Method for address mapping in a network access system and a network access device for use therewith

• US 7,450,560 B1
• Filed: 05/31/2000
• Issued: 11/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: 3Com Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Dynarski, Richard J., Borella, Michael S., Grabelsky, David A., Poplett, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham; Chi
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOM, SHICK C
• Application Number:
  US09/584,516
• Time in Patent Office: 3,086 Days
• Field of Search: 370/252, 370/352, 370/392, 370/389, 370/396, 370/397, 370/398, 370/399, 370/395.2, 370/395.52, 370/395.54, 370/401, 370/402, 370/474, 370/475
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2517 using port numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2532 Clique of NAT servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2564 for a higher-layer protocol, e.g. for session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2575 using address mapping retrieval, e.g. simple traversal of user datagram protocol through session traversal utilities for NAT [STUN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]

Abstract

A method to support the assignment of a globally unique network public address and, optionally, a number of locally unique ports to a first private network subdevice having a private network address on a network access system from a second private network subdevice having a public network address using Realm Specific Internet Protocol, wherein the public network address is used by the first private network device to communicate with network devices on an external network.

Claims

1. A method of implementing Realm Specific Internet Protocol in a network access system, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a network access system comprising a plurality of network subdevices in a chassis and connected by an internal network, the plurality including a first network subdevice and a second network subdevice, the second network subdevice having an interface on an external network;

(b) requesting, via the internal network, by the first network subdevice using a first protocol, a common external network address and one or more ports from the second network subdevice to identify the first network subdevice during communications with the external network;

(c) receiving, via the internal network, the common external network address and an identifier of the one or more ports at the first network subdevice from the second network subdevice;

(d) updating entries in an address-to-address table maintained by the second network subdevice to reflect assignment of the common external network address and one or more ports to the first network subdevice; and

(e) creating a combination network address for the first network subdevice with the identifier of the one or more ports and the common external network address, the combination network address identifying the first network subdevice for communications with the external network by way of the interface on the external network.

2. A computer readable medium having stored therein instructions for causing a central processing unit to execute the method of claim 1.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(f) sending a request from the first network subdevice to the second network subdevice via the internal network;

(g) routing the request from the second network subdevice to the external network by way of the interface on the external network;

(h) receiving a reply at the second network subdevice on the common external network address for the network access system; and

(i) routing the reply from the second network subdevice to the first network subdevice via the internal network using the locally unique port from the combination network address.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first protocol is a Realm Specific Internet Protocol comprising a Realm Specific Internet Protocol assign request message, a Realm Specific Internet Protocol assign response message, and the combination network address involving a locally unique port and a common external network address.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the common external network address is an Internet protocol address.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first network subdevice is a communications card.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the communications card comprises a Realm Specific Internet Protocol host and an Internet protocol interface.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the communications card further comprises a data application and a device control application.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the second network subdevice is a router or a port server.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the second network subdevice comprises a Realm Specific Internet Protocol gateway and a plurality of Internet protocol interfaces.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the external network is any of the Internet, an intranet or a public-switched telephone network.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the common external network address is an Internet protocol address.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of subdevices of the network access system comprise a local area network and the external network is any of the Internet or an intranet.

14. A network access device, comprising in combination within a chassis:

(a) an internal network;

(b) a first network subdevice comprising a network client on the internal network; and

,

(c) a second network subdevice on the internal network comprising a network address server for allocating an external network address and one or more ports to the first network subdevice, wherein the second network subdevice has an internal network address for communicating with other network subdevices on the internal network and an external network address for communicating with a plurality of network devices on an external network, and wherein the network address server is used to allocate the external network address to the first network subdevice on the internal network,

wherein the first network subdevice has a first internal network address for communicating with other network subdevices on the internal network and requests from the second network subdevice allocation of the external network address and one or more ports for communicating with a plurality of network devices on the external network; and

wherein the first network subdevice further comprises an IP interface and the client of the first network subdevice is a Realm Specific Internet Protocol host.

15. A network access device, comprising in combination within a chassis:

(a) an internal network;

(b) a first network subdevice comprising a network client on the internal network; and

,

(c) a second network subdevice on the internal network comprising a network address server for allocating an external network address and one or more ports to the first network subdevice, wherein the second network subdevice has an internal network address for communicating with other network subdevices on the internal network and an external network address for communicating with a plurality of network devices on an external network, and wherein the network address server is used to allocate the external network address to the first network subdevice on the internal network,

wherein the first network subdevice has a first internal network address for communicating with other network subdevices on the internal network and requests from the second network subdevice allocation of the external network address and one or more ports for communicating with a plurality of network devices on the external network; and

wherein the second network subdevice further comprises an IP interface and the network address server of the second network subdevice is a Realm Specific Internet Protocol gateway.

16. A network access device, comprising in combination within a chassis:

(a) an internal network;

(b) a first network subdevice comprising a network client on the internal network; and

,

(c) a second network subdevice on the internal network comprising a network address server for allocating an external network address and one or more ports to the first network subdevice, wherein the second network subdevice has an internal network address for communicating with other network subdevices on the internal network and an external network address for communicating with a plurality of network devices on an external network, and wherein the network address server is used to allocate the external network address to the first network subdevice on the internal network,

wherein the first network subdevice has a first internal network address for communicating with other network subdevices on the internal network and requests from the second network subdevice allocation of the external network address and one or more ports for communicating with a plurality of network devices on the external network; and

wherein the first network subdevice further comprises a data application and a device control application.

17. The network access device of claim 16 wherein the network access device is an Internet telephony gateway system.

18. The network access device of claim 16 wherein the network access device is an Internet telephony gateway system and wherein the data application provides media translation functionality and the device control application provides for remote control of the first network subdevice by a network device on the second external network.

19. The network access device of claim 16 wherein the network access device is an Internet telephony gateway system and wherein the first network subdevice is a MEGACO-compliant media gateway.

20. The network access device of claim 16 wherein the network access device is an Internet telephony gateway system and wherein the external network comprises an external Internet Protocol signaling network having an Internet Protocol control device and an external Internet Protocol data network having an Internet Protocol media device.

21. The network access device of claim 16 wherein the external network comprises an external Internet Protocol signaling network having an Internet Protocol control device and an external Internet Protocol data network having an Internet Protocol media device and wherein the Internet Protocol control device on the external Internet Protocol signaling network is a MEGACO-compliant media gateway controller.