SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANAGING A PLURALITY OF USER SESSIONS IN A VIRTUAL PRIVATE NETWORK ENVIRONMENT

• US 20080034057A1
• Filed: 08/03/2006
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Original Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Inventors: Soni, Ajay, Harris, James, Kumar, Arkesh
• Granted Patent: US 8,108,525 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066

Abstract

Methods for establishing an SSL/VPN session on behalf of a user of a client where the user has a previously existing session are described. Methods include receiving, by an appliance, a request from a first client operated by a user to establish a virtual private network session; creating, by the appliance, a temporary virtual private network session with the client; identifying, by the appliance, an existing virtual private network session previously established on behalf of the user; terminating the previous session; and creating a new virtual private network session with the client using the temporary session. Other methods may further include transmitting a request to a user corresponding to whether to terminate one or more previous sessions, and transferring session data from a previously existing session to a current session. Corresponding systems are also described.

Claims

1. A method for establishing a virtual private network session on behalf of a user of a client where the user has a previously existing session, the method comprising:

(a) receiving, by an appliance, a request from a first client operated by a user to establish a virtual private network session;

(b) creating, by the appliance, a temporary virtual private network session with the client;

(c) identifying, by the appliance, an existing virtual private network session previously established on behalf of the user;

(d) terminating the previous session; and

(e) creating a new virtual private network session with the client using the temporary session.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises receiving, by an appliance, a request from a first client operated by a user to establish an SSL virtual private network session.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises the steps of:

(a-a) receiving, by an appliance, a request from a first client operated by a user to establish a virtual private network session; and

(a-b) authenticating, by the appliance, the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises the steps of:

(c-a) identifying, by the appliance, an existing virtual private network session previously established on behalf of the user; and

(c-b) receiving, by the appliance from the client, a response comprising an indication to terminate the previous session.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises the steps of:

(c-a) identifying, by the appliance, an existing virtual private network session previously established on behalf of the user;

(c-b) transmitting, from the appliance to the client, a request for information corresponding to whether to terminate the previous session; and

(c-c) receiving, by the appliance from the client, a response comprising an indication to terminate the previous session.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises

(c-a) identifying, by the appliance, an existing virtual private network session previously established on behalf of the user;

and

(c-b) determining, by the appliance, a session corresponding to the existing virtual private network session is not fully established.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises transferring, by the appliance, session data corresponding to the previous session to the current temporary session.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises transferring, by the appliance, a virtual private network address corresponding to the previous session to the current temporary session.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises identifying, by the appliance, a plurality of existing virtual private network sessions previously established on behalf of the user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises the steps of:

(c-a) identifying, by the appliance, a plurality of existing virtual private network sessions previously established on behalf of the user; and

(c-b) receiving, by the appliance from the client, a response comprising an indication to terminate one of the plurality of previous sessions.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises the steps of:

(c-a) identifying, by the appliance, a plurality of existing virtual private network sessions previously established on behalf of the user;

(c-b) transmitting, from the appliance to the client, a request for information corresponding to whether to terminate one of the plurality of previous sessions; and

(c-c) receiving, by the appliance from the client, a response comprising an indication to terminate one of the plurality of previous sessions.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the request to establish a virtual private network session is received via a first transport layer connection, and the existing virtual private network session is associated with a second transport layer connection.

13. A system for establishing a virtual private network session on behalf of a user of a client where the user has a previously existing session, the system comprising:

an appliance, which receives a request from a first client operated by a user to establish a virtual private network session;

creates, by the appliance, a temporary virtual private network session with the client;

identifies, by the appliance, an existing virtual private network session previously established on behalf of the user;

terminates the previous session; and

creates a new virtual private network session with the client using the temporary session.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the appliance receives a request from a first client operated by a user to establish an SSL virtual private network session.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the appliance receives a request from a first client operated by a user to establish a virtual private network session;

and authenticates, by the appliance, the user.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the appliance identifies an existing virtual private network session previously established on behalf of the user;

and receives, from the client, a response comprising an indication to terminate the previous session.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the appliance identifies an existing virtual private network session previously established on behalf of the user;

transmits, to the client, a request for information corresponding to whether to terminate the previous session; and

receives from the client, a response comprising an indication to terminate the previous session.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the appliance identifies an existing virtual private network session previously established on behalf of the user;

and determines, by the appliance, a session corresponding to the existing virtual private network session is not fully established.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the appliance transfers session data corresponding to the previous session to the current temporary session.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the appliance transfers a virtual private network address corresponding to the previous session to the current temporary session.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the appliance identifies a plurality of existing virtual private network sessions previously established on behalf of the user.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein the appliance identifies a plurality of existing virtual private network sessions previously established on behalf of the user;

and receives from the client, a response comprising an indication to terminate one of the plurality of previous sessions.

23. The system of claim 13, wherein the appliance identifies a plurality of existing virtual private network sessions previously established on behalf of the user;

transmits, from the appliance to the client, a request for information corresponding to whether to terminate one of the plurality of previous sessions; and

receives, by the appliance from the client, a response comprising an indication to terminate one of the plurality of previous sessions.

24. The system of claim 13, wherein the request to establish a virtual private network session is received via a first transport layer connection, and the existing virtual private network session is associated with a second transport layer connection.