Cloud Platform NAT Rule for VM Server Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
In cloud computing environments, virtual machines accessing physical servers expose network planning information, leading to security threats as malicious users can attack the network and devices, compromising the cloud platform's security.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system where the cloud platform allocates a publishing IP address and port to services, using Network Address Translation (NAT) rules to route service access requests and responses through an access network element, ensuring the virtual machine accesses services without knowing the physical server's real IP address and port, thereby shielding the physical server's address from the virtual machine.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the virtual machine uses the real IP address of the physical server for access, then the access is direct and simple, but the network planning information is exposed and security is threatened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cloud platform as an intermediary between the virtual machine and the physical server. The cloud platform allocates a publishing IP address to the physical server and uses Network Address Translation (NAT) to forward access requests. This intermediary mechanism allows the virtual machine to access the physical server without knowing its real IP address, thus maintaining access simplicity while preventing network planning information exposure and security threats.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the cloud platform implements NAT rule for address translation, then the physical server's real address is shielded, but the network access complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cloud platform automatically performs Network Address Translation (NAT) based on pre-configured mapping relationships between publishing IP addresses and physical server IP addresses. The system self-manages the address translation process without requiring manual configuration or intervention from users, thus shielding the physical server's real address while avoiding additional operational complexity for users.
3Reliability
If the service is deployed on different physical servers with different IP addresses, then service availability is improved, but the access management becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal access mechanism where the cloud platform manages multiple physical servers with different IP addresses through a single publishing IP address. The platform maintains mapping relationships between the publishing IP address and multiple physical server IP addresses, allowing users to access services uniformly through the publishing IP address regardless of which physical server actually provides the service. This multi-functional approach improves service availability while simplifying access management.
Data Source
AI summary
In a method for providing access to a service provided by a physical server in a cloud computing system, a cloud platform allocates to the service a publishing IP address and a publishing port, and sends a NAT rule to an access network element associated with the virtual machine. Upon receiving a service access request from the virtual machine for accessing the service, the access network element modifies, according to the NAT rule, a destination address of the service access request into the IP address and the port of the physical server that provides the service, and routes the modified service access request to the physical server.