Network Tunnel for Single-Socket Multi-Port Reception
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Solution Overview
Problem
Single-socket server applications are limited to receiving information from a single port, making them less feature-rich and complex to develop, and when port changes occur, they can cause communication failures with clients, leading to support issues and reconfiguration challenges, especially in large-scale networks.
Innovation Solution
A network tunneling protocol is used to enable single-socket applications to receive information from multiple ports by encapsulating traffic from one port and delivering it to another, allowing the application to process traffic without modification, using standardized libraries to simplify the logic and avoid reconfiguration complexities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single-socket application is used, then the application is simpler to develop and consumes fewer system resources, but the application can only receive information from a single port and requires reconfiguration when port changes occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a network tunnel as an intermediary mechanism between the single-socket application and multiple ports. The tunnel receives traffic from various ports and forwards it to the application's bound port, allowing the application to access multiple ports without modifying its own socket binding logic. This mediator approach resolves the contradiction by enabling multi-port reception while preserving the simplicity of the single-socket application architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a dimensional layer by introducing network tunnels that operate at the network layer above the application layer. Instead of modifying the application's socket binding (horizontal dimension), the solution vertically adds tunneling infrastructure that bridges multiple ports to the application's fixed port, enabling multi-port capability without changing the application's fundamental single-socket design.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a multi-socket application is used, then the application can receive information from multiple ports, but the application becomes more complex and costly to develop
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of having the application itself manage multiple sockets and ports (which would increase application complexity), the patent uses network tunnels as intermediaries that handle the port routing functionality. The application remains a simple single-socket process while the tunnel infrastructure provides the multi-port reception capability, thus avoiding the complexity of multi-socket application development.
3Adaptability or versatility
If port changes are implemented in a single-socket application, then the application can adapt to new ports, but existing client connections fail and reconfiguration is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic port routing through network tunnels that can be configured to forward traffic from different ports to the application's bound port. When port changes are needed, the tunnel configuration can be updated to redirect traffic from the new port while maintaining the application's fixed binding. This dynamic reconfiguration capability allows port flexibility without breaking existing client connections, as clients continue connecting to the same application port while the tunnel adapts to receive traffic from updated ports.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for enabling single-socket server applications to receive information via multiple ports. In one embodiment, a system includes a network tunnel configured to receive traffic at a first port of an application server and to communicate the received traffic to a second port of the application server. The system further includes a single-socket application, coupled to the second port of the application server, to monitor for incoming traffic at the second port, and to receive the traffic destined for the first port and communicated to the second port via the network tunnel.