Automatic VPN Establishment with Iterative Security Negotiation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing VPN establishment methods require extensive manual configuration by network administrators, which is time-consuming and error-prone, especially as the number of remote sites grows, and do not automatically identify optimal VPN settings or balance security and performance.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for automatic VPN establishment that involves receiving a phase 1 security parameter proposal message, creating a VPN tunnel entry, generating a phase 2 security association proposal message, and iteratively adjusting encryption and authentication levels until compatibility is found, with a speed test to ensure optimal connection speed, allowing for the creation of a permanent tunnel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual VPN configuration is performed by network administrators, then VPN connections can be established between sites, but the process is time-consuming and error-prone, especially as the number of remote sites grows
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automatic VPN establishment where the VPN device autonomously configures encryption and authentication parameters without requiring manual administrator intervention. The device automatically negotiates security parameters with remote devices, performs compatibility checking, and establishes VPN tunnels autonomously, thereby eliminating time-consuming manual configuration processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary compatibility checking between the VPN device and remote devices before finalizing VPN configuration. By pre-assessing encryption and authentication suite compatibility, the system avoids repeated configuration attempts and errors, significantly reducing the time required for VPN establishment as the network scales.
2Reliability
If manual VPN configuration is performed, then VPN connections can be established, but the process is error-prone due to lack of understanding of VPN options and security parameters
Solution Approach 1:
The VPN device automatically selects and configures appropriate encryption and authentication parameters based on its capabilities and the remote device's capabilities. This self-service approach eliminates human errors associated with manual configuration of complex security parameters, ensuring reliable and accurate VPN establishment without requiring administrators to understand detailed VPN options.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary compatibility assessment between encryption and authentication suites of the VPN device and remote devices before configuration. This pre-check mechanism ensures that only compatible parameter sets are used, preventing configuration errors and ensuring reliable VPN connections while simplifying the operational process.
3Adaptability or versatility
If extensive manual configuration is required for each remote site, then VPN connections can be established, but the workload grows exponentially as the number of remote sites increases
Solution Approach 1:
The automatic configuration capability allows the VPN device to independently handle encryption and authentication parameter setup for each remote site without requiring additional administrator involvement. This self-service mechanism enables the system to scale to numerous remote sites while keeping administrative workload constant rather than exponential.
Solution Approach 2:
By performing preliminary compatibility checking and automatic parameter selection before VPN establishment, the system creates a standardized, repeatable configuration process that can be automatically applied to any number of remote sites, thereby enabling scalable deployment without proportionally increasing administrative complexity.
4Reliability
If optimal VPN settings are not automatically identified, then configuration is simpler, but security and performance cannot be balanced
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary compatibility assessment of encryption and authentication suites between the VPN device and remote devices before establishing the VPN connection. Based on this assessment, it automatically selects the optimal security parameters that both devices support, thereby balancing security requirements with performance considerations without requiring manual optimization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically adjusts encryption and authentication parameters based on the capabilities of both the VPN device and remote devices. By dynamically selecting appropriate security parameter levels, the system achieves optimal balance between security reliability and connection performance without manual intervention.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for automatic VPN establishment are provided.