Techniques for hiding network element names and addresses

• US 20060155871A1
• Filed: 10/10/2001
• Published: 07/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Kauppinen, Risto, Ilkka, Westman, Faccin, Stefano
• Granted Patent: US 8,127,016 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/30 Managing network names, e.g. use of aliases or nicknames name-to-address mapping H04L61/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/301 Name conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0407 wherein the identity of one or more communicating identities is hidden cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for anonymous credentials or for identity based cryptographic systems H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/068 using time-dependent keys, e.g. periodically changing keys cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for controlling usage of secret information H04L9/088
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

A technique for hiding network element names and addresses in communications between first and second networks includes providing a message generated by a network entity in the first network to be delivered to a target network entity in the second network, the messaging including first and second parts. The message generated by the network entity in the first network is routed to a contact point disposed between the first and second networks in accordance with the first part of the message and the message generated by the network entity in the first network is routed from the contact point to the target network entity in the second network in accordance with the second part of the message.

Claims

1. A method of hiding at least one of network element names and addresses in communications between first and second networks, the method comprising:

providing a message generated by a network entity in the first network to be delivered to a target network entity in the second network, the message comprising first and second parts;

routing the message generated by the network entity in the first network to a contact point disposed between the first and second networks in accordance with the first part of the message; and

routing the message generated by the network entity in the first network from the contact point to the target network entity in the second network in accordance with the second part of the message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first part of the message comprises a name resolvable external to the second network to a first address of the contact point and wherein the second part of the message comprises the name resolvable only within the second network to a second address of the target network entity.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising providing a DNS (Domain Name System) for resolving a name to an address.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising providing a public DNS infrastructure for resolving a name to an address of the contact point.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising providing a one of a dedicated or internal DNS infrastructure for resolving a name to an address of a network entity in the second network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first part of the message comprises a first name usable for routing external to the second network and wherein the second part of the message comprises a second name usable for routing only within the second network.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second name is encrypted.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first part of the message comprises a name usable for routing unmodified external to the second network and wherein the second part of the message comprises a modified version of the name usable for routing only within the second network.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the name is encrypted.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first part of the message comprises a modified version of a name usable for routing external to the second network and wherein the second part of the message comprises the name usable for routing unmodified only within the second network.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the name is encrypted.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first part of the message comprises a pair of one of either names or addresses, a first member of the pair being usable for routing external to the second network and wherein the second part of the message comprises the pair of one of either names or addresses with a second a member of the pair being encrypted and usable for routing only within the second network.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first part of the message comprises a name that is encrypted and resolvable external to the second network to a first address of the contact point and wherein the second part of the message comprises the encrypted name resolvable only within the second network to a second address of the target network entity.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the name is decoded before usage in the second network.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the contact point comprises one of an I-CSCF (interrogating Call State Control Function) or a P-CSCF (Proxy-Call State Control Function) or a BGCF (Breakout Gateway Control Function).

16. The method of any one of the previous claims, wherein the name comprises a logical name and the address comprises an IP address.

17. The method of any one of the previous claims, wherein the name comprises a hostname and/or FQDN (Fully Qualified Domain Name).

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing IMS (IP Multimedia Core Network Subsystem) networks as the first and second networks.

19. A communication system comprising:

a first network including a network entity disposed therein;

a second network including a target network entity disposed therein; and

a contact point disposed between said first and second networks;

wherein, upon said network entity generating a message comprising first and second parts to be delivered to said target network entity, said message is routed to said contact point in accordance with said first part of said message and then routed from said contact point to said target network entity in accordance with said second part of said message.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said first part of said message comprises a name resolvable external to the second network to an address of said contact point and wherein said second part of said message comprises said name resolvable only within said second network to an address of said target network entity.

21. A contact point apparatus in a system including a first network having a network entity disposed therein and a second network including a target network entity disposed therein, the network entity in the first network generating a message having first and second parts to the target network entity in the second network, the contact point being disposed between said first and second networks and comprising:

a means for receiving the message generated by the network entity in the first network the message being routed to the contact point in accordance with the first part of the message; and

a means for routing the message generated by the network entity in the first network to the target network entity in the second network in accordance with the second part of the message.

22. The contact point apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first part of the message comprises a name resolvable external to the second network to an address of the contact point and wherein the second part of the message comprises the name resolvable only within the second network to an address of the target network entity.

23. The contact point apparatus of claim 21, wherein the contact point comprises one of an I-CSCF (Interrogating Call State Control Function) or a P-CSCF (Proxy-all State Control Function) or a BGCF (Breakout Gateway Control Function).