Differentiated Handling of Data Traffic with Adaptation of Network Address Lookup

• US 20120099433A1
• Filed: 03/03/2011
• Published: 04/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Damola, Ayodele, Ludwig, Reiner, Willars, Per
• Application Number:
  US13/039,428
• Publication Number:
  US 20120099433A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/241
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/745 Address table lookup; Address filtering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams

Abstract

a method of differentiated handling of data traffic, the data traffic is related to a network resource (80) and is preceded by a lookup procedure for obtaining a network address of the network resource (80). A message (203) of the lookup procedure is processed for adapting the lookup procedure. Due to the adaptation, the lookup procedure returns a network address of a replacement network resource (60). The replacement network resource (60) is capable of replacing the network resource (80) in communication of data packets of the data traffic. On the basis of the network address of the replacement network resource (60), differentiated handling of the data packets in said communication with the replacement network resource (60) is accomplished.

Claims

1. A method for differentiated handling of data traffic related to a network resource, said data traffic being preceded by a lookup procedure for obtaining a network address of the network resource, the method comprising the steps of:

processing a message of the lookup procedure for adapting the lookup procedure to return a network address of a replacement network resource capable of replacing the network resource in communication of data packets,

wherein differentiated handling of the data packets in said communication with the replacement network resource is accomplished on the basis of the network address of the replacement network resource.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said processing of the message comprises:

receiving a query for the network address of the network resource, and

responding to the query with the network address of the replacement network resource.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said processing of the message comprises:

receiving a response to a query for the network address of the network resource; and

modifying the response by replacing the network address of the network resource with the network address of the replacement network resource.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said processing of the message comprises redirecting a query for the network address of the network resource.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said differentiated handling in said communication of the data packets is accomplished on the basis of a preconfigured packet classification rule operating on the basis of the network address of the replacement network resource.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the network address of the replacement network resource is selected from a network address range matching the packet classification rule.

7. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

inspecting the data packets, and

updating the packet classification rule on the basis of the inspection.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said differentiated handling comprises routing the data packets to a bearer established across a radio interface.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the data packets are routed to the bearer by a packet filter operating on the basis of the network address of the replacement network resource.

10. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of:

establishing the bearer between a user equipment and a gateway when the user equipment attaches to the gateway.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of replacement network resources are provided for differentiating between data traffic related to corresponding network resources, and wherein the network addresses of the replacement network resources are each selected from a different network address range corresponding to a subnet.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the replacement network resource comprises a cache server or a tunnel edge server.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the replacement network resource operates as a proxy node for the network resource.

15. The network device according to claim 14, wherein the network device is configured to operate according to a method as defined in claim 1.

17. The network system according to claim 16, wherein the network system is configured to operate according to a method as defined in claim 1.

18. A computer program product comprising data to be processed by a processor of a network device, thereby causing the network device to operate according to a method as defined in claim 1.

14. A network device, comprising:

an interface for receiving a message of a lookup procedure for obtaining a network address of a network resource, and

a processor configured to process the message so as to adapt the lookup procedure to return a network address of a replacement network resource capable of replacing the network resource in communication of data packets,

wherein differentiated handling of the data packets in said communication with the replacement network resource is accomplished on the basis of the network address of the replacement network resource.

16. A network system, comprising:

a replacement network resource capable of replacing a network resource in communication of data packets;

a network device configured to process a message of a lookup procedure for obtaining a network address of the network resource, said processing adapting the lookup procedure to return a network address of the replacement network resource; and

at least one communication device configured to accomplish differentiated handling of the data packets in said communication with the replacement network resource on the basis of the network address of the replacement network resource.