CGNAT Logging via Span Ports and DPI
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Solution Overview
Problem
Carrier Grade Network Address Translation (CGNAT) gateways face inadequate logging facilities, leading to major logging errors or no logs during busy periods, which prevents forensic traffic analysis due to constrained CPU and memory resources.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for discovering Internet Protocol (IP) network address and port translation bindings, utilizing a carrier grade network address and port translation node with private and public Ethernet span ports and a deep packet inspection host to copy and correlate packet streams, enabling effective logging and record creation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If CGNAT gateways use constrained CPU and memory resources during busy periods, then system performance is maintained, but logging facilities become inadequate resulting in major logging errors or no logs
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the logging function from the main CGNAT gateway processing. A separate deep packet inspection host is introduced to handle logging and record generation, while the CGNAT gateway focuses on address translation and traffic forwarding. This segmentation allows the gateway to maintain high throughput while the separate host handles logging reliably without resource contention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary deep packet inspection host that acts as a mediator between the CGNAT gateway and the logging system. This intermediary captures packet streams, performs deep inspection, and generates logs independently, allowing the gateway to maintain performance while ensuring reliable logging through a dedicated resource.
2Productivity
If CGNAT gateways prioritize address translation bindings over logging processes, then binding management efficiency is improved, but forensic traffic analysis becomes impossible due to missing logs
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates copies of packet streams for logging purposes without interfering with the original traffic flow through the CGNAT gateway. The deep packet inspection host receives copied packet streams and generates logs, allowing binding management to proceed efficiently while preserving complete traffic information for forensic analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The deep packet inspection host serves as an intermediary that observes and records traffic without disrupting the primary binding management functions. It captures packet streams and generates logs independently, ensuring that traffic information is preserved for analysis while binding management maintains its efficiency.
3Adaptability or versatility
If NAPT gateways maximize usage of public IP and Port range by keeping bindings only during active traffic, then address resource utilization is improved, but logging coverage becomes incomplete during binding setup and teardown
Solution Approach 1:
The deep packet inspection host continuously monitors and logs packet streams throughout the entire binding lifecycle, including setup, active traffic, and teardown phases. This continuous logging ensures complete coverage of all binding operations while the NAPT gateway maintains optimal address resource utilization by dynamically creating and removing bindings as needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for discovering Internet Protocol (IP) network address and port translation bindings is disclosed. According to one embodiment, a system for creating IP data records, includes a carrier grade network address and port translation (CGNAPT) node in communication with a private network on an internal side and a public network on an external side. The system further includes a private Ethernet span port disposed on the internal side of the CGNAPT node that receives packet streams traversing the CGNAPT node. A public Ethernet span port is disposed on the external side of the CGNAPT node that receives packet streams traversing the CGNAPT node. The private Ethernet span port and the public Ethernet span port copy packet streams traversing the CGNAPT node and deliver the copied packet streams to a deep packet inspection host.