Edge Server Tunneling Media Through Secure Channels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for exchanging media across different communication networks, such as voice or video calls, often fail due to security policies that prohibit certain media protocol packets from crossing firewalls between private and public networks, leading to call or conference failures.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an edge server, specifically a Session Border Controller (SBC), which allows media packets to traverse through a typically open HTTP port, enabling multiplexing and demultiplexing of media streams and tunneling them through a selected port to bypass firewall restrictions, using unique stream identifiers derived from certificates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If security policies prohibit UDP and WebRTC packets from crossing firewalls, then network security is improved, but media exchange capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an edge server as an intermediary component that mediates between the private network and public network. This edge server receives media packets from one network, tunnels them through the firewall using allowed protocols (HTTP/TCP), and delivers them to the destination network. By using the edge server as a mediator, the system maintains security policies while enabling media exchange capability that would otherwise be blocked.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the transport parameters of media packets by converting them from direct UDP/WebRTC packets into tunneled HTTP/TCP packets. The edge server encapsulates the original media packets within new packets that use different protocols and ports allowed by the firewall. This parameter transformation enables the media to traverse the firewall under different protocol identities, resolving the contradiction between security and media exchange capability.
2Device complexity
If multiple media streams are multiplexed through a single port, then device complexity is reduced, but stream identification difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the media streams by introducing unique stream identifiers (such as SDP media section, SIP call ID, or TURN connection ID) that distinguish different media streams. Even though multiple streams share the same port, these identifiers divide and separate the streams logically, enabling the edge server to correctly route each stream to its destination. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by maintaining simple port configuration while enabling reliable stream identification through additional identifying parameters.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the disclosure provide systems and methods for exchanging media through an edge server between different communication networks. According to one embodiment, an edge element can receive, during initiation of a call session between a calling endpoint on a first communication network and a remote endpoint on a second communication network, a message to the remote endpoint to check media connectivity in the call session. A determination can be made as to whether media connectivity is available between the calling endpoint and the remote endpoint. In response to determining media connectivity is not available between the calling endpoint and the remote endpoint, the call session can be conducted between the calling endpoint and the remote endpoint using tunneling of multiplexed media streams through a selected port of the edge element. Each of the multiplexed media streams are identified by a unique stream identifier.