Agent/proxy connection control across a firewall

• US 6,349,336 B1
• Filed: 02/15/2000
• Issued: 02/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Sit, Eric N., Clough, James, Nelson, Dean S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky, Moustafa M.
• Application Number:
  US09/504,157
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709/203, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/227, 709/228, 709/230, 709/232, 709/236, 709/237, 709/238, 709/245, 709/246
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/305 by remotely controlling device operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/029 Firewall traversal, e.g. tunnelling or, creating pinholes

Abstract

The invention enables a tunneling action that allows a remote processor to communicate with a local processor when the remote processor is coupled to the local processor via a reverse proxy device, a computer network, a firewall and a proxy agent device. Initially, the local processor establishes a communication channel with the remote processor by dispatching a local request message to the proxy agent device. The proxy agent device dispatches the local request message via the firewall and network to the reverse proxy device, thus enabling the firewall to receive a remote response message to the local request message. Thereafter, the remote processor issues a remote request message to the reverse proxy device, which in turn dispatches a remote response message with the remote request message contained therein, to the firewall. Upon receipt by the proxy agent device of the remote response message (via the firewall), the proxy agent device extracts and dispatches the remote request message to the local processor. Dispatch of a local response message by the local processor causes the proxy agent to incorporate the local response message into a local request message and to dispatch the local request message to the remote processor via the firewall and the reverse proxy device.

Claims

1. A method for enabling tunneling action that enables a remote processor to communicate with a local processor when said remote processor is coupled to said local processor via a reverse proxy device, a computer network, a firewall and a proxy agent device, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) controlling said local processor to establish a communication channel with said remote processor by dispatching a local request message to said proxy agent device, said proxy agent device dispatching said local request message via said firewall, said network to said reverse proxy device, said firewall enabled by said proxy agent device to receive a remote response message to said local request message;

(b) upon establishment of said communication channel, enabling said remote processor to issue a remote request message to said reverse proxy device which in turn, dispatches a remote response message with said remote request message contained therein; and

(c) upon receipt by said proxy agent device of said remote response message via said firewall, controlling said proxy agent device to extract and dispatch said remote request message to said local processor, whereby said proxy agent device and reverse proxy device enable said tunneling action without modification of communication applications on either said local processor or said remote processor.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

(d) controlling said proxy agent device to respond to receipt of a local response message from said local processor to said remote request message, by incorporating said local response message into a local request message and dispatching said local request message to said remote processor via said firewall, said network and said reverse proxy device, said firewall enabled by said proxy agent device to receive a remote response message to said local request message.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, comprising the further step of:

(e) upon receipt by said reverse proxy device of said local request message via said firewall, controlling said reverse proxy device to extract and dispatch said local response message to said remote processor.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said computer network is the Internet and messages dispatched between said proxy agent device and said reverse proxy device are configured in HTTP format.

5. A system for enabling tunneling action that allows a remote processor to communicate with a local processor when said remote processor is coupled to said local processor via a computer network and a firewall, said system comprising:

(a) proxy agent means responsive to a local request from said local processor, for establishing a communication channel with said remote processor by dispatching a local request message through said firewall, said firewall enabled by said proxy agent means to receive a remote response message to said local request message;

(b) reverse proxy means responsive to receipt of said local request message and receipt of a remote request message from said remote processor, to dispatch a remote response message with said remote request message contained therein; and

wherein, upon receipt by said proxy agent means of said remote response message via said firewall, said proxy agent means extracts and dispatches said remote request message to said local processor, enabling said proxy agent means and reverse proxy means to implement said tunneling action without modification of communication applications on either said local processor or said remote processor.

6. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein said proxy agent means further responds to receipt of a local response message from said local processor to said remote request message, by incorporating said local response message into a local request message and dispatching said local request message via said firewall, said network to said reverse proxy means, said firewall enabled by said proxy agent means to receive a remote response message to said local request message.

7. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein upon receipt by said reverse proxy means of said local request message via said firewall, said reverse proxy means extracts and dispatches said local response message to said remote processor.

8. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein said computer network is the Internet and messages dispatched between said proxy agent means and said reverse proxy means are configured in HTTP format.