Gateway DNAT for Cross-Datacenter Endpoint Communication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for direct communication between endpoints across remote sites, such as IPSec VPN and MPLS-based L3VPN, face performance inefficiencies and scalability issues due to high processing loads on gateways and excessive public IP address consumption.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method that uses source and destination network address translation (SNAT and DNAT) processes at gateways to enable direct communication between endpoints in different datacenters, allowing multiple endpoints to share the same public IP address and port combination, reducing the need for unique public IP addresses and decentralizing processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If IPSec VPN or MPLS-based L3VPN is used for endpoint communication across remote sites, then security and connectivity are improved, but gateway processing load increases substantially and performance efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the gateway's processing functions by separating routing decisions from packet processing. The gateway uses a routing table to determine destination datacenter and a translation table to map public IP addresses to private IP addresses, dividing the complex VPN processing into discrete, manageable lookup operations that reduce processing overhead while maintaining security and connectivity.
2Reliability
If IPSec VPN or MPLS-based L3VPN is used for endpoint communication across remote sites, then secure communication is achieved, but scalability deteriorates in most deployment scenarios
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal public IP address translation mechanism that works across multiple datacenters and supports various endpoint types. The translation table stores mappings between public IP addresses and private IP addresses, allowing any endpoint with a public IP to communicate with any endpoint in remote datacenters without requiring site-specific configuration, thereby improving scalability while maintaining secure communication.
3Adaptability or versatility
If public IP addresses are allocated to endpoints for direct communication, then communication flexibility is improved, but public IP address consumption increases heavily as the number of endpoints increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy mechanism where a single public IP address can be mapped to multiple private IP addresses through the translation table. This allows multiple endpoints to share the same public IP address for outgoing communications, reducing public IP address consumption while maintaining communication flexibility. The gateway translates the shared public IP to the appropriate private IP based on the destination, enabling multiple endpoints to use the same public IP without conflict.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for direct communication between a source endpoint executing in a first datacenter and a destination endpoint executing in a second datacenter. The method receives, at a gateway of the second datacenter, a packet sent by the source endpoint, the packet having a header that includes a source IP address corresponding to a public IP address of the first datacenter, a destination IP address corresponding to a public IP address of the second datacenter, and source and destination port numbers. The method performs a DNAT process on the packet to replace at least the destination IP address in the header with a private IP address of the destination endpoint. The DNAT process identifies the private IP address by mapping the source and destination port numbers to the private IP address of the destination endpoint. The method then transmits the packet to the destination endpoint in the second datacenter.