SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VIRTUAL PRIVATE NETWORK ADDRESS PERSISTENCE

• US 20080052390A1
• Filed: 08/28/2006
• Published: 02/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation, Wolf Peak Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Jones, Douglas L., Osenbach, Bryan D.
• Application Number:
  US11/467,729
• Publication Number:
  US 20080052390A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• 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 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5084 Providing for device mobility network addressing or numbering for mobility support in wireless networks H04W8/26; mobile IP H04W80/04

Abstract

A system for virtual private network (VPN) address persistence is provided. The system includes a VPN capable network device, wherein the network device further includes a VPN data monitor and a VPN queuing device. The system may also include a server, an enterprise firewall, and/or a gateway server, each with its own local VPN data monitor and VPN queuing device in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for virtual private (VPN) persistence, the method comprising:

monitoring VPN-destined data from an application layer;

determining if a VPN network is available; and

queuing the monitored VPN-destined data from the application layer if the VPN network is not available.

2. The program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for virtual private (VPN) persistence as in claim 1, wherein determining if the VPN network is available comprises:

determining a static client address; and

monitoring network connectivity between an interface address and the static client address.

3. The program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for virtual private (VPN) persistence as in claim 2, wherein monitoring network connectivity between an interface address and the static client address further comprises

determining a gateway address;

and

monitoring network connectivity between the interface address and the gateway address.

4. The program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for virtual private (VPN) persistence as in claim 2, wherein monitoring network connectivity between an interface address and the static client address further comprises

determining an endpoint address;

and

monitoring network connectivity between the endpoint address and the gateway address.

5. The program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for virtual private (VPN) persistence as in claim 1, wherein monitoring VPN-destined data from the application layer comprises monitoring discrete VPN-destined data packets.

6. The program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for virtual private (VPN) persistence as in claim 5, wherein queuing the monitored VPN-destined data from the application layer if the VPN network is not available further comprises queuing at least one of the discrete VPN-destined packets.

7. A system for virtual private network (VPN) address persistence, the system comprising:

a VPN capable network device, wherein the network device comprises;

a VPN data monitor; and

a VPN queuing device.

8. The system as in claim 7 further comprising a VPN capable server connectible to the VPN capable network device, wherein the VPN capable server comprises:

a server VPN data monitor; and

a server VPN queuing device.

9. The system as in claim 8 further comprising a VPN capable enterprise firewall connectible to the VPN capable server, wherein the VPN capable server comprises:

an enterprise VPN data monitor; and

an enterprise VPN queuing device.

10. The system as in claim 9 further comprising a VPN capable gateway connectible to the VPN capable enterprise sever, wherein the VPN capable gateway comprises:

a gateway VPN data monitor; and

a gateway VPN queuing device.

11. The system as in claim 10 wherein the VPN capable gateway comprises a Web Everywhere Connection Manager™

(WECM).

12. The system as in claim 7 wherein the VPN capable network device further comprises a remote access VPN device.

13. The system as in claim 12 wherein the remote access VPN device further comprises a Personal Data Assistant (PDA).

14. The system as in claim 7 wherein the VPN capable network device further comprises a site-to-site VPN device.

15. A method for virtual private network (VPN) address persistence, the method comprising:

monitoring VPN-destined data from an application layer, wherein monitoring VPN-destined data from the application layer comprises monitoring discrete VPN-destined data packets;

determining if a VPN network is available, wherein determining if the VPN network is available comprises;

determining a static client address;

monitoring network connectivity between an interface address and the static client address, wherein monitoring network connectivity between an interface address and the static client address further comprises;

determining a gateway address;

monitoring network connectivity between the interface address and the gateway address; and

queuing the monitored VPN-destined data from the application layer if the VPN network is not available, wherein queuing the monitored VPN-destined data from the application layer if the VPN network is not available further comprises queuing at least one of the discrete VPN-destined packets.