Client-Side SNAT via Port-Range Lease
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional source network address translation (SNAT) operations performed by egress proxies can lead to issues related to reliability, security, maintenance, performance, and cost, particularly due to the complexity and size of NAT tables.
Innovation Solution
Moving the SNAT operation from the gateway device to the packet sender (client device), where network address information in the IP header of packets is modified using a public IP address, and sending packets to the public network based on this public IP address.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If SNAT operations are performed by egress proxies, then network address translation can be centralized and managed, but the complexity and size of NAT tables increases, leading to reliability, security, and performance issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the SNAT operation from the egress proxy and relocates it to the packet sender. The packet sender directly modifies the source IP address in the IP header using a public IP address, removing the need for the proxy to maintain and process large NAT tables. This extraction resolves the contradiction by maintaining centralized management capabilities while eliminating the complexity and size issues of NAT tables at the proxy.
Solution Approach 2:
The packet sender performs the SNAT operation itself rather than relying on the egress proxy. The sender modifies its own packets' source IP addresses using public IP addresses from available pools, making the system self-serving and eliminating the proxy's burden of managing complex NAT tables, thereby improving reliability and performance.
2Ease of operation
If SNAT operations are performed by egress proxies, then address translation can be managed centrally, but maintenance costs and performance issues arise due to the burden on the proxy device
Solution Approach 1:
The SNAT operation is extracted from the egress proxy's workload and assigned to the packet sender. The sender directly modifies source IP addresses in outgoing packets using public IP addresses, freeing the proxy to focus on other duties like policy enforcement. This extraction eliminates the performance burden on the proxy while maintaining centralized management of the address translation process.
Solution Approach 2:
The packet sender performs its own SNAT operation without burdening the proxy device. By self-managing the source IP address modification using available public IP pools, the sender improves overall system productivity and reduces maintenance costs associated with proxy device performance optimization.
3Reliability
If SNAT operations are performed by egress proxies, then network address translation can be implemented, but security concerns arise due to the complexity and vulnerability of NAT tables
Solution Approach 1:
The SNAT operation is extracted from the egress proxy to the packet sender. The sender directly modifies source IP addresses using public IP addresses from available pools, eliminating the need for the proxy to maintain vulnerable NAT tables. This extraction removes the security vulnerabilities associated with centralized NAT table management while preserving reliable SNAT functionality through direct client-side modification.
Solution Approach 2:
The packet sender performs its own SNAT operation securely by directly modifying its outgoing packets' source IP addresses using public IP addresses. This self-service approach eliminates the security vulnerabilities inherent in proxy-managed NAT tables, as there is no centralized table that can be compromised, while maintaining reliable address translation functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure provides methods and techniques of performing source network address translation (SNAT) at a packet sender (e.g., a client device) instead of a gateway device (e.g., a proxy device). The present disclosure performs a SNAT operation at the packet sender, relieving the gateway device from the SNAT operation to perform other duties (e.g., policy enforcement). An example method of network address translation includes modifying, by a processing device at a data packet origination device (e.g., a client device), network address information in an internet protocol (IP) header of a packet using a public IP address. The method further includes sending the packet to a public network based on the public IP address.