Unnumbered Interface Connectivity Testing via Index Offsets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional network connectivity testing utilities, such as ping and traceroute, are ineffective for unnumbered network interfaces, as they require unique IP addresses for each interface, which can expose devices to security risks and increase operational costs, and network administrators may forego assigning IP addresses to avoid these issues, limiting their ability to test connectivity on an interface-by-interface basis.
Innovation Solution
The extension of ping and traceroute protocols to support unnumbered interfaces by using index numbers to specify source and destination interfaces, allowing enhanced ping and traceroute packets to test connectivity between unnumbered interfaces, enabling administrators to test connectivity even without assigned IP addresses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If IP addresses are assigned to each network interface, then connectivity testing can be performed using conventional utilities, but security risks increase and operational expenses rise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (extended ping/traceroute protocols with interface indexing) that enables connectivity testing without requiring public IP addresses on each interface. The interface index acts as a local identifier that works in conjunction with the device's single public IP address, allowing administrators to test specific interfaces while maintaining security.
2Ease of operation
If IP addresses are assigned to each network interface, then connectivity testing can be performed, but operational expenses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the single public IP address universal for all interfaces by extending the ping and traceroute protocols to accept interface indices as parameters. This allows one IP address to serve multiple interfaces, eliminating the need for separate IP addresses while maintaining the ability to test each interface individually through the extended protocol syntax.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If unnumbered interfaces are used, then security risks and operational expenses are reduced, but connectivity testing becomes impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter used for interface identification from public IP address to local interface index. The extended protocols accept interface indices (numeric identifiers) as parameters, allowing connectivity testing to be performed on unnumbered interfaces by referencing their internal indices rather than requiring public IP addresses.
4Quantity of substance
If unnumbered interfaces are used, then operational expenses are reduced, but connectivity testing becomes impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds another dimension to the connectivity testing interface by introducing interface indices as a secondary identification layer. Instead of relying solely on IP addresses, the system now operates in a two-dimensional space of (device IP, interface index), enabling testing of unnumbered interfaces while maintaining compatibility with existing network addressing structures.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are described for testing connectivity to unnumbered interfaces of a target device. For example, a software utility and protocol are described that allows an administrator to specify a logical offset that may be internally resolved by the target device to one of a plurality of unnumbered interfaces during the test. Similarly, the administrator may specify an offset that may be internally resolved by the source device to one of a plurality of unnumbered interfaces from which the connectivity test is to originate. The source device may send enhanced request packets and receive enhanced reply packets specifying the source unnumbered interface and the destination unnumbered interface between which connectivity is to be tested. In this manner, an administrator may test for connectivity of particular interfaces even where internet protocol (IP) addresses or other identifiers for the interfaces are not externally known.