MSL Twin NAT for Multi-VPN Address Conflict Resolution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current VPN technologies restrict a client workstation to connect to only one VPN due to potential address conflicts, as internal private IP addresses are not guaranteed to be unique across different VPNs, leading to unreliable packet routing.
Innovation Solution
The Multiple Secure Link (MSL) architecture employs a twin network address translator (NAT) and virtual private network (VPN) components to create a unique private IP address realm, allowing multiple simultaneous VPN connections by translating between VPN owner-defined private IP addresses and unique private IP addresses, ensuring unique IP addressing within the MSL private IP realm.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a client workstation connects to multiple VPNs using traditional address translation, then connectivity to multiple networks is enabled, but address conflicts occur because internal private IP addresses are not guaranteed to be unique across different VPNs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a new dimension to IP addressing by creating a hierarchical structure where global IP addresses are composed of multiple components including organization-specific and network-specific identifiers. This dimensional expansion allows unique addressing across multiple VPNs without address conflicts, enabling reliable packet routing while maintaining connectivity to multiple networks.
Solution Approach 2:
The global IP address space is segmented into multiple hierarchical levels including organization identifiers and network identifiers. This segmentation allows each VPN to have its own unique address space within the global structure, eliminating address conflicts while enabling multi-VPN connectivity and reliable routing through hierarchical address matching.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional NAT is used to translate addresses in multi-VPN environments, then address hiding is achieved, but routing ambiguity arises when multiple VPNs use overlapping private IP address ranges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces global IP addresses as an intermediary layer between private IP addresses of different VPNs. This intermediary addressing scheme resolves routing ambiguity by providing a unique hierarchical path for packets traversing multiple VPNs, eliminating address conflicts while simplifying routing operations through hierarchical address matching.
Solution Approach 2:
By adding hierarchical dimensions to the IP address structure (organization identifier, network identifier, host identifier), the patent creates a multi-dimensional address space that eliminates overlaps between different VPNs. This dimensional expansion resolves address conflicts while providing clear routing paths through hierarchical address decomposition.
3Quantity of substance
If private IP addresses are reused across different VPNs to conserve address space, then address efficiency improves, but routing reliability deteriorates due to inability to distinguish packet destinations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the IP address into hierarchical components including organization-specific and network-specific identifiers. This segmentation allows efficient reuse of address space across different organizations and networks while maintaining unique global addresses for each host, enabling both high address utilization efficiency and reliable destination identification through hierarchical routing.
Solution Approach 2:
By expanding the address space into multiple hierarchical dimensions, the patent enables efficient address reuse at lower levels (host identifiers can be reused across different organizations) while maintaining unique global addresses through higher-level identifiers. This dimensional structure simultaneously improves address efficiency and ensures reliable destination identification.
Data Source
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AI summary
Some embodiments disclosed herein include a MSL twin network address translator (NAT) that includes logic that, when executed by a processor, causes the MSL twin NAT to receive inbound datagram from MSL VPN and record a new VPN owner private IP address from a source IP address in the inbound datagram. In some embodiments the logic causes the MSL twin NAT to assign a new UPIP for the inbound datagram and client workstation and facilitate sending the inbound datagram to the client workstation.