Cloud Edge Tunneling for NAT-Isolated Customer Premises Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Customer premises networks are isolated from the internet by routers using NAT gateways, limiting the ability of internet-connected devices to communicate with customer premises devices without manual configuration, and CPE devices have limited computing resources, preventing the execution of resource-intensive applications and hardware interface access.
Innovation Solution
Extending customer premises networks onto cloud provider networks through tunneling, allowing cloud applications to access hardware interfaces and offloading computing tasks, with secure remote access and micro-LLMs hosted in the cloud to enhance device capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If customer premises networks are isolated by NAT gateways to ensure network security, then network security is improved, but the ability of internet-connected devices to communicate with customer premises devices deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cloud-based edge platform as an intermediary that sits between the public internet and the customer premises network. This platform provides secure tunneling capabilities and application hosting, allowing internet-connected devices to communicate with customer premises devices through the cloud intermediary without compromising the NAT gateway's security isolation. The edge platform acts as a mediator that bridges the gap between security requirements and communication needs.
2Productivity
If computing resources are concentrated locally on CPE devices to enable application execution, then application execution capability is improved, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent shifts the computing resource dimension from local CPE devices to cloud-based edge infrastructure. Instead of concentrating computing power locally, the system extends the network onto cloud provider networks, allowing applications to execute on cloud infrastructure while maintaining low device complexity. This dimensional shift moves computational burden from the edge device to the cloud while preserving local device simplicity.
3Productivity
If computing resources are concentrated locally on CPE devices to enable application execution, then application execution capability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the computing-intensive application execution function from the CPE device and relocates it to cloud-based edge infrastructure. The CPE device retains only lightweight functions such as network connectivity and local device control, while resource-intensive applications run remotely in the cloud. This extraction eliminates the need for high power consumption at the CPE device while maintaining full application execution capability through cloud access.
4Adaptability or versatility
If cloud applications are extended onto customer premises networks to access hardware interfaces, then hardware interface accessibility is improved, but network complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the cloud-based edge platform as an intermediary that provides virtualized access to hardware interfaces. Instead of directly extending cloud applications onto the customer premises network with full hardware access, the edge platform mediates between cloud applications and local hardware, providing secure and controlled interface accessibility while managing network complexity centrally in the cloud.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are various embodiments relating to remotely connecting to customer premises networks to access cloud-executed edge applications. In one embodiment, a layer-3 virtual private network is established between a cloud provider network and a customer premises network of a customer. A layer-2 virtual interface is established for an edge application executed on the cloud provider network using a tunnel to encapsulate layer-2 traffic over the layer-3 virtual private network. A client device outside of the cloud provider network is connected to the customer premises network via the layer-3 virtual private network.