Next-hop MAC Address Determination via Phantom UDP Packet
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current network acceleration techniques struggle to programmatically determine the layer 2 destination MAC address without re-implementing networking stack functions, limiting the ability to bypass the kernel and maintain security and firewall measures.
Innovation Solution
A software application that uses a virtual NIC or TUN/TAP device to interface with the kernel and networking stack, determining the layer 2 destination address while accounting for firewall and system administrator rules, and storing this address for subsequent packet transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If network acceleration techniques bypass the kernel and networking stack to directly transmit packets, then transmission speed and data exchange rate are improved, but the ability to programmatically determine the layer 2 destination MAC address is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a phantom UDP packet as an intermediary mechanism that allows the application to query the kernel for the next-hop MAC address without transmitting actual data packets. The phantom packet traverses the networking stack to retrieve routing information, then is discarded, serving as a mediator between the application's need for acceleration and the kernel's routing capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary routing information retrieval by sending a phantom UDP packet before actual data transmission. This preliminary action populates the ARP database with the next-hop MAC address, enabling subsequent packets to be transmitted directly without repeated kernel queries, thus achieving both speed and correctness.
2Reliability
If the application programmatically determines the next-hop MAC address using a phantom UDP packet, then security and firewall measures are maintained, but unnecessary packet transmission occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary routing information (next-hop MAC address) from the kernel's networking stack by using a phantom UDP packet, then discards the phantom packet. This extraction approach obtains the required security-compliant routing data without transmitting unnecessary data packets over the network.
Solution Approach 2:
The phantom UDP packet is sent to query routing information, then deliberately discarded after its purpose is fulfilled. The ARP database is updated with the recovered next-hop MAC address information, eliminating the need for future phantom packets and avoiding unnecessary network transmission while maintaining security compliance.
3Loss of time
If the application bypasses the kernel for direct packet transmission, then latency is reduced, but compliance with firewall and system administrator rules cannot be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary routing information retrieval through the kernel's networking stack using a phantom UDP packet before actual data transmission. This preliminary action ensures that the application obtains routing information that complies with firewall and system administrator rules, while subsequent transmissions can proceed with reduced latency since the routing information is already cached.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, media, and methods are capable of determining a layer 2 destination address that can then be used by a network acceleration application to populate data packets to be transmitted using accelerated networking techniques. The systems and methods provide for a software application executed on a computing device that controls a NIC interface to provide for an accelerated network. The software application resides in the application layer of a networking stack and is interfaced via a virtual NIC or TUN/TAP device with the kernel and the networking stack and operating system (OS) facilities to determine a layer 2 destination address for use in accelerated network applications. Embodiments herein, through the combination above, are able to account for firewall rules, static ARP entries, or any other system-administrator rules put in place for network operations.