Systems and methods for communicating a lossy protocol via a lossless protocol using false acknowledgements

• US 20060190719A1
• Filed: 07/22/2005
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Original Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Inventors: Rao, Goutham P., Brueggemann, Eric R., Rodriguez, Robert A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,808,906 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/160
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1854 Scheduling and prioritising arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/30 Routing of multiclass traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2416 Real-time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2433 Allocation of priorities to traffic types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2475 for supporting traffic characterised by the type of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/36 by determining packet size, e.g. maximum transfer unit [MTU]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0236 Filtering by address, protocol, port number or service, e.g. IP-address or URL
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/029 Firewall traversal, e.g. tunnelling or, creating pinholes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/062 for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/164 : at the network layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/166 : at the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 : Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 : Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70

Abstract

The present invention is generally directed towards a remote access architecture for providing peer-to-peer communications and remote access connectivity. In one embodiment, the remote access architecture of the present provides a method for establishing a direct connection between peer computing devices via a third computing device, such as a gateway. Additionally, the present invention provides the following techniques to optimize peer-to-peer communications: 1) false acknowledgement of receipt of network packets allowing communications via a lossless protocol of packets constructed for transmission via a lossy protocol, 2) payload shifting of network packets allowing communications via a lossless protocol of packets constructed for transmission via a lossy protocol, 3) reduction of packet fragmentation by adjusting the maximum transmission unit (MTU) parameter, accounting for overhead due to encryption, 4) application-aware prioritization of client-side network communications, and 5) network disruption shielding for reliable and persistent network connectivity and access.

Claims

1. A method for communicating via a lossless protocol a packet constructed for transmissions via a lossy protocol, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) establishing a connection between a first computing device and a second computing device via a lossless protocol;

(b) detecting, by the first computing device, a lossless protocol packet comprising a payload having one or more packets constructed in accordance with a lossy protocol;

(c) communicating, by the first computing device, a false acknowledgement of receipt of

the lossless protocol packet to one of the first computing device or the second computing device; and

(d) communicating, by the first computing device, the lossless protocol packet to the second computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising encrypting, by the first computing device, the one or more packets using a key.

3. The method of claim 2, comprising providing the encryption key to the first computing device via an out of band transport security layer session between the first computing device and the second computing device.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising encrypting the one or more packets on a packet by packet basis.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing step (c) before step (d).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second computing device is a gateway.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising, in response to receiving the false acknowledgement of receipt of the lossless protocol packet by one of the first computing device or the second computing, preventing a network stack of one of the first computing device or the second computing from executing an operation associated with providing a lossless characteristic of the lossless protocol.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the lossless protocol comprises a transport control protocol.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising preventing the network stack of one of the first computing device or the second computing device from executing one or more of the following in connection with the lossless protocol:

a retransmit, an ordering, a flow control algorithm, a naple'"'"'s algorithm, and a sliding window algorithm.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the lossy protocol comprises a user datagram protocol.

11. The method of claim 1, comprising communicating, by the first computing device, the lossless protocol packet via one of a secure socket layer or a transport security layer tunnel to the second computing device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more packets comprises a real-time protocol,

13. The method of claim 1, comprising communicating by the first computing device one of real-time voice, audio, or data to the second computing device via the one or more packets.

15. The system of claim 12, comprising a means for encrypting, by the first computing device, the one or more packets using a key.

16. The system of claim 13, comprising a means for providing the encryption key to the first computing device via an out of band transport security layer session between the first computing device and the second computing device.

17. The system of claim 13, comprising a means for encrypting the one or more protocol packets on a packet by packet basis.

18. The system of claim 12, further comprising a means for communicating the false acknowledgement of receipt of the lossless protocol packet before communicating the lossless protocol packet.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the second computing device is a gateway.

20. The system of claim 12, comprising a means, in response to receiving the false acknowledgement of receipt of the lossless protocol packet by one of the first computing device or the second computing, for preventing a network stack of one of the first computing device or the second computing from executing an operation associated with providing a lossless characteristic of the lossless protocol.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the lossless protocol comprises a transport control protocol.

22. The system of claim 19, comprising a means for preventing the network stack of one of the first computing device or the second computing device from executing one or more of the following in connection with the lossless protocol:

a retransmit, an ordering, and a flow control algorithm.

23. The system of claim 12, wherein the lossy protocol comprises a user datagram protocol.

24. The system of claim 12, comprising a means for communicating, by the first computing device, the lossless protocol packet via one of a secure socket layer or a transport security layer tunnel to the second computing device.

25. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more packets comprises a real-time protocol.

26. The system of claim 23, comprising a means for communicating by the first computing device one of real-time voice, audio, or data to the second computing device via the one or more packets.

14. A system for communicating via a lossless protocol a packet constructed for transmissions via a lossy protocol, the system comprising:

a means for establishing a connection between a first computing device and a second computing device via a lossless protocol;

a means for detecting, by the first computing device, a lossless protocol packet comprising a payload having one or more packets constructed in accordance with a lossy protocol;

a means for communicating, by the first computing device, a false acknowledgement of receipt of the lossless protocol packet to one of the first computing device or the second computing device; and

a means for communicating, by the first computing device, the lossless protocol packet to the second computing device.