SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MIXED MODE HANDLING OF IPV6 AND IPV4 TRAFFIC BY A VIRTUAL SERVER

• US 20110153827A1
• Filed: 12/23/2009
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Original Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Inventors: Muthiah, Manikam, Yengalasetti, Sreedhar
• Granted Patent: US 9,054,943 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5044 considering hardware capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/659 Internet protocol version 6 [IPv6] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/125 by balancing the load, e.g. traffic engineering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/045 involving different protocol versions, e.g. MIPv4 and MIPv6

Abstract

The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for mixed-mode load balancing by a virtual server in a network supporting a plurality of internet protocols. In various embodiments, a mixed-mode virtual server receives service requests based on two or more internet layer protocols. The mixed-mode virtual server is configured to detect an IP address type of the client issuing the service request, and identify the internet protocol of the service request based on the detected IP address type. The mixed-mode virtual server can then forward the request to a server supporting the identified internet protocol. In this manner, the mixed-mode virtual server can bind load balance servers supporting a plurality of internet protocols.

Claims

1. A method of a virtual server of an intermediary device to support both IPv4 and IPv6 services, the method comprising:

(a) establishing a load balancing virtual server executing on an intermediary device deployed between a plurality of clients and a plurality of servers, the load balancing virtual server configured to load balance at least between a first service for a type of service on a first server and a second service for the same type of service on a second server, the first server receiving IPv4 network addressed traffic and the second server receiving IPv6 network addressed traffic;

(b) receiving, by the load balancing virtual server, a request from a client to access the type of service;

(c) identifying, by the load balancing virtual server, that for each of the first service and second service the load balancing virtual server is configured to maintain an internet protocol address of the client when forwarding requests;

(d) detecting, by the load balancing virtual server, a type of network addressing of the request of the client; and

(e) determining, by the load balancing virtual server, to forward the request to the first service or the second service based on the type of network addressing detected in the request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) further comprises detecting that the type of network addressing of the request is IPv4 and wherein step (e) further comprises determining to forward the request to the first service.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising inserting by the load balancing virtual server the IPv4 address of the client into the request forwarded to the first service.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) further comprises detecting that the type of network addressing of the request is IPv6 and wherein step (e) further comprises determining to forward the request to the second service.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising inserting by the load balancing virtual server the IPv6 address of the client into the request forwarded to the second service.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises establishing the load balancing virtual server configured to load balance a plurality of first services receiving IPv4 network addressed traffic.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein step (d) further comprises detecting that the type of network addressing of the request is IPv4 and wherein step (e) further comprises selecting via a load balancing algorithm one of the plurality of first services to which to forward the request.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises establishing the load balancing virtual server configures to load balance a plurality of second services receiving IPv6 network addressed traffic.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein step (d) further comprises detecting that the type of network addressing of the request is IPv6 and wherein step (e) further comprises selecting via a load balancing algorithm one of the plurality of first services to which to forward the request.

10. A system for mixed-mode load-balancing of internet services supporting both IPv4 and IPv6 requests, the system comprising:

a load balancing virtual server executing on an intermediary device deployed between a plurality of clients and a plurality of servers, the load balancing virtual server configured to load balance at least between a first service for a type of service on a first server and a second service for the same type of service on a second server, the first server receiving IPv4 network addressed traffic and the second server receiving IPv6 network addressed traffic, wherein the load balancing virtual server is configured to

receive a request from a client to access the type of service;

identify for each of the first service and second service the load balancing virtual server is configured to maintain an internet protocol address of the client when forwarding requests;

detect a type of network addressing of the request of the client; and

determine to forward the request to the first service or the second service based on the type of network addressing detected in the request.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the load balancing virtual server detects that the type of network addressing of the request is IPv4 and determines to forward the request to the first service.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the load balancing virtual server inserts the IPv4 address of the client into the request forwarded to the first service.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the load balancing virtual server detects that the type of network addressing of the request is IPv6 and determines to forward the request to the second service.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the load balancing virtual server inserts the IPv6 address of the client into the request forwarded to the second service.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the load balancing virtual server is configured to load balance a plurality of first services receiving IPv4 network addressed traffic.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the load balancing virtual server detects that the type of network addressing of the request is IPv4 and selects via a load balancing algorithm one of the plurality of first services to which to forward the request.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the load balancing virtual server is configured to load balance a plurality of second services receiving IPv6 network addressed traffic.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the load balancing virtual server detects that the type of network addressing of the request is IPv6 and selects via a load balancing algorithm one of the plurality of first services to which to forward the request.

19. The system of claim 10, wherein the load balancing virtual server determines the type of network addressing from one of a destination internet protocol address or a source internet protocol address of the request.

20. The system of claim 10, wherein the load balancing virtual server determines the type of network addressing by a length of a destination of internet protocol address of the request.