Apparatus and methods for allocating addresses in a network
First Claim
1. A method for assigning addresses to requesting computer systems comprising:
- receiving, under a dynamic address assignment protocol, a broadcast discovery message as a request for an IP address from a computer system coupled to a first subnetwork of a local area network, wherein the broadcast discovery message includes clear data and encrypted data;
determining if the computer system is registered to a local domain by verifying the identity of the computer system from the request for an IP address using the clear data and encrypted data;
assigning a local address on the first subnetwork if the computer system is registered to the local domain, the local address operable for access to the local area network; and
if the computer system is not registered to the local domain;
designating the computer system as a guest computer system;
assigning a guest address on the first subnetwork operable for selective transport on predetermined portions of the local area network; and
propagating assignments of addresses to communications devices operable to selectively route traffic to at least one guest address path, which includes;
identifying a second subnetwork, the second subnetwork including restricted nodes;
defining tunnel routes as selected routes separate from the second subnetwork; and
routing guest traffic on the tunnel routes.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An address assignment mechanism allows an address server to receive requests for network addresses from computer systems. Based on an identity of the requesting computer system, the address server selects an address for use from local addresses or guest addresses. If the address server identifies the requesting computer system as a guest computer system, then a guest address selected from a set of guest addresses is assigned and provided to that computer system, whereas if the address server identifies the requesting computer system a local computer system then the address server selects and assigns a local address (from the set of local addresses) to the requesting local computer system. Data communications devices selectively route data portions sent from computer systems depending upon if those data portions contain guest addresses or not. Selective transport therefore restricts access to certain parts of the network if the data portion contains a guest address.
32 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for assigning addresses to requesting computer systems comprising:
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receiving, under a dynamic address assignment protocol, a broadcast discovery message as a request for an IP address from a computer system coupled to a first subnetwork of a local area network, wherein the broadcast discovery message includes clear data and encrypted data; determining if the computer system is registered to a local domain by verifying the identity of the computer system from the request for an IP address using the clear data and encrypted data; assigning a local address on the first subnetwork if the computer system is registered to the local domain, the local address operable for access to the local area network; and if the computer system is not registered to the local domain; designating the computer system as a guest computer system; assigning a guest address on the first subnetwork operable for selective transport on predetermined portions of the local area network; and propagating assignments of addresses to communications devices operable to selectively route traffic to at least one guest address path, which includes; identifying a second subnetwork, the second subnetwork including restricted nodes; defining tunnel routes as selected routes separate from the second subnetwork; and routing guest traffic on the tunnel routes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A data communications device for assigning addresses to requesting computer systems comprising:
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a network interface to receive, under a dynamic address assignment protocol, a broadcast discovery message as a request for an IP address from a requesting computer system coupled to a local area network, wherein the broadcast discovery message includes clear data and encrypted data; an address server to assign a local address if the requesting computer system is registered to a local domain and if the requesting computer system is not registered to the local domain by verifying the identity of the requesting computer system from the request for an IP address using the clear data and encrypted data, further configured to;
—designate the requesting computer system as a guest computer system; and assign a guest address operable for selective transport on a first subnetwork of the local area network, the address server to employ the network interface to propagate assignments of addresses to communications devices to selectively route traffic to at least one guest address path, the address server further configured to; identify a second subnetwork of restricted nodes; define tunnel routes as selected routes separate from the second subnetwork; and route guest traffic on the tunnel routes. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A computer program product having a computer readable medium operable to store computer program logic embodied in computer program code encoded thereon for assigning addresses to requesting computer systems comprising:
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computer program code for receiving, under a dynamic address assignment protocol, a broadcast discovery message as a request for an IP address from a computer system coupled to a first subnetwork of a local area network, wherein the broadcast discovery message includes clear data and encrypted data; computer program code for determining if the computer system is registered to a local domain by verifying the identity of the computer system from the request for an IP address using the clear data and encrypted data; computer code for assigning a local address on the first subnetwork if the computer system is registered to the local domain, the local address operable for access to the local area network; computer code for designating the computer system as a guest computer system and assigning guest addresses on the first subnetwork operable for selective transport on predetermined portions of the network, if the computer system is not registered to the local domain; computer code for propagating assignments of addresses to communications devices operable to selectively route traffic to at least one guest address path, which includes; computer code for identifying a second subnetwork, the second subnetwork including of restricted nodes; computer code for defining tunnel routes as selected routes separate from the subnetwork; and computer code for routing guest traffic on the tunnel routes.
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18. A data communications device for assigning addresses to requesting computer systems comprising:
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means for receiving, under a dynamic address assignment protocol, a broadcast discovery message as a request for an IP address from a computer system coupled to a first subnetwork of a local area network, wherein the broadcast discovery message includes clear data and encrypted data; means for determining if the computer system is registered to a local domain by verifying the identity of the computer system from the request for an IP address using the clear data and encrypted data; means for assigning a local address on the first subnetwork if the computer system is registered to the local domain, the local address operable for access to the local area network; and means for selectively assigning a guest address on the first subnetwork operable for selective transport on predetermined portions of the network, if the computer system is not registered to the local domain; means for propagating assignments of addresses to communications devices operable to selectively route traffic to at least one guest address path, which includes; means for identifying a second subnetwork, the second subnetwork including of restricted nodes; means for defining tunnel routes as selected routes separate from the second subnetwork; and means for routing guest traffic on the tunnel routes.
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Specification