NAT Delegation for Carrier Load Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

The impending exhaustion of global IPv4 addresses and the inefficiencies of existing network address translation (NAT) mechanisms, which lead to increased processing load and costs for server farms handling large numbers of subscribers, necessitate an efficient solution to manage IP address allocation and translation.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a method where a network component maps a public IP address to a private IP address and associated port information, allowing for NAT delegation to capable home routers, thereby reducing the processing load on carrier NAT devices and avoiding double address translation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If carrier NAT device performs NAT for all subscribers, then IP address translation is achieved, but processing load and costs increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveIP address translation capabilityVSAvoidprocessing performance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the NAT functionality by identifying and separating NAT-capable subscribers (home routers) from non-NAT-capable subscribers. The carrier NAT device performs NAT only for non-capable subscribers, while capable subscribers perform their own NAT, thereby segmenting the processing load and improving overall system productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables NAT-capable subscribers to perform their own address translation through the home router's NAT functionality. This self-service approach eliminates the need for the carrier NAT device to process traffic from these subscribers, significantly reducing the processing load on the carrier's server farm while maintaining reliable IP address translation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If double NAT is implemented (carrier NAT + home router NAT), then IP address management is achieved, but packet processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveIP address managementVSAvoidaddress translation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces dynamic detection of NAT capability in home routers. The system adaptively determines whether to apply carrier NAT based on the home router's capabilities, creating a dynamic address translation path. This reduces complexity by avoiding double NAT when unnecessary, while maintaining IP address management reliability through flexible adaptation to different subscriber configurations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2169917B1Method and device for data processing in a network component and communication system comprising such device

Publication Date: 2022.11.02 ADTRAN GMBH

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AI summary

A method and a device for data processing in a network component are provided, wherein a public IP address is mapped to a private IP address and a port information associated with a subscriber. Furthermore, a communication system is suggested comprising said device.