System and method for traversing a firewall with multimedia communication

• US 20070242696A1
• Filed: 04/13/2006
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: directPacket Research, Inc.
• Original Assignee: directPacket Research, Inc.
• Inventors: Opsahl, Tom, Signaoff, Christopher, Signaoff, Justin, Riley, Edward
• Granted Patent: US 7,710,978 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/469
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/085 specially adapted for interworking of IP-based networks with other networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for transporting multiport protocol traffic using a single-port protocol. Multiport protocol traffic from a first endpoint is converted into a single-port protocol for transport across a network. The traffic is sent over a commonly-open port and received at a second endpoint before being dispersed to the appropriate ports of the second endpoint. By converting the traffic to a single-port protocol and choosing which commonly open port to communicate the traffic through, firewalls between each endpoint may be traversed without changing any of their settings.

Claims

1. A method for communication between two or more endpoints, said method comprising:

receiving a plurality of multiport packets of data in a multiport communication protocol;

converting said plurality of multiport packets into a plurality of single-port packets in a single-port communication protocol;

transmitting said plurality of single-port packets over a commonly-open port to one or more endpoints traversing one or more firewalls using said commonly-open port;

receiving said plurality of single-port packets at said one or more endpoints;

reconverting said plurality of single-port packets into said multiport communication protocol; and

delivering said plurality of multiport packets using two or more ports associated with said multiport communication protocol.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

encrypting said plurality of single-port packets in said single-port communication protocol prior to said transmitting.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

decrypting said encrypted plurality of single-port packets prior to said reconverting.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said encrypting is according to one of:

an Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 128-bit algorithm;

a Triple Data Encryption Standard (TDES) algorithm;

or

a Skipjack algorithm.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said single-port communication protocol comprises;

Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

a portion of said plurality of multiport packets conforms to a first transmission protocol of said multiport communication protocol;

another portion of said plurality of multiport packets conforms to a second transmission protocol of said multiport communication protocol; and

wherein said transmitting comprises transmitting said plurality of single-port packets using said first transmission protocol in said single-port communication protocol.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said first transmission protocol comprises Transmission Control Protocol (TCP);

and

said second transmission protocol comprises User Datagram Protocol (UDP).

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

sending alternate data instead of requested data in response to a resend request.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

qualifying said plurality of multiport packets, wherein said qualifying comprises;

registering a network device;

using network ports by said registered network device;

determining whether said plurality of multiport packets originated from a network port used by said registered network device; and

allowing further transmission of said plurality of multiport packets based on said determining.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said commonly-open port is a well-known port.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said commonly-open port is port 443.

12. A system comprising:

a first network device, comprising;

an interface for receiving a plurality of packets of data from two or more ports; and

a conversion table for said first network device to convert said plurality of packets into a single-port communication protocol, wherein said interface communicates said converted plurality of packets over a commonly-open port; and

a second network device comprising;

a second interface for receiving said converted plurality of packets from said commonly-open port;

a second conversion table for reconverting said converted plurality of packets; and

wherein said second interface distributes each of said plurality of packets to said two or more ports; and

wherein one or more firewalls are traversed between said first and second network devices using said commonly-open port.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

an encryption application in said first network device for encrypting said plurality of packets in said single-port communication protocol; and

a decryption application in said second network device for decrypting said encrypted plurality of packets prior to said reconverting.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said encrypting is according to one of:

an Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 128-bit algorithm;

a Triple Data Encryption Standard (TDES) algorithm;

or

a Skipjack algorithm.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein said single-port communication protocol is Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein:

a portion of said plurality of packets from said two or more ports conform to Transmission Control Protocol (TCP);

another portion of said plurality of packets from said two or more ports conform to User Datagram Protocol (UDP); and

wherein said single-port communication protocol uses said TCP.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein said first and second network devices send alternate data instead of requested data in response to a resend request.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein said first network device qualifies said multimedia packets, wherein said qualifying comprises:

registering a third network device with said first network device;

using network ports by said third network device;

determining whether said plurality of packets originated from a network port used by said third network device; and

allowing further transmission of said plurality of packets based on said determining.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein said commonly-open port is a well-known port.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein said commonly-open port is port 443.

21. A method comprising:

receiving at a first network device a plurality of packets of data from two or more ports;

converting said plurality of packets into a single-port communication protocol using a conversion table;

transmitting from said first network device said converted plurality of packets over a commonly-open port;

receiving on at a second network device said converted plurality of packets from said commonly-open port;

reconverting said converted plurality of packets using a second conversion table; and

distributing on from said second network device each of said plurality of packets to said two or more ports;

wherein said converted plurality of packets traverse one or more firewalls between said first and second network devices using said commonly open port.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

encrypting said plurality of packets in said single-port communication protocol; and

decrypting said encrypted plurality of packets prior to said reconverting.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said encrypting is according to one of:

an Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 128-bit algorithm;

a Triple Data Encryption Standard (TDES) algorithm;

or

a Skipjack algorithm.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein said single-port communication protocol is Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein:

a portion of said plurality of packets from said two or more ports conform to Transmission Control Protocol (TCP);

another portion of said plurality of packets from said two or more ports conform to User Datagram Protocol (UDP); and

wherein said single-port communication protocol uses said TCP.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein said first and second network devices send alternate data instead of requested data in response to a resend request.

27. The method of claim 21, further comprising qualifying said multimedia packets, wherein said qualifying comprises:

registering a third network device with said first network device;

determining whether said plurality of packets originated from said third network device; and

allowing further transmission of said plurality of packets based on said determining.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein said commonly-open port is a well-known port.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein said commonly-open port is port 443.