System and method for providing proactive VPN establishment

• US 8,881,261 B1
• Filed: 06/29/2010
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: F5 Networks, Inc. (F5 Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: F5 Networks, Inc. (F5 Incorporated)
• Inventors: Shigapov, Andrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Zee, Edward
• Application Number:
  US12/826,515
• Time in Patent Office: 1,589 Days
• Field of Search: 726/11, 726/12, 726/15, 709/220, 709/221, 709/239, 709/249, 709/251
• US Class Current: 726/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/03 Protecting confidentiality, e.g. by encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0038 of security context information

Abstract

A system and method which includes monitoring an existing first connection to a secured network domain. A first network configuration is employed to access the secured network domain via the first connection. An available second connection to the network domain is detected, whereby the system and method automatically switch to the second connection to access the secured network domain upon detecting a termination with the first connection. Access to the secured network domain, via the second connection, is established by employing a second network configuration. In an aspect, the first connection is by cable and the first network configuration is associated with direct access to the secured network domain. In an aspect, the second connection is a wired or wireless signal and the second network configuration is associated with a Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

monitoring, at a network device, an existing first direct wired connection to a secured network domain over a local area network, wherein a first network configuration is employed to access the secured network domain via the first direct wired connection;

detecting an available second wireless VPN connection to the secured network domain;

detecting a termination of the first direct-wired connection; and

retrieving authentication information for a user and automatically switching from the first direct wired connection to the second wireless VPN connection to allow access to the secured network domain upon detecting the termination of the first direct-wired connection, the automatically switching comprising establishing access to the secured network domain via the second wireless VPN connection by employing a second network configuration and using the retrieved authentication information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first direct wired connection is by cable and the first network configuration is associated with direct access to the secured network domain.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing access to the secured network domain via the second wireless VPN connection further comprises initiating one or more user login processes associated with the second network configuration using the retrieved authentication information.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting the previously terminated first direct wired connection to again be available;

automatically employing the first network configuration to establish access to the secured network domain via the available first direct wired connection; and

terminating the second wireless VPN connection to the secured network domain after establishing access to the secured network domain using the first direct wired connection.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein access to the secured network domain is substantially uninterrupted upon switching between the first direct wired connection and the second wireless VPN connection.

6. A non-transitory machine readable medium having stored thereon instructions, comprising machine executable code which when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform steps comprising:

monitoring an existing first direct wired connection to a secured network domain over a local area network, wherein a first network configuration is employed to access the secured network domain via the first direct wired connection;

detecting an available second wireless VPN connection to the secured network domain;

detecting a termination of the first direct-wired connection; and

retrieving authentication information for a user and automatically switching from the first direct wired connection to the second wireless VPN connection to allow access to the secured network domain upon detecting the termination of the first direct wired connection, the automatically switching comprising establishing access to the secured network domain via the second wireless VPN connection by employing a second network configuration and using the retrieved authentication information.

7. The machine readable medium of claim 6, wherein the first direct wired connection is by cable and the first network configuration is associated with direct access to the secured network domain.

8. The machine readable medium of claim 6, wherein establishing access to the secured network domain via the second wireless VPN connection further comprises initiating one or more user login processes associated with the second network configuration using the retrieved authentication information.

9. The machine readable medium of claim 6, further having stored thereon instructions comprising machine executable code which when executed by the processor further causes the processor to perform steps further comprising:

detecting the previously terminated first direct wired connection to be again be available; and

automatically employing the first network configuration to establish access the secured network domain via the available first direct wired connection; and

terminating the second wireless VPN connection to the secured network domain after establishing access to the secured network domain using the first direct wired connection.

10. The machine readable medium of claim 6, wherein access to the secured network domain is substantially uninterrupted upon switching between the first direct wired connection and the second wireless VPN connection.

11. A client device comprising:

a controller coupled to a memory and configured to execute instructions stored in the memory comprising;

monitoring an existing first direct wired connection to a secured network domain over a local area network, wherein a first network configuration is employed to access the secured network domain via the first direct wired connection;

detecting an available second wireless VPN connection to the secured network domain;

detecting a termination of the first direct-wired connection; and

retrieving authentication information for a user and automatically switching from the first direct wired connection to the second wireless VPN connection to allow access to the secured network domain upon detecting the termination of the first direct-wired connection, the automatically switching comprising establishing access to the secured network domain via the second wireless VPN connection by employing a second network configuration and using the retrieved authentication information.

12. The client device of claim 11, wherein the first direct wired connection is by cable and the first network configuration is associated with direct access to the secured network domain.

13. The client device of claim 11, wherein establishing access to the secured network domain via the second wireless VPN connection further comprises initiating one or more user login processes associated with the second network configuration using the retrieved authentication information.

14. The client device of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to execute instructions stored in the memory comprising:

detecting the previously terminated first direct wired connection to again be available;

automatically employing the first network configuration to establish access to the secured network domain via the available first direct wired connection; and

terminating the second wireless VPN connection to the secured network domain after establishing access to the secured network domain using the first direct wired connection.

15. The client device of claim 13, wherein access to the secured network domain is substantially uninterrupted upon switching between the first direct wired connection and the second wireless VPN connection.