Method and apparatus for managing tunneled communications in an enterprise network

• US 7,111,065 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2000
• Issued: 09/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nisc Affinegy, LLC
• Original Assignee: Efficient Networks, Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Pickering, James R., Sundarraj, Akkamapet P., Davidson, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Caldwell, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLETT, STEPHAN F
• Application Number:
  US09/727,313
• Publication Number:
  US 20020065921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,120 Days
• Field of Search: 709/228, 709/230, 709/232, 709/237, 709/245, 709/246, 370/389, 370/395, 370/466, 370/474
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/168 specially adapted for link layer protocols, e.g. asynchronous transfer mode [ATM], synchronous optical network [SONET] or point-to-point protocol [PPP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/324 in the data link layer [OSI layer 2], e.g. HDLC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

In one aspect of the invention a method includes, at a tunneling server, receiving from first client a point-to-point protocol signal encapsulated within a network address request header, the point-to-point protocol signal comprising an identifier identifying a destination client. The method further comprises encapsulating the point-to-point signal within a network address response header and communicating the network address response encapsulated signal toward the destination client.

Claims

1. A method of communicating information, comprising:

at a first client, forming a first message by encapsulating a point-to-point data unit within a network address request header, wherein the point-to-point data unit comprises a header including an identifier associated with a second client and a payload comprising information to be communicated to the second client, and wherein the first client comprises a client protocol stack to generate the point-to-point data unit;

at a tunneling server, receiving the first message, removing the network address request header, and encapsulating the point-to-point data unit within a network address response header to form a second message, wherein the tunneling server comprises a server protocol stack to process at least a portion of the first message; and

communicating the second message toward the second client.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network address request header comprises a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol DISCOVER header or a Bootstrap Protocol REQUEST header.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the network address response header comprises a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol OFFER header or a Bootstrap Protocol RESPONSE header.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the point-to-point data unit is encapsulated within a tunneling header prior to being encapsulated into the network address-request header, the tunneling header operable to facilitate maintenance of a tunneling session between the tunneling server and the first client.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the tunneling header comprises a tunneling header selected from the group consisting of a Layer Two Tunneling Protocol (L2TP) header, a Point to Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP), or a Layer Two Forwarding (L2F) header.

6. A method of communicating in an enterprise network, comprising:

at a tunneling server, receiving from a first client a first message, the first message formed by encapsulating a point-to-point data unit within a network address request header, the point-to-point data unit comprising a first header that includes an identifier associated with a second client, and a payload comprising information to be communicated to the second client, wherein the tunneling server comprises a protocol stack to process at least a portion of the first message;

encapsulating the first message within a network address response header to form a second message; and

communicating the second message toward the second client.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the network address request header comprises a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol DISCOVER header or a Bootstrap Protocol REQUEST header.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the network address response header comprises a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol OFFER header or a Bootstrap Protocol RESPONSE header.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the point-to-point data unit is encapsulated within a tunneling header, the tunneling header operable to facilitate maintenance of a tunneling session between the tunneling server and the first client.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the tunneling header comprises a tunneling header selected from the group consisting of a Layer Two Tunneling Protocol (L2TP) header, a Point to Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP), or a Layer Two Forwarding (L2F) header.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the point-to-point data unit is encapsulated within a tunneling header, the tunneling header operable to facilitate maintenance of a tunneling session between the tunneling server and the second client.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein communicating the second message toward the second client comprises communicating the second message toward a router operable to relay the second message toward the second client without referencing a routing table indexed by data channel addresses.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the identifier comprises a control channel address identifying the second client, the control channel address being different than any data channel address recognized by the router.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein the identifier comprises an identifier of the second client other than a control channel address, and further comprising accessing a memory to determine, based on the identifier, a control channel address of the second client.

15. The method of claim 6, wherein the point-to-point data unit comprises information to be applied to an application residing at the second client.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the application residing at the second client comprises a maintenance application operable to diagnose operational characteristics of the second client.

17. The method of claim 6, wherein the point-to-point data unit comprises at least a portion of an application to be installed on the second client.

18. The method of claim 6, further comprising removing the network address request header before encapsulating the first message within the network address response header.

19. A computer readable medium operable to execute the following steps on a processor of a computer:

at a tunneling server, receiving from a first client a first message formed by encapsulating a point-to-point data unit within a network address request header, the point-to-point data unit comprising a first header that includes an identifier associated with a second client, and a payload comprising information to be communicated to the second client, wherein the tunneling server comprises a protocol stack to process at least a portion of the point-to-point data unit;

removing the point-to-point data unit from the first message;

encapsulating the point-to-point data unit within a network address response header to form a second message; and

communicating the second message toward the second client.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the point-to-point data unit is encapsulated within a tunneling header, the tunneling header operable to facilitate maintenance of a tunneling session between the tunneling server and the first client.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the point-to-point data unit is encapsulated within a tunneling header, the tunneling header operable to facilitate maintenance of a tunneling session between the tunneling server and the second client.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein communicating the second message toward the second client comprises communicating the toward a router operable to relay the second message to the second client without referencing a routing table indexed by data channel addresses.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein the point-to-point data unit comprises a control channel address identifying the second client, the control channel address being different than any data channel address recognized by the router.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the first identifier comprises an identifier other than a control channel address of the second client, and further comprising accessing a memory to determine, based on the identifier, a control channel address of the second client.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the point-to-point data unit comprises information to be applied to an application residing at the destination client.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the point-to-point data unit comprises at least a portion of an application to be installed on the second client.

27. In an enterprise network comprising at least one client coupled to a tunneling server, a tunneling server comprising:

a tunneling module operable to receive a first message formed by encapsulating a point-to-point data unit within a network address request header; and

a protocol stack operable to process at least a portion of the point-to-point data unit to identify a control channel address associated with a destination client;

wherein the tunneling module is further operable to encapsulate the point-to-point data unit within a network address response header to form a second message and wherein the tunneling server is operable to communicate the second message toward the destination client.

28. The tunneling server of claim 27, wherein the network address request header comprises a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol DISCOVER header or a Bootstrap Protocol REQUEST header.

29. The tunneling server of claim 27, wherein the network address response header comprises a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol OFFER header or a Bootstrap Protocol response header.

30. The tunneling server of claim 27, wherein the point-to-point data unit comprises a control channel address identifying the destination client, and wherein the tunneling server is further operable to communicate the first message toward a router for forwarding to the destination client without reference to a routing table indexed by data channel addresses.

31. The tunneling server of claim 27, wherein the point-to-point data unit is encapsulated within a tunneling header and further encapsulated within the network address request header, and wherein the tunneling module is operable to process the tunneling header to maintain a tunneling session between the tunneling server and a client originating the first message.

32. The tunneling saver of claim 31, wherein the tunneling header comprises a tunneling header selected from the group consisting of a Layer Two Tunneling Protocol (L2TP) header, a Point to Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP), or a Layer Two Forwarding (L2F) header.

33. The tunneling server of claim 27, wherein the tunneling module is operable to encapsulate the point-to-point data unit within a tunneling header before encapsulating the point-to-point data unit within the network address response header, the tunneling header operable to facilitate maintenance of a tunneling session between the tunneling server and the destination client.

34. The tunneling server of claim 27, wherein the point-to-point data unit comprises a payload comprising information to be applied to an application residing at the destination client.

35. The tunneling server of claim 34, wherein the payload comprises information to be applied to a maintenance application residing at the destination client and operable to diagnose operational characteristics of the destination client.

36. A system operable to facilitate communication with a destination client in an enterprise network, the system comprising:

a first client comprising;

a client protocol stack operable to generate a point-to-point data unit; and

a tunneling module operable to encapsulate the point-to-point data unit within a network address request header to form a first message;

wherein the first client is operable to communicate the first message toward a tunneling server; and

a tunneling server comprising;

a tunneling module operable to receive the first message; and

a server protocol stack operable to process at least a portion of the point-to-point data unit to identify a control channel address associated with a destination client;

wherein the tunneling module is further operable to encapsulate the point-to-point data unit within a network address response header to form a second message and wherein the tunneling server is operable to communicate the second message toward the destination client.