Dynamic VPN Tunnel Endpoint Selection Using Cost Metrics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current VPN technologies statically select tunnel endpoints based on proximity, leading to increased costs for enterprises due to inefficient use of network resources, as they do not dynamically consider factors like proximity, stability, monetary costs, congestion, hop count, and latency when routing data through multiple VPN gateways.
Innovation Solution
Implement a dynamic network tunnel endpoint selection method that uses cost metric information, such as proximity, stability, and monetary costs, to choose the most cost-effective VPN gateway for routing data, allowing for multiple VPN tunnels with different endpoints based on destination filters, thereby reducing enterprise network infrastructure costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If static tunnel endpoint selection based on proximity is used, then implementation simplicity is maintained, but enterprise network infrastructure costs increase due to inefficient resource utilization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic tunnel endpoint selection that adapts to changing network conditions. The system continuously monitors cost metrics including monetary costs, congestion levels, hop counts, and latency for multiple VPN gateways, then dynamically selects the optimal endpoint based on current conditions. This transforms the static selection mechanism into a dynamic one that responds to real-time network state, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and cost efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the selection parameters from simple proximity-based metrics to multi-parameter cost metrics. The system evaluates multiple parameters including monetary transmission costs, network congestion, hop count, and latency to determine the optimal tunnel endpoint. This parameter transformation enables more informed decision-making that reduces enterprise infrastructure costs while maintaining manageable complexity through structured evaluation criteria.
2Loss of energy
If dynamic tunnel endpoint selection with multiple cost metrics is implemented, then enterprise network infrastructure costs are reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the tunnel endpoint selection process into distinct functional components: cost metric collection from multiple VPN gateways, cost metric evaluation against predefined criteria, and endpoint selection based on evaluated results. This segmentation allows each component to be independently managed and optimized, reducing the perceived complexity while enabling sophisticated multi-parameter evaluation that lowers enterprise infrastructure costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the system continuously monitors network conditions and cost metrics, then uses this information to adjust tunnel endpoint selections. The feedback loop includes collecting current cost metrics, comparing them against selection criteria, selecting optimal endpoints, and repeating the process. This structured feedback approach manages complexity by providing clear decision-making guidance based on real-time data while achieving cost reduction through adaptive selection.
3Productivity
If multiple VPN tunnels with different endpoints are maintained, then data transmission cost efficiency is improved, but network resource management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the tunnel endpoint selection mechanism universal by designing it to handle multiple VPN gateways and multiple cost metrics through a unified evaluation framework. The same selection process works regardless of the number of available gateways or the specific combination of cost metrics being evaluated. This universality allows the system to efficiently manage multiple VPN tunnels with different endpoints while keeping resource management complexity manageable through consistent evaluation criteria.
Data Source
AI summary
Dynamically selecting an endpoint for a tunnel into an enterprise computing infrastructure. A client dynamically selects a gateway (which may alternatively be referred to as a boundary device or server) as a tunnel endpoint for connecting over a public network (or, more generally, an untrusted network) into an enterprise computing infrastructure. The selection is made, in preferred embodiments, according to least-cost routing metrics pertaining to paths through the enterprise network from the selected gateway to a destination host. The least-cost routing metrics may be computed using factors such as the proximity of selectable tunnel endpoints to the destination host; stability or redundancy of network resources for this gateway; monetary costs of transmitting data over a path between the selectable tunnel endpoints and destination host; congestion on that path; hop count for that path; and/or latency or transmit time for data on that path.