ACCELERATION THROUGH A NETWORK TUNNEL

• US 20100265950A1
• Filed: 04/16/2010
• Published: 10/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Inventors: Chandran, Girish, Lau, Jason, Foxworthy, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,274,981 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/392
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/602 Multilayer or multiprotocol switching, e.g. IP switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/04 Protocols for data compression, e.g. ROHC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers

Abstract

Methods and systems for implementing acceleration through a packet encapsulation protocol tunnel, are described. The method includes establishing a packet encapsulation protocol tunnel between a first network endpoint and a second network endpoint, sending packets with a packet encapsulation protocol tunnel header from the first network endpoint to the second network endpoint, and removing the packet encapsulation protocol tunnel headers from the packets. The method further includes storing the packet encapsulation protocol tunnel headers in a storage memory, performing acceleration on the packets, and retrieving the packet encapsulation protocol tunnel headers from the storage memory. Further, the method includes replacing the packet encapsulation protocol tunnel headers on the packets, and sending the packets with the packet encapsulation protocol tunnel headers through the packet encapsulation protocol tunnel to the second endpoint.

Claims

1. A method of implementing acceleration through a packet encapsulation protocol tunnel, the method comprising:

establishing a packet encapsulation protocol tunnel between a first network endpoint and a second network endpoint;

sending packets with a packet encapsulation protocol tunnel header from the first network endpoint to the second network endpoint;

removing the packet encapsulation protocol tunnel headers from the packets;

storing the packet encapsulation protocol tunnel headers in a storage memory;

performing acceleration on the packets;

retrieving the packet encapsulation protocol tunnel headers from the storage memory;

replacing the packet encapsulation protocol tunnel headers on the packets; and

sending the packets with the packet encapsulation protocol tunnel headers through the packet encapsulation protocol tunnel to the second endpoint.

2. A method of implementing acceleration through a packet encapsulation protocol tunnel as in claim 1, wherein the first network endpoint comprises a satellite modem termination system (SMTS).

3. A method of implementing acceleration through a packet encapsulation protocol tunnel as in claim 1, wherein the second network endpoint comprises a gateway module.

4. A method of implementing acceleration through a packet encapsulation protocol tunnel as in claim 1, wherein the packet encapsulation protocol comprises a Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE) protocol or an IP in IP (IP-IP) protocol.

5. A method of implementing acceleration through a packet encapsulation protocol tunnel as in claim 1, wherein the performing of the acceleration on the packets comprises performing prefetching.

6. A method of implementing acceleration through a packet encapsulation protocol tunnel as in claim 1, wherein the performing of the acceleration on the packets comprises performing bit caching.

7. A method of implementing acceleration through a packet encapsulation protocol tunnel as in claim 1, wherein the performing of the acceleration on the packets comprises performing compression.

8. A method of implementing acceleration through a packet encapsulation protocol tunnel as in claim 1, wherein the packet encapsulation protocol tunnel headers are preserved in an unaltered state while stored in the storage memory.

9. A method of implementing acceleration through a packet encapsulation protocol tunnel as in claim 1, wherein the packet encapsulation protocol tunnel headers are stored in the memory storage using a hash table.

10. A system for implementing acceleration through a packet encapsulation protocol tunnel, the system comprising:

a customer premises device (CPE) configured to transmit a packet with a network request, wherein the packet includes a header and a destination;

a user terminal (UT) in communication with the CPE, the UT configured to receive the packet;

a satellite in communication with the UT, the satellite configured to transmit the packet;

a satellite modem termination system (SMTS) in communication with the satellite, the SMTS configured to receive the packet, establish a packet encapsulation protocol tunnel between the SMTS and a gateway module, and place a packet encapsulation protocol tunnel header within the packet header;

a core node in communication with the SMTS, the core node including acceleration modules, the gateway module, and a storage memory, the acceleration module configured to receive the packets, remove the packet encapsulation protocol tunnel header, store the packet encapsulation protocol tunnel header in the storage memory, and perform acceleration on the packet,

the gateway module configured to receive the packet after acceleration, retrieve the packet encapsulation protocol tunnel header from the storage memory, replace the packet encapsulation protocol tunnel header on header of the packet, and transmit the packet to the destination.

11. A system for implementing acceleration through a packet encapsulation protocol tunnel as in claim 10, wherein the network request comprises a web request.

12. A system for implementing acceleration through a packet encapsulation protocol tunnel as in claim 11, wherein the web request comprises a request for web content.

13. A system for implementing acceleration through a packet encapsulation protocol tunnel as in claim 12, wherein the packet header includes one or more of the following:

a MAC portion, an IP portion, a UDP portion, and a payload portion.

14. A system for implementing acceleration through a packet encapsulation protocol tunnel as in claim 10, wherein the network request comprises one or more of the following:

a TCP request, a Mail request, an FTP request, an SMB request, and an RPC request.

15. A computer-readable medium for implementing acceleration through a packet encapsulation protocol tunnel, having sets of instructions which, when executed by one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to:

establish a packet encapsulation protocol tunnel between a first network endpoint and a second network endpoint;

send packets with a packet encapsulation protocol tunnel header from the first network endpoint to the second network endpoint;

remove the packet encapsulation protocol tunnel headers from the packets;

store the packet encapsulation protocol tunnel headers in a storage memory;

perform acceleration on the packets;

retrieve the packet encapsulation protocol tunnel headers from the storage memory;

replace the packet encapsulation protocol tunnel headers on the packets; and

send the packets with the packet encapsulation protocol tunnel headers through the packet encapsulation protocol tunnel to the second endpoint.

16. A computer readable medium as in claim 15, wherein the first network endpoint comprises a satellite modem termination system (SMTS).

17. A computer readable medium as in claim 15, wherein the second network endpoint comprises a gateway module.

18. A computer readable medium as in claim 15, wherein the packet encapsulation protocol comprises a Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE) protocol or an IP in IP (IP-IP) protocol.

19. A computer readable medium as in claim 15, wherein the performing of the acceleration on the packets comprises performing prefetching.

20. A computer readable medium as in claim 15, wherein the performing of the acceleration on the packets comprises performing bit caching.