Intelligent network address translator and methods for network address translation

• US 20040073704A1
• Filed: 10/15/2002
• Published: 04/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nomadix, Inc. (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nomadix, Inc. (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Singh, Bikramjit, Paunikar, Amit
• Granted Patent: US 7,752,334 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/745 Address table lookup; Address filtering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/106 across networks, e.g. mapping telephone numbers to data network addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/25 of the same type
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2514 between local and global IP addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2557 Translation policies or rules
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5046 Resolving address allocation conflicts; Testing of addresses testing when self-assigning an address H04L61/5092

Abstract

An intelligent network address translation system and methods for intelligent network address translation. The invention analyzes all data packets being communicated between the private address relam and the public address realm and performs a predefined mode of network address translation based on the packet type. By analyzing every packet that the network encounters and adjusting the network address translation mode based on the packet type, the system and method of the present invention is able to adjust the mode of network address translation dynamically during a network user'"'"'s ongoing network session. Additionaly, by basing which mode of translation will be employed based on packet type the translation method of the present invention insures that IP addresses are distributed efficiently and distribution of the amount of addresses is minimized.

Claims

1. A method for network address translation in a communication network, the method comprising:

determining a data packet type for a data packet being communicated from private hosts to public network services, the data packet having a private network address;

determining if the data packet type requires assigning an IP address from available public IP addresses;

assigning the data packet an IP address from the available public IP addresses if a determination is made that the packet type requires such;

translating the private network address of the data packet to the assigned IP address; and

otherwise, assigning the data packet an IP address in accordance with a different mode of network address translation

2. The method of claim 1, wherein otherwise, assigning the data packet an IP address in accordance with a different mode of network address translation further comprises the step of assigning the data packet a default public IP address and a source port if a determination is made that the data packet type does not require assigning an IP address from available public IP addresses.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining the availability of IP address from the public IP addresses if a determination is made that the packet type requires assigning an IP address from the available public IP addresses.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of assigning the data packet an IP address from the available public IP addresses if a determination is made that the packet type requires such further includes the step of determining if a public IP address is currently bound to the destination address of the data packet.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of storing the assigned IP address in a correlation table that maps the assigned IP address to a data packet destination address.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of storing the assigned IP address in a correlation table that maps the assigned IP address to the private IP address.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining a data packet type for each data packet being communicated from network hosts to network services further comprises determining a protocol for each data packet being communicated from network hosts to network services.

8. A method for network address translation in a communications network, the method comprising the steps of:

analyzing each outgoing data packet to determine data packet type;

determining, from multiple modes of network address translation, a mode of network address translation for each outgoing data packets based upon the determined data packet type of each outgoing data packet; and

performing network address translation on outgoing data packets based on the determined mode of network translation.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of determining, from multiple modes of network address translation, a mode of network address translation for each outgoing data packet based upon the determined data packet type of each outgoing data packet further comprises determining, from multiple modes of network address translation including a mode defined by assigning a default public IP address and source port, a mode of network address translation for each outgoing data packet based upon the determined data packet type of each outgoing data packet.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of determining, from multiple modes of network address translation, a mode of network address translation for each outgoing data packet based upon the determined data packet type of each outgoing data packet further comprises determining, from multiple modes of network address translation including a mode defined by assigning a public IP address from a public IP address pool, a mode of network address translation for each outgoing data packet based upon the determined data packet type of each outgoing data packet.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of determining, from multiple modes of network address translation, a mode of network address translation for each outgoing data packet based upon the determined data packet type of each outgoing data packet further comprises determining whether to assign a default public IP address and source port or to assign a public IP address from a public IP pool based upon the determined data packet type of each outgoing data.

12. A method for network address translation in a communications network, the method comprising the steps of:

analyzing an outgoing data packet to determine data packet type;

determining if the data packet type requires assigning a public Internet Protocol (IP) address from a public IP address pool;

determining, if the data packet type requires assigning a public IP address from a public IP address pool, the destination address of the data packet;

determining if a first public IP address in the public IP address pool is currently bound to the destination address of the data packet;

assigning the first public IP address to the data packet if the IP addresses is not currently bound to the destination address of the data packet; and

performing network address translation on the outgoing data packet.

13. A network address translator device for providing network address translation in a communications network, the device comprising:

an address selector module that analyzes the data packet type of outgoing data packets to determine a mode of network address translation that is to be applied to the outgoing data packets and selects a translation address based on the determined mode of network address translation; and

a translation module in communication with the outgoing connection lookup module that performs network address translation on outgoing data packets using the selected translation address.

14. The network address translator of claim 13, further comprising an outgoing connection lookup module that communicates with a connection lookup table to determine if outgoing data packets have previously undergone network address translation.

15. The network address translator of claim 14, further comprising a connection creation routine that compiles translation information, including the assigned network address translation for outgoing data packets and stores the compiled translation information in the connection lookup table.

16. The network address translator of claim 13, further comprising:

an incoming connection lookup module that communicates with a connection lookup table to determine connection parameters for incoming data packets; and

a reverse translator module that performs reverse network address translation on incoming data packets based on the determined connection parameters in the connection lookup table.

17. The network address translator of claim 13, wherein the mode of network address translation is chosen from the group consisting of (a) assigning a default public IP address and source port and (b) assigning a public IP address from a pool of available IP addresses.