SYSTEMS, METHODS, MEDIA, AND MEANS FOR HIDING NETWORK TOPOLOGY

• US 20080137686A1
• Filed: 11/14/2007
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Starent Networks Corporation (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: AGARWAL, Kaitki, GHAI, Rajat
• Granted Patent: US 8,929,360 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/474
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/38 Flow based routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/72 Routing based on the source address
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/74 Address processing for routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/7453 using hashing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/125 by balancing the load, e.g. traffic engineering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2483 involving identification of individual flows
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/102 Gateways arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways, H04L12/66
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1045 Proxies, e.g. for session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1046 Call controllers; Call servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/912 Applications of a database
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/913 Multimedia
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/918 Location

Abstract

Systems, methods, media, and means for hiding network topology are provided. In some embodiments, methods for hiding network topology are provided, the methods including: receiving a message including topology information from a sender; removing at least part of the topology information; associating the removed topology information with an identifier; saving the topology information; sending the message to a receiver; receiving a response from the receiver; retrieving the removed topology information based on the identifier; inserting the removed topology information into the response; and sending the response to the sender.

Claims

1. A method for hiding network topology, comprising:

receiving a message including topology information from a sender;

removing at least part of the topology information;

associating the removed topology information with an identifier;

saving the topology information;

sending the message to a receiver;

receiving a response from the receiver;

retrieving the removed topology information based on the identifier;

inserting the removed topology information into the response; and

sending the response to the sender.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining which part of the topology information to remove based at least in part on the destination of the message.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

encrypting at least part of the topology information; and

decrypting the encrypted topology information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the message including topology information is received at a proxy server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the message including topology information is received at a Call Session Control Function.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the message including topology information is received at a Proxy Call Session Control Function.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the message including topology information is received at a Serving Call Session Control Function.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the message including topology information is received at an Interrogating Call Session Control Function.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is part of a call session and further comprising:

allocating memory to store the removed topology information in response to the creation of the call session; and

deallocating the memory in response to the termination of the call session.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the message and the response are received at a network boundary.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier is a public user identifier.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the message and the response are in UMM format.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the topology information is part of a header.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the removed topology information is a network address of the sender.

15. A computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for hiding network topology, the method comprising:

receiving a message including topology information from a sender;

removing at least part of the topology information;

associating the removed topology information with an identifier;

saving the topology information;

sending the message to a receiver;

receiving a response from the receiver;

retrieving the removed topology information based on the identifier;

inserting the removed topology information into the response; and

sending the response to the sender.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, the method further comprising:

determining which part of the topology information to remove based at least in part on the destination of the message.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, the method further comprising:

encrypting at least part of the topology information; and

decrypting the encrypted topology information.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the message including topology information is received at a proxy server.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the message including topology information is received at a Proxy Call Session Control Function.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the message including topology information is received at a Serving Call Session Control Function.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the message including topology information is received at an Interrogating Call Session Control Function.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the message is part of a call session and the method further comprising:

allocating memory to store the removed topology information in response to the creation of the call session; and

deallocating the memory in response to the termination of the call session.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the removed topology information is a network address of the sender.

24. A intermediate apparatus in a network, comprising:

a memory;

an interface;

and a processor in communication with the memory and the interface, wherein the processor;

receives a message including topology information from the interface;

removes at least part of the topology information;

associates the removed topology information with an identifier;

saves the topology information in the memory;

sends the message through the interface;

receives a response from the interface;

retrieves the removed topology information from the memory based on the identifier;

inserts the removed topology information into the response; and

sends the response to the through the interface.

25. The intermediate apparatus of claim 24, wherein the intermediate apparatus is a proxy server.

26. The intermediate apparatus of claim 24, wherein the processor further:

encrypts at least part of the topology information; and

decrypts the encrypted topology information.

27. A wireless communication system comprising:

means for receiving a message including topology information from a sender;

means for removing at least part of the topology information;

means for associating the removed topology information with an identifier;

means for saving the topology information;

means for sending the message to a receiver;

means for receiving a response from the receiver;

means for retrieving the removed topology information based on the identifier;

means for inserting the removed topology information into the response; and

means for sending the response to the sender.