Artificial UDP Packets for VPN Session Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing VPN technologies face complexity in managing separate TCP connections for control tasks and application data, leading to issues like out-of-order packet arrival and channel disconnection, which complicates flow control and authentication/authorization processes.
Innovation Solution
The use of artificial User Datagram Protocol (UDP) network traffic to transmit artificial data packets with artificial IP addresses and ports, allowing out-of-band data to be transmitted over an encrypted data stream, thereby simplifying authentication, authorization, and session management by distinguishing these packets from regular data packets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If two separate TCP connections are used for control tasks and application data, then authentication and authorization can be managed, but the system complexity increases and flow control becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges control tasks and application data into a single TCP connection, eliminating the need to manage two separate connections. This reduces connection management complexity while maintaining authentication and authorization capabilities through the use of a unified communication channel.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments data packets by embedding specific identifiers or markers within the data stream that distinguish control packets from application data packets. This allows the system to differentiate and process control tasks within a single connection without requiring separate connection management.
2Ease of operation
If two separate TCP connections are used for control tasks and application data, then control functions can be separated, but packet delivery order issues and channel disconnection problems occur
Solution Approach 1:
By combining control tasks and application data into a single TCP connection, the patent eliminates the reliability issues associated with managing multiple connections, such as out-of-order packet delivery and separate channel disconnections. The single connection ensures consistent packet delivery order and unified error handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses packet segmentation with embedded identifiers to distinguish control packets from data packets within the single connection. This maintains the functional separation of control tasks while ensuring reliable delivery through the unified connection's inherent packet ordering guarantees.
3Ease of operation
If artificial UDP packets with artificial IP addresses are used, then out-of-band data transmission is simplified, but additional protocol processing is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing layer that handles the translation and routing of artificial UDP packets with artificial IP addresses. This intermediary component simplifies the transmission process by automatically managing the protocol conversion and packet routing, reducing the burden on end systems while maintaining the benefits of out-of-band data transmission.
Data Source
AI summary
A client device generates an artificial data packet that specifies, in the header, an artificial network address usable to indicate that the artificial data packet includes out-of-band data. The client device transmits the artificial data packet with other data packets over an encrypted data stream to a virtual private network server. The virtual private network server determines, based on the artificial network address, that the artificial data packet includes out-of-band data. The virtual private network server processes the out-of-band data from the artificial data packet while transmitting the other data packets to servers corresponding to destination network addresses specified in the headers of these other data packets.