Remote Log Acquisition for CPE Behind NAT

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing log catching tools cannot be used to acquire logs from Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) located in private networks due to their private network configuration, which prevents remote real-time logging.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that involves a log server issuing a log acquisition message to an Access Control Server (ACS), which establishes a TCP session with the CPE and provides log parameter settings, enabling the CPE to acquire and report debugged logs through UDP messages, utilizing STUN-related parameters for NAT traversal and keep-alive messages to facilitate communication across private and public networks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If existing log catching tools are used to acquire logs from CPE, then the tools can be simple and easy to operate, but they cannot function when the CPE is located in a private network behind a router

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of log acquisitionVSAvoidadaptability to private network environment

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an Access Control Server (ACS) as an intermediary component between the log server and the CPE. The ACS establishes a TCP session with the CPE and forwards log parameter setting messages, enabling log acquisition in private network environments where direct communication is blocked by NAT. This intermediary resolves the contradiction by maintaining operational simplicity while adding network environment adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the CPE is placed in a private network for network architecture, then network security and management are improved, but remote real-time log acquisition becomes impossible with existing tools

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork securityVSAvoidlog acquisition capability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by having the CPE proactively initiate a registration request message to the ACS upon successful network connection. The ACS then establishes a TCP session and prepares to receive log parameter setting messages before actual log acquisition is needed. This preliminary setup enables subsequent real-time log acquisition while maintaining private network security architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Device complexity

If existing log tools are used, then the system complexity is low, but they fail to establish communication with CPE behind NAT

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem complexityVSAvoidNAT traversal capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The ACS acts as a mediator that handles the complex NAT traversal process. Instead of making the CPE or existing log tools complex, the ACS manages the TCP session establishment, receives log parameter setting messages from the log server, and forwards them to the CPE. This approach adds minimal complexity while achieving full NAT traversal capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Speed

If direct log acquisition from CPE is implemented, then real-time monitoring is achieved, but it cannot work across public and private network boundaries

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelog acquisition speedVSAvoidcross-network communication

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The ACS serves as an intermediary that bridges public and private network boundaries. It receives log acquisition requests from the log server in the public network, establishes TCP sessions with CPEs in the private network, and forwards log parameter setting messages. This enables real-time log acquisition across network boundaries while maintaining security architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS9942111B2Method for remotely acquiring in real time log

Publication Date: 2018.04.10 ZTE CORP

AI summary

Disclosed are a method and system for remotely acquiring in real time a log, and the method includes: when a log server IQAS triggers acquisition of the log, the IQAS issues a log acquisition message to an Access Control Server (ACS); after establishing a TCP session with a Customer Premise Equipment (CPE), the ACS issues a log parameter setting message to the CPE according to an acquired log acquisition message; and the CPE acquires a debugged log according to an acquired log parameter setting message, and reports the debugged log to the IQAS through a UDP message. The disclosure is beneficial to subsequent extension of multiple log ports and capable of supporting simultaneous reporting of operation logs to a log server IQAS by multiple log ports, the method provided by embodiment of the disclosure can be implemented in a flexible way and there are no interferences between the multiple log ports, thus it is possible to implement real-time monitoring of an operation state of a Customer Premise Equipment (CPE), thereby implementing in-time positioning of a failure in respective modules of the CPE.