IPv6 Router Address Translation Across Multiple Carriers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Routers struggle to manage IPv6 addresses when multiple carriers provide incompatible addresses, leading to packet loss and delivery issues, and there is a security concern with the interconnection of the data plane and control plane.
Innovation Solution
A router performs network address translation (NAT) to replace IPv6 addresses assigned by one carrier with those of another carrier, isolates the control plane from the data plane using a virtual local area network (VLAN), and assigns unique local addresses (ULAs) to devices on the local area network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a router uses prefix delegation from a carrier for IPv6 address translation, then the router can maintain connectivity with the carrier, but packets may be lost or delivery may fail when multiple carriers provide incompatible addresses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a carrier ID field as an intermediary element in the IPv6 address structure. This carrier ID acts as a mediator that identifies which carrier's address space the packet belongs to, enabling the router to correctly route packets to the appropriate carrier's network without confusion between multiple carriers' incompatible address spaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the IPv6 address into distinct components: a carrier ID portion and a host ID portion. This segmentation allows the router to process the carrier identification and routing decisions separately from the actual packet forwarding, improving reliability by ensuring packets are routed through the correct carrier's infrastructure.
2Productivity
If the data plane and control plane are interconnected for joint operation, then routing functions can be performed efficiently, but security concerns arise from potential exposure to external attacks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the router into distinct functional segments: a data plane for packet routing operations and a control plane for management functions. These segments are physically or logically separated, allowing efficient packet processing in the data plane while isolating the control plane from direct external exposure, thus maintaining both productivity and security.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a gateway or intermediary component that facilitates controlled communication between the data plane and control plane. This gateway allows necessary information exchange for routing operations while preventing direct access between the planes, thereby maintaining security isolation while preserving operational efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
An example operation may include at least one of storing an IPv6 address assigned to a router by a carrier, assigning a plurality of ULAs to a plurality of devices on a LAN served by the router, respectively, receiving a packet from a device included on the LAN, where the packet comprises a source address that includes a ULA assigned to the device and a destination address of a system on an IPv6 connection of the carrier, replacing the destination address of the packet with the IPv6 address of the router assigned by the carrier rather than a prefix delegation provided by the carrier, and transmitting the packet to the Internet via the IPv6 connection of the carrier.