HOST IDENTITY PROTOCOL SERVER ADDRESS CONFIGURATION

• US 20110296027A1
• Filed: 02/05/2009
• Published: 12/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Melen, Jan, Ylitalo, Jukka, Salmela, Patrik
• Application Number:
  US13/147,250
• Publication Number:
  US 20110296027A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/668 Internet protocol [IP] address subnets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/103 across network layers, e.g. resolution of network layer into physical layer addresses or address resolution protocol [ARP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4535 using an address exchange platform which sets up a session between two nodes, e.g. rendezvous servers, session initiation protocols [SIP] registrars or H.323 gatekeepers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5061 Pools of addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/08 Mobility data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/182 Network node acting on behalf of an other network entity, e.g. proxy

Abstract

A method of facilitating access to a Host Identity Protocol security procedure by a host connected to a moving network, where the moving network comprises a Host Identity Protocol server responsible for allocating local IP addresses to attached hosts. The method comprises registering at a rendezvous server an IP address prefix for use by said Host Identity Protocol server in allocating said local addresses, together with an externally reachable IP address of the Host Identity Protocol server. The registered IP address prefix is used at the rendezvous server to forward received I1 messages to the Host Identity Protocol server. The rendezvous server controls the allocation and registration of address prefixes to Host Identity Protocol servers in order to prevent collision of local IP addresses.

Claims

1. In a network comprising a server responsible for allocating local IP addresses to attached hosts, a method comprising:

registering at a rendezvous server an IP address prefix for use by the server in allocating said local addresses, together with an externally reachable IP address of the server; and

using the registered IP address prefix at the rendezvous server to forward received I1 messages to the server, wherein

said rendezvous server controls the allocation and registration of address prefixes to servers in order to prevent collision of local IP addresses.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the server is a Host Identity Protocol proxy, and said hosts are legacy hosts.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising registering a Host Identity or Host Identity Tag of the server at the rendezvous server together with said IF address prefix.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the server is a Host Identity Protocol mobile router, and said hosts are HIP hosts.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said rendezvous server controls the allocation and registration of address prefixes to servers by selecting an unallocated IP address prefix from a pool of IP address prefixes, registering the selected prefix in respect of the registering server, and notifying the registering server of the selected and registered IP address prefix.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said rendezvous server controls the allocation and registration of address prefixes to servers by receiving a proposed IP address prefix from the registering server and accepting or rejecting the proposal based upon already registered prefixes.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising, following a rejection of a proposed IP address prefix by the rendezvous server, selecting an alternative prefix at the server, and sending this to the rendezvous server.

8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising, following a rejection of a proposed IP address prefix by the rendezvous server, selecting an alternative and unallocated prefix at rendezvous server and sending this to the server.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said rendezvous server is one of a set of cooperating rendezvous servers, the rendezvous servers exchanging data identifying allocated IP address prefixes to prevent IP address prefix collision between rendezvous servers.

10. An apparatus configured to operate as a rendezvous server for establishing sessions between hosts, the apparatus comprising:

a registration database;

a receiver for receiving a registration request from a server, the server being responsible for allocating local IP addresses to attached hosts;

a registration unit for responding to receipt of a registration request by registering in said registration database an IP address prefix for use by the server in allocating said local addresses, together with an externally reachable IP address of the server; and

a message handling unit for using the registered IP address prefix to forward received I1 messages to the server,

wherein said registration unit is configured to control the allocation and registration of address prefixes to servers in order to prevent collision of local IP addresses.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said registration unit is configured to control the allocation and registration of address prefixes to servers by allocating to the server an unallocated IP address prefix from within an IP address prefix pool, the apparatus further comprising a sending unit for sending the allocated IP address prefix to the server.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said registration unit is configured to control the allocation and registration of address prefixes to servers by identifying within said registration request an IP address prefix proposed by the server and rejecting that prefix if the prefix is registered for another server.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, said registration unit being further configured, upon rejection of a proposed IP address prefix, to either send an alternative, available prefix to the server, or to consider an alternative proposal from the server.

14. The apparatus according to claim 10, said registration unit being configured to exchange, with other associated rendezvous servers, data identifying allocated IP address prefixes to prevent IP address prefix allocation collision between rendezvous servers.

15. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the server is one of a Host Identity Protocol proxy and a Host Identity Protocol mobile router.

16. An apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a registration unit for registering at a rendezvous server an IP address prefix for use by the apparatus in allocating local IP addresses within a subnetwork, together with an externally reachable IP address, and a Host Identity or a Host Identity Tag, of the apparatus,

the registration unit being configured to receive from the rendezvous server the registered IP address prefix.