Dynamic tunnel probing in a communications network
First Claim
1. A method allowing for dynamic detection of network devices located along a communications path that include compatible transformation tunnel capabilities, at least one of the network devices operative to recognize probe requests and transmit a probe response including transformation tunnel capabilities in response to the probe request, the method comprising the steps of:
- detecting a first data flow to a destination host;
probing the path to the destination host to discover the network address of at least one of the network devices having compatible transformation tunnel capabilities; and
,if a network address of a network device is discovered in the probing step, transforming subsequent data flows, or subsequent packets in the first data flow, to the destination host from a first state to a second state and tunneling the data flows, or the subsequent packets in the first data flow, to the discovered network device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods, apparatuses and systems allowing for dynamic detection of network devices, located along communications paths associated with a computer network, that include compatible transformation tunneling capabilities. In one embodiment, a tunnel probing device, having transformation tunneling capabilities, monitors data flows to respective destination hosts and probes for other network devices, having compatible transformation tunneling capabilities, located along respective communications paths to the destination hosts. A network device in a communications path, recognizing probes transmitted by the tunnel probing device, responds to the probe by communicating its transformation tunneling capabilities, and passes the probe along the path to the destination host for possible recognition by other compatible network devices. The present invention allows for recognition and optimization of network traffic between network devices without prior configuration.
102 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method allowing for dynamic detection of network devices located along a communications path that include compatible transformation tunnel capabilities, at least one of the network devices operative to recognize probe requests and transmit a probe response including transformation tunnel capabilities in response to the probe request, the method comprising the steps of:
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detecting a first data flow to a destination host; probing the path to the destination host to discover the network address of at least one of the network devices having compatible transformation tunnel capabilities; and
,if a network address of a network device is discovered in the probing step, transforming subsequent data flows, or subsequent packets in the first data flow, to the destination host from a first state to a second state and tunneling the data flows, or the subsequent packets in the first data flow, to the discovered network device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method allowing for optimization of communications paths associated with a computer network by dynamic detection of network devices located along a communications path that include compatible transformation tunnel capabilities, at least one of the network devices operative to recognize probe requests and transmit a probe response including transformation tunnel capabilities in response to the probe request, the method comprising the steps of:
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detecting a data flow to a destination host; if the path to the destination host has not been probed, then; probing the path to the destination host to discover the network address of a network device having compatible transformation tunnel capabilities; and
,associating a network device discovered in the probing step with the destination host; and
,if a network device is associated with a destination host, transforming data flows to the destination host from a first state to a second state and tunneling the data flows to the associated network device. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An apparatus allowing for automatic detection of network devices located in a communications path that include compatible transformation tunnel capabilities, comprising:
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a packet processor operably connected to a computer network to monitor data flows traversing communication paths associated with the computer network to respective destination hoses; a transformation tunnel mechanism including transformation tunnel capabilities operative to transform data flows from a first state to a second state; wherein the transformation tunnel mechanism is further operative to establish a tunnel with a network device having compatible transformation tunnel capabilities located in a communications path associated with the computer network; a probe module operative to probe for network devices along communications paths to destination hosts that include compatible transformation tunnel capabilities in response to data flows detected by the packet processor, wherein the probe module is further operative to obtain the network address of a network device having compatible transformation tunnel capabilities; wherein the probe module is operative to associate destination hosts with respective network devices along communication paths thereto having compatible transformation tunnel capabilities; wherein the packer processor is further operative to channel data flows to the transformation tunnel mechanism, wherein the channeled data flows are bound for destination hosts associated with network devices identified by the probe module. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A system allowing for dynamic detection of network devices that include compatible transformation tunnel capabilities, the network devices located along a communications path between a first host node and a second host node, comprising
a tunnel probing device operably connected to a computer network; - wherein the tunnel probing device comprises;
a packet processor operative to monitor data flows traversing communication paths associated with the computer network to respective destination hosts; a transformation tunnel mechanism including transformation tunnel capabilities operative to transform data flows from a first state to a second state; wherein the transformation tunnel mechanism is further operative to establish a tunnel with a network device having compatible transformation tunnel capabilities located in a communications path associated with the computer network; a probe module operative to probe for network devices along communications paths to destination hosts that include compatible transformation tunnel capabilities in response to data flows detected by the packet processor, wherein the probe module is further operative to obtain the network address of a network device having compatible transformation tunnel capabilities; wherein the probe module is operative to associate destination hosts with respective network devices along communication paths thereto having compatible transformation tunnel capabilities; wherein the packet processor is further operative to channel data flows to the transformation tunnel mechanism, wherein the channeled data flows are bound for destination hosts associated with network devices identified by the probe module; and
,at least one network device operably connected to the computer network, wherein the network device comprises a transformation tunnel mechanism including at least one transformation tunnel capability;
wherein the network device is operative to communicate transformation tunnel capabilities to the tunnel probing device in response to probe requests.
- wherein the tunnel probing device comprises;
Specification