DNS Server Port Range Identifier Management for Shared IP Gateways

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Solution Overview

Problem

The conventional port range method for sharing IPv4 addresses is limited, as it requires applications to know the public ports assigned to remote servers, which is not feasible for many clients, especially web browsers, leading to communication barriers between remote applications.

Innovation Solution

A method that involves a DNS server storing and inserting port range identifiers into DNS responses, allowing gateways to determine the correct port ranges for shared IP addresses, enabling data transmission without requiring knowledge of the public ports.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the conventional port range method is used for sharing IPv4 addresses, then IP address sharing is enabled, but applications must know the public ports assigned to remote servers which creates communication barriers

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveIP address sharing capabilityVSAvoidCommunication simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a gateway as an intermediary component that automatically manages port range assignments and translations. The gateway intercepts DNS queries, retrieves port range information from the DNS server, and performs automatic port translation between private and public ports. This intermediary mechanism eliminates the need for applications to directly know or manage public port assignments, thereby maintaining IP address sharing capability while simplifying application-level operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Quantity of substance

If public ports are assigned to shared IP addresses, then multiple applications can communicate over the Internet, but clients need to know the specific public ports which increases system complexity

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveNumber of communicable applicationsVSAvoidPort management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the port management functionality into distinct components: the DNS server stores port range information associated with IP addresses, the gateway manages the actual port translations and maintains mapping tables, and the applications simply use standard ports. This segmentation allows multiple applications to communicate simultaneously through the shared IP address while distributing the complexity of port management across specialized components rather than requiring each application to handle it.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring port range associations in the DNS server before communication occurs. When a gateway needs to communicate with a remote server, it first queries the DNS server to obtain the appropriate port range information, then automatically selects and uses ports from that range. This preliminary setup eliminates the need for applications to dynamically determine or manage public port assignments during runtime.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If applications use standard ports for communication, then ease of operation is maintained, but the ability to share IP addresses efficiently is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveApplication operation simplicityVSAvoidIP address sharing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a copying mechanism where the gateway creates and uses local copies of port range information from the DNS server. Instead of applications directly querying the DNS server or managing port assignments, the gateway caches port range data locally and uses these copies to perform rapid port translations. This copying approach maintains application simplicity while enabling efficient IP address sharing, as the gateway can quickly determine appropriate public ports from its local copies without requiring applications to be aware of the sharing mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUS9602333B2DNS server, gateways and methods for managing an identifier of a port range in the transmission of data

Publication Date: 2017.03.21 ORANGE SA

AI summary

A DNS server (110) and to a method of managing a DNS request, the method comprising receiving (E2) a DNS request for accessing a remote application (104B) accessible via a gateway (106B) and sending (E3) a DNS response including the IP address of the gateway (106B), the method further comprising a verification for determining whether a port range identifier is stored in the DNS server (110) in association with the IP address of the gateway (106B), and if so, the identifier is inserted in the DNS response before sending the DNS response. The invention also provides a method of transmitting data from a first gateway (106A) to a second gateway (106B), a method of transmitting data from a gateway (106B) to a server (102B) of a local network (LAN_B), and the gateways (106A, 106B) for performing such methods.