Carrier Grade NAT Subscriber Attribution via Clear Request
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Solution Overview
Problem
Service providers face challenges in accurately correlating subscriber login and address allocation information due to high session setup rates in large networks, leading to misattribution of network traffic and inefficiencies in legal, billing, and account management processes.
Innovation Solution
A system that synchronizes public-private IP pairs between a central logging entity (CLE) server and a Carrier Grade NAT (CGN) by sending a clear request to the NAT device to clear bindings upon subscriber disconnection, preventing misattribution of network traffic and ensuring accurate attribution of network traffic to subscriber devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the CGN archive system maintains archives of NAT system log files to trace network addresses back to subscriber equipment, then the ability to trace and attribute network traffic is improved, but the system complexity and computational burden increase significantly due to the need to correlate subscriber login and address allocation information from multiple databases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the correlation function from the complex CGN archive system by introducing a dedicated correlation ID that is generated once at session establishment and carried through all subsequent NAT events. This separates the identification function from the logging function, eliminating the need for complex post-processing correlation of multiple databases.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by generating and assigning a unique correlation ID to each subscriber session at the moment of session establishment (login). This ID is then embedded in all subsequent NAT events, so the correlation information is prepared in advance rather than requiring complex post-processing of uncorrelated logs.
2Loss of information
If the CGN archive system correlates subscriber login and address allocation information from multiple databases, then complete traffic attribution information is obtained, but the processing time and computational resources increase due to high session setup rates with tens of millions of sessions daily
Solution Approach 1:
The correlation ID is generated and assigned at session establishment before any NAT events occur. This preliminary assignment ensures that all subsequent NAT events contain the correlation information inline, eliminating the need for time-consuming post-processing queries across multiple databases for each event.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the attribution information into two parts: the correlation ID that identifies the subscriber session, and the NAT event details. By carrying the correlation ID through all NAT events, the system avoids the need to reassemble complete attribution information from multiple separate database queries for each event.
3Reliability
If NAT bindings are maintained in the CGN device for address translation, then network traffic routing is enabled, but misattribution of network traffic occurs after subscriber disconnection until the binding is cleared
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by having the correlation system monitor subscriber session state and send clearance commands to the CGN device when sessions end. This feedback loop ensures that NAT bindings are cleared promptly when subscribers disconnect, preventing misattribution while maintaining routing functionality during active sessions.
Solution Approach 2:
The correlation ID is established at session start and used throughout the session lifecycle. When the session ends, the pre-established correlation ID allows the system to quickly identify and clear the specific NAT binding without ambiguity, preventing misattribution immediately upon disconnection.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure describes techniques that enable a service provider to synchronize public-private Internet protocol (IP) pairs between a central logging entity (CLE) server that attributes network traffic and network address translation NAT device that logs network traffic. The CLE server includes a communication protocol client communicatively coupled to a communication protocol host. The CLE server, in response to receiving a deregistration message from a registration protocol server, sends a clear request message comprising a private address via the communication protocol client. The deregistration message includes the private address. The NAT device includes the communication protocol host. The NAT device, in response to receiving the clear request message comprising the private address via the communication protocol host, clears a binding that maps the private address to a public address to prevent network address translation between the private address and the public address.