Method for assigning a dual IP address to a workstation attached on an IP data transmission network

• US 6,684,243 B1
• Filed: 05/23/2000
• Issued: 01/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Le Pennec, Jean-Francois, Euget, Guy
• Primary Examiner(s): Burgess, Glenton B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARTON, KEVIN S
• Application Number:
  US09/576,453
• Time in Patent Office: 1,344 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220, 709/221, 709/222, 709/203, 710/8, 710/9
• US Class Current: 709/222
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/35 involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources

Abstract

A method, system or program product for assigning a dual address to a workstation connecting anywhere to an IP data transmission network composed of at least a first Local Area Network (LAN) provided with a home Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server, a home Domain Name Services (DNS) server and a home registration server; this method comprising:

a) off-line registering into the registration server the workstation parameters including a static IP address, and a logon ID and password which have been provided to the user of the workstation,

b) connecting the workstation to the IP network, the workstation being configured in DHCP mode, c) providing by the home registration server a dynamic IP address to the workstation,

d) calling the home registration server by the workstation to get first the static IP address and, secondly a configuration file for the workstation, and

e) configuring automatically the applications to be processed by the workstation with the static IP address or the dynamic IP address.

Claims

1. A method for assigning a dual address to a workstation connecting to an IP data transmission network composed of at least a first Local Area Network (LAN)provided with a home Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server, a home Domain Name Services (DNS)server and a home registration server, said workstation having parameters, said method comprising the steps of:

a) off-line registering into said registration server prior to connecting said workstation to said network, said workstation parameters including a static IP address, a name, rights of the workstation, and a logon ID and password which have been provided to a user of the workstation;

b) connecting said workstation to said IP network, said workstation being configured in DHCP mode;

c) providing, by said home registration server, a dynamic IP address to said workstation;

d) calling said home registration server, by said workstation, using said logon ID and said password to get first said static IP address and, secondly a configuration file for said workstation; and

e) configuring automatically any applications and protocols to be processed by said workstation with said static IP address or said dynamic IP address, such a configuration being based upon said configuration file.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said IP data transmission network includes a second LAN to which is connected said workstation, said second LAN including a visited DHCP server, a visited DNS server and a visited registration server;

said method further comprising the steps of;

f) providing, by said visited registration server, a new dynamic IP address to said workstation;

g) calling said visited registration server by said workstation using a guest logon to provide said visited registration server with the static IP address of said workstation; and

h) contacting said home registration server, by said visited registration server, in order to get characteristics of said workstation for updating said visited registration server.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said workstation is connected to said second LAN by an intermediary of a remote access server, said remote access server controlling authorization of the workstation to be connected to said second LAN, and wherein said remote access server performs the operations performed by said workstation when it is directly connected to said second LAN.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein said workstation is connected to an Internet network, said Internet network being attached to said network by a firewall server which controls access authorization of said workstation to be connected to said network and wherein said firewall server performs operations performed by said workstation when it is directly connected to said network except the step of providing a dynamic IP address which is provided by an Internet administration.

5. A method according to claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein a user proxy is attached to said first LAN for acting as a virtual workstation instead of said workstation, said user proxy intercepting all the traffic transmitted to an IP address of said workstation and being updated by said home registration server with the current active address of said workstation.

6. A method according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 wherein the IP address of a registration server is composed of network and subnet fields of a dynamic IP address provided to said workstation connecting anywhere in said network and a fixed value as a host field, thereby allowing contact of said registration server without knowing said registration server'"'"'s real address.

7. A method according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 wherein, further to said static address provided by said home registration server to said workstation, a mask identifying different fields within said static address and more precisely a boundary between subnet and host fields is provided by said home registration server.

8. A program product residing on programmably readable media for assigning a dual address to a workstation connecting to an IP data transmission network composed of at least a first Local Area Network (LAN)provided with a home Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server, a home Domain Name Services (DNS)server and a home registration server, said workstation having parameters, said computer program product comprising the programmable steps of:

a)programmably registering off-line into said registration server prior to connecting said workstation to said network, said workstation parameters including a static IP address, a name, rights of the workstation, and a logon ID and password which have been provided to a user of the workstation;

b) programmably connecting said workstation to said IP network, said workstation being configured in DHCP mode;

c) programmably providing, by said home registration server, a dynamic IP address to said workstation;

d) programmably calling said home registration server, by said workstation, using said logon ID and said password to get first said static IP address and, secondly a configuration file for said workstation; and

e) programmably configuring automatically any applications and protocols to be processed by said workstation with said static IP address or said dynamic IP address, such a configuration being based upon said configuration file.

9. A computer program product according to claim 8, wherein said IP data transmission network includes a second LAN to which is connected said workstation, said second LAN including a visited DHCP server, a visited DNS server and a visited registration server;

said computer program product further comprising the steps of;

f) programmably providing, by said visited registration server, a new dynamic IP address to said workstation;

g) programmably calling said visited registration server by said workstation using a guest logon to provide said visited registration server with the static IP address of said workstation; and

h) programmably contacting said home registration server, by said visited registration server, in order to get characteristics of said workstation for updating said visited registration server.

10. A computer program product according to claim 9, wherein said workstation is connected to said second LAN by an intermediary of a remote access server, said remote access server controlling authorization of the workstation to be connected to said second LAN, and wherein said remote access server performs the operations performed by said workstation when it is directly connected to said second LAN.

11. A computer program product according to claim 9, wherein said workstation is connected to an Internet network, said Internet network being attached to said network by a firewall server which controls access authorization of said workstation to be connected to said network and wherein said firewall server performs operations performed by said workstation when it is directly connected to said network except the step of providing a dynamic IP address which is provided by an Internet administration.

12. A computer program product according to claim 9, 10 or 11, wherein a user proxy is attached to said first LAN for acting as a virtual workstation instead of said workstation, said user proxy intercepting all the traffic transmitted to an IP address of said workstation and being updated by said home registration server with the current active address of said workstation.

13. A computer program product according to claim 8, 9, 10 or 11 wherein the IP address of a registration server is composed of network and subnet fields of a dynamic IP address provided to said workstation connecting anywhere in said network and a fixed value as a host field, thereby allowing contact of said registration server without knowing said registration server'"'"'s real address.

14. A computer program product according to claim 8, 9, 10 or 11 wherein, further to said static address provided by said home registration server to said workstation, a mask identifying different fields within said static address and more precisely a boundary between subnet and host fields is provided by said home registration server.

15. A data transmission system for assigning a dual address to a workstation connecting to an IP data transmission network, said system comprising:

a first Local Area Network (LAN);

a home Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server;

a home Domain Name Services (DNS)server; and

a home registration server, wherein said workstation has parameters, wherein said system;

a) registers off-line into said registration server prior to connecting said workstation to said network, said workstation parameters including a static IP address, a name, rights of the workstation, and a logon ID and password which have been provided to a user of the workstation;

b) connects said workstation to said IP network, said workstation being configured in DHCP mode;

c) said home registration server provides a dynamic IP address to said workstation;

d) said workstation calls said home registration server using said logon ID and said password to get first said static IP address and, secondly a configuration file for said workstation; and

e) said workstation configures, automatically, any applications and protocols to be processed by said workstation with said static IP address or said dynamic IP address, such a configuration being based upon said configuration file.

16. A system according to claim 15, wherein said IP data transmission network includes a second LAN to which is connected said workstation, said second LAN including a visited DHCP server, a visited DNS server and a visited registration server and further comprising:

f) said visited registration server a new dynamic IP address to said workstation;

g) said workstation calling said visited registration server using a guest logon to provide said visited registration server with the static IP address of said workstation; and

h) said visiting registration server contacting said home registration server in order to get characteristics of said workstation for updating said visited registration server.