding said data to said destination address.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising the further step of:

encapsulating said data and said destination address within a packet addressed to said real IP address.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said data is encrypted prior to sending, comprising the further steps of:

decrypting said packet at said physical component referenced by said real IP address to determine said destination address; and

forwarding said packet to said destination IP address.

14. The method of claim 10, comprising the further steps of:

providing a default destination address;

failing to resolve said destination address into a real IP address; and

sending said data to said default destination address.

15. In a network, a medium holding computer-executable steps for a method, said method comprising the steps of:

associating a range of virtual IP addresses configured into a virtual network with a single real IP address, said real IP address identifying a physical component in the network;

storing said association in a network-accessible location.

sending data addressed to a destination referenced by one of said range of virtual IP addresses from an originating virtual IP address.

16. The medium of claim 15 wherein said method comprises the further steps of:

resolving said destination to said real IP address using said association; and

forwarding said data to said real IP address.

17. The medium of claim 16 wherein said method comprises the further step of:

encrypting said data and said at least one virtual IP destination address within a packet addressed to said real IP address;

decrypting said data at said real IP address; and

forwarding said data to said destination.

18. In a first physical network with at least one electronic device supporting a virtual network, said virtual network having access to a storage location holding associations used to resolve a destination address into a real IP address of a component on said first physical network, said first physical network being interfaced with a second physical network through an electronic device common to said first physical network and said second physical network, said second physical network having a plurality of electronic devices, each with a real IP address, a medium holding computer-executable steps for a method, said method comprising the steps of:

associating a range of real IP addresses on said second physical network with a real IP address of a component on said common electronic device;

storing said association in said storage location; and

sending data from an originating virtual IP address in said virtual network to a destination address on said second physical network.

19. The medium of claim 18 wherein said method comprises the further steps of:

resolving said destination address to said real IP address of said component using the association in said storage location;

encrypting said data and said destination address in a packet sent to said real IP address;

decrypting said packet at said real IP address on said component; and

forwarding said data to said destination.

20. The medium of claim 19 wherein said storage location is a Virtual Address Resolution Protocol lookup table.