An IP-based
corporate network architecture and method for providing seamless secure mobile networking across office WLAN, home WLAN, public WLAN, and 2.5 G / 3 G cellular networks for corporate
wireless data users. The
system includes Internet
roaming clients (IRCs), a secure mobility gateway (SMG), optional secure IP access (SIA) gateways, and a virtual single account (VSA)
server. The IRC is a special
client tool installed on a mobile computer (
laptop or PDA) equipped with a WLAN adaptor and a cellular modem. It is responsible for establishing and maintaining a mobile
IPsec tunnel between the mobile computer and a corporate
intranet. The SMG is a mobile
IPsec gateway installed between the corporate
intranet and
the Internet. It works in conjunction with the IRC to maintain the mobile
IPsec tunnel when the mobile computer is connected on
the Internet via a home WLAN, a public WLAN, or a
cellular network. The SIA gateway is a special IPsec gateway installed in the middle of the wired corporate
intranet and an office WLAN. It works with the IRC to ensure
data security and efficient use of corporate IP addresses when the mobile computer is connected to the office WLAN. The VSA
server manages
authentication credentials for every corporate user based on a virtual single account concept.
The Internet Roaming system can provide secure, always-on office
network connectivity for corporate users no matter where they are located using best available
wireless networks.