Smart NIC Protocol Translation for Network Booting

Solution Overview

Problem

In datacenter production environments, certain network protocols like DHCP and TFTP are often disabled for security reasons, limiting functionalities such as network booting and HCI-specific tasks, while HTTP and HTTPS remain available, creating a need for enabling forbidden protocols through translation.

Innovation Solution

A network interface in an information handling system performs protocol translation by receiving data in a first protocol, translating it into an allowed protocol like HTTP or HTTPS, and transmitting it to a destination system, enabling the use of forbidden protocols.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If certain network protocols (DHCP, TFTP) are disabled for security reasons, then system security is improved, but network functionalities (network booting, HCI-specific tasks) become unavailable

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem securityVSAvoidnetwork functionality

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary component (protocol translation service or smart network interface card) that mediates between the forbidden protocol traffic and the allowed protocol environment. This intermediary translates DHCP/TFTP protocol communications into HTTP/HTTPS traffic, allowing the system to maintain security restrictions while restoring network functionalities that would otherwise be blocked.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If protocol translation is implemented to enable forbidden protocols, then network functionality is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork functionalityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary component (protocol translation service or smart network interface card) that mediates between the forbidden protocol traffic and the allowed protocol environment. This intermediary translates DHCP/TFTP protocol communications into HTTP/HTTPS traffic, allowing the system to maintain security restrictions while restoring network functionalities that would otherwise be blocked.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements protocol translation by creating virtual representations of forbidden protocols through allowed protocols. Instead of implementing the actual DHCP or TFTP protocols, the system creates HTTP/HTTPS-based copies that replicate the essential functionality, thereby enabling network booting and imaging tasks without introducing complex protocol implementations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Ease of manufacture

If protocol translation is implemented at the application layer, then implementation flexibility is improved, but processing overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimplementation flexibilityVSAvoidprocessing overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary component (protocol translation service or smart network interface card) that mediates between the forbidden protocol traffic and the allowed protocol environment. This intermediary translates DHCP/TFTP protocol communications into HTTP/HTTPS traffic, allowing the system to maintain security restrictions while restoring network functionalities that would otherwise be blocked.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20230208942A1Trusted network protocol agent via smart network interface controller

Publication Date: 2023.06.29 DELL PROD LP

AI summary

An information handling system may include a processor and a network interface. The network interface make be configured to perform protocol translation during communication between the information handling system and a destination system by: receiving, from the processor, data according to a first protocol; translating the data into a second protocol; and transmitting the translated data to the destination system.