Cloud Relay Server for Secure Remote Network Device Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cloud storage services lack efficient and secure remote access to network devices, as they are often protected by firewalls and NAT devices, and internet connections are slow and congested, leading to poor responsiveness when accessed remotely.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize a cloud relay server to establish a secure tunnel for remote access, allowing clients to access network devices over the internet by checking if requests are for static resources or files stored locally or in cloud storage, and relaying requests through the cloud relay server or directly if conditions are met, thereby optimizing communication and reducing latency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a firewall or NAT device protects the LAN network, then network security is improved, but remote access to network devices becomes difficult or impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cloud relay server as an intermediary component that mediates between the protected LAN network and remote clients. The relay server establishes secure tunnels to devices within the LAN, allowing remote access requests to be forwarded through the firewall/NAT infrastructure without compromising security. This intermediary approach enables remote access while maintaining the protective barrier of firewalls and NAT devices.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the LAN network uses dynamic public IP address with NAT, then network security and flexibility are improved, but locating and accessing the device remotely becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The cloud relay server acts as a stable intermediary that maintains persistent connections to devices within the LAN regardless of dynamic IP address changes. The relay server handles the complexity of locating devices with dynamic IPs, providing a consistent access point for remote clients without requiring the LAN to maintain static IP configurations or complex port forwarding rules.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing secure tunnels from the cloud relay server to devices within the LAN before remote access is needed. These pre-established connections remain active and ready, eliminating the need to dynamically locate and connect to devices with changing IP addresses when remote access is required.
3Ease of operation
If VPN or firewall reconfiguration is used to allow remote access, then remote accessibility is improved, but network security and performance may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The cloud relay server serves as a secure intermediary that enables remote access without requiring firewall reconfiguration or VPN setup. By maintaining external access points and establishing controlled tunnels to internal devices, the system provides remote accessibility while preserving the existing security posture and avoiding the performance overhead associated with VPN encryption and decryption.
4Ease of operation
If remote access is enabled through traditional methods, then accessibility is improved, but responsiveness deteriorates due to slow and congested internet connections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments network traffic into different pathways: static resources are served directly from the cloud relay server, dynamic resources requiring device interaction are tunneled through secure connections, and file access is routed through optimized paths. This segmentation allows frequently accessed static content to be delivered quickly without tunnel overhead, improving overall responsiveness while maintaining security for dynamic operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for optimizing communication between a client and a cloud-enabled network device communicating over the internet are provided. The method includes receiving a request from the client to access a user interface of the cloud-enabled network device; checking if the request is for a static resource of the user interface; upon determining that the request is for a static resource, sending the static resource from the cloud relay server to the client over the internet; and relaying the request to the cloud-enabled network device over the secure tunnel if the request cannot be served by the cloud relay server. In an embodiment, the cloud-enabled network device is connected in a local area network and communicates with the cloud relay server over a secure tunnel.