Nova Patents
EP1554841B1

Shared port address translation on a router behaving as nat and nat-pt gateway

Abstract

A method for transparently sharing at least one IPv4 address among a plurality of hosts wherein at least a first host of the plurality of hosts uses the IPv4 protocol and wherein at least a second host of the plurality of hosts uses an IPv6 protocol is provided. A first data having a first source address and a first destination address is received. A network address translation with port address translation is performed, if the first data is in an IPv4 protocol. A network address translation protocol translation with port address translation is performed, if the first data is in an IPv6 protocol.

EP1554841B1, drawing sheet 1
Sheet 1 of 5

Term

Term ended

Expired 16 October 2023, 2.9 years ago.

  1. Priority
  2. Filed
  3. Granted
  4. Expired
  5. Today

17 claims: 9 independent, 8 dependent

  1. 1
    A method for transparently sharing at least one common IPv4 address and a plurality of port addresses among a plurality of hosts wherein at least a first host of the plurality of hosts uses the IPv4 protocol and wherein at least a second host of the plurality of hosts uses an IPv6 protocol, comprising:receiving a first data (402) having a first source address and a first destination address;performing a network address translation (414) with port address translation if the first data is in an IPv4 protocol;and performing a network address translation protocol translation (414) with port address translation if the first data is in an IPv6 protocol;wherein the performing a network address translation with port address translation if the first data is in an IPv4 protocol and the performing a network address translation protocol translation with port address translation if the first data is in an IPv6 protocol share the at least one common IPv4 address and wherein each performing step is characterized by searching a common database of port addresses to provide port address translation;whereby a common IPv4 address can be mapped transparently to either an IPv4 host or an IPv6 host.
  2. 5
    The method, as recited in any of claims 1-4, wherein the performing the network address translation protocol translation with port address translation, comprises:searching (406) at least part of the NAT NAT-PT database for a match with the first data;and translating (414) the packet if a match to an entry in the NAT NAT-PT is found, wherein the packet is translated according to the found entry.
  3. 6
    The method, as recited in any of claims 1-5, wherein the performing the network address translation with port address translation further comprises searching (422) both network address translation entries and network address translation protocol translation entries for a protocol, address, and port combination not in use if a match with the first data not found.
  4. 7
    The method, as recited in any of claims 1-6, wherein the performing the network address translation with port address translation comprises searching (422) both network address translation entries and network address translation protocol translation entries for a protocol, address, and port combination not in use.
  5. 8
    A computer program or computer program product for providing transparent sharing at least one common IPv4 address and a plurality of port addresses among a plurality of hosts wherein at least a first host of the plurality of hosts uses the IPv4 protocol and wherein at least a second host of the plurality of hosts uses an IPv6 protocol, comprising instructions for carrying out a method comprising the steps of:receiving (402) a first data having a first source address and a first destination address;performing a network address translation (414) with port address translation if the first data is in an IPv4 protocol;and performing a network address translation protocol translation with port address translation (414) if the first data is in an IPv6 protocol;wherein the performing a network address translation with port address translation if the first data is in an IPv4 protocol and the performing a network address translation protocol translation with port address translation if the first data is in an IPv6 protocol share the at least one common IPv4 address and wherein each performing step is characterized by searching a common database of port addresses to provide port address translation;whereby a common IPv4 address can be mapped transparently to either an IPv4 host or an IPv6 host.
  6. 11
    The computer program or computer program product, as recited in any of claims 8-10, wherein performing the network address translation with port address translation further comprises searching (422) both network address translation entries and network address translation protocol translation entries for a protocol, address, and port combination not in use.
  7. 12
    An apparatus (306) for providing transparent sharing at least one common IPv4 address and a plurality of port addresses among a plurality of hosts wherein at least a first host (308) of the plurality of hosts uses the IPv4 protocol and wherein at least a second host (310) of the plurality of hosts uses an IPv6 protocol, comprising:means for receiving a first data having a first source address and a first destination address;means for performing a network address translation with port address translation if the first data is in an IPv4 protocol;and means for performing a network address translation protocol translation with port address translation if the first data is in an IPv6 protocol;wherein the means for performing a network address translation with port address translation if the first data is in an IPv4 protocol and the means for performing a network address translation protocol translation with port address translation if the first data is in an IPv6 protocol share the at least one common IPv4 address and wherein each means for performing is characterized by means for searching a common database of port addresses to provide port address translation;whereby a common IPv4 address can be mapped transparently to either an IPv4 host or an IPv6 host.
  8. 15
    The apparatus, as recited in any of claims 12 to 14, wherein the means for performing the network address translation with port address translation further comprises means for searching both network address translation entries and network address translation protocol translation entries for a protocol, address, and port combination not in use.
  9. 16
    The apparatus, as recited in any of claims 12 to 15, wherein the apparatus comprises a computer system comprising at least one processor means and at least one memory means.
Independent claims9