STATEFUL NETWORK ADDRESS TRANSLATION PROTOCOL IMPLEMENTED OVER A DATA NETWORK
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- receiving, at a first network device configured to perform Network Address Translation (NAT), a first NAT transaction message which includes updated NAT information, the first NAT transaction message being generated by a second network device configured to perform NAT, the updated NAT information including information relating to updates or modifications to be performed on NAT information stored at a first NAT data structure, the first NAT data structure being managed by the first network device; and
modifying by the first network device NAT information stored at the first NAT data structure according to whether the second network device that generated the first NAT transaction message is authorized to modify the first NAT data structure, wherein modifying is performed using the updated NAT information from the first NAT transaction message to thereby achieve synchronization of NAT information stored on the first and second network devices.
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Abstract
A technique is disclosed for synchronizing NAT information stored on different network devices that have been configured to implement a network address translation protocol. Each of the network devices includes a respective NAT data structure configured to store NAT information. The NAT information includes at least one NAT entry relating to a network node engaged in a communication session with at least one other network node. At least one NAT entry in a first NAT data structure is modified. The first NAT data structure is associated with a first NAT network device. A first NAT transaction message is generated which includes information relating to the modifications performed on the first NAT data structure. The first NAT transaction message is transmitted to at least one other NAT network device to thereby cause that device to modify its respective NAT data structure using information from the first NAT transaction message. In this way, synchronization of NAT information stored on each of the network devices may be achieved.
38 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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receiving, at a first network device configured to perform Network Address Translation (NAT), a first NAT transaction message which includes updated NAT information, the first NAT transaction message being generated by a second network device configured to perform NAT, the updated NAT information including information relating to updates or modifications to be performed on NAT information stored at a first NAT data structure, the first NAT data structure being managed by the first network device; and modifying by the first network device NAT information stored at the first NAT data structure according to whether the second network device that generated the first NAT transaction message is authorized to modify the first NAT data structure, wherein modifying is performed using the updated NAT information from the first NAT transaction message to thereby achieve synchronization of NAT information stored on the first and second network devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus, comprising:
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a processor; and a memory, at least one of the processor or the memory being adapted for; receiving, at a first network device configured to perform Network Address Translation (NAT), a first NAT transaction message which includes instructions pertaining to a first NAT data structure managed by the first network device, the first NAT transaction message being generated by a second network device configured to perform NAT; and modifying by the first network device the first NAT data structure according to whether the second network device that generated the first NAT transaction message is authorized to modify the first NAT data structure, wherein modifying is performed in accordance with the instructions from the first NAT transaction message to thereby achieve synchronization of NAT information stored on the first and second network devices. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An apparatus, comprising:
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means for receiving, at a first network device configured to perform Network Address Translation (NAT), a first NAT transaction message which includes instructions pertaining to a first NAT data structure managed by the first network device, the first NAT transaction message being generated by a second network device configured to perform NAT; and means for modifying by the first network device the first NAT data structure according to whether the second network device that generated the first NAT transaction message is authorized to modify the first NAT data structure, wherein modifying is performed in accordance with the instructions from the first NAT transaction message to thereby achieve synchronization of NAT information stored on the first and second network devices.
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Specification