Gateway Identifier Load Balancing for Industrial Network Security
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial communication networks face challenges in establishing connectivity with business networks due to protocol incompatibilities and lack of information security, requiring secure and scalable solutions to meet regulatory standards as they become increasingly networked.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a system that uses gateway identifiers (GIDs) and traffic management devices (TMDs) to manage secure communication by embedding marker information in IPSEC packets, allowing for secure routing and load balancing across multiple gateway computers, enabling secure and scalable communication between industrial and business networks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple gateway computers are added to scale the network, then network capacity and security are improved, but device complexity and routing management worsen
Solution Approach 1:
A traffic management device is introduced as an intermediary between source and target gateways. This device receives communication requests, determines the target gateway using a gateway identifier (GID), and routes traffic accordingly. This mediator simplifies routing management by centralizing the decision-making process while enabling multiple gateways to work together securely.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway identifier (GID) serves as a universal addressing mechanism that works across multiple gateway computers. Instead of managing individual gateway addresses and routing rules for each gateway, the system uses a single GID that can resolve to any gateway in the network, providing multi-functional routing capability.
2Productivity
If gateway computers are grouped for load balancing, then communication capacity is improved, but traffic management complexity worsens
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple gateway computers are merged into a logical group represented by a single gateway identifier (GID). The traffic management device treats the group as a single entity for routing purposes, while the actual communication capacity is distributed across all member gateways. This combining approach increases productivity through load balancing while keeping traffic management simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway identifier (GID) acts as a logical copy or representation of the gateway group. Instead of managing multiple individual gateway addresses, the system uses the GID copy that can resolve to any member of the gateway group, simplifying traffic management while enabling parallel communication paths.
3Adaptability or versatility
If protocol compatibility is ensured between industrial and business networks, then connectivity is improved, but system complexity worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The traffic management device and gateway computers serve as intermediaries that handle protocol translation and compatibility between industrial and business networks. They receive communications from one network type, process and adapt them as needed, and forward to the appropriate destination, enabling connectivity without requiring end devices to understand multiple protocols.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments are directed to secure communication over a network. If a source node sends a communication to a target node, a source gateway may forward the communication to the target node. The source gateway may provide a gateway identifier (GID) that may be associated with one or more target gateways associated with the target node. Further, the source gateway may embed marker information that includes at least a portion of the GID in the communication. If the GID is associated with more than one target gateway, a TMD selects one target gateway from the more than one target gateways. Also, the TMD provides a gateway key associated with the selected target gateway that is associated with the communication. And, the TMD may provide the communication to the selected target gateway that provides the communication to the target node.