Unified Network Service for Zero-Trust Multi-Network Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing networking solutions for connecting disparate private networks and end user client devices require complex routing, hardware, and physical security measures, making them cumbersome and inflexible.
Innovation Solution
A unified network service utilizing a distributed cloud computing network that provides routing, security, and performance services, enabling seamless connectivity and control across various networks and devices using a zero-trust model and IPsec tunnels, with a shared anycast IP address for redundancy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If physical devices such as firewalls and DDoS appliances are deployed to secure private networks, then network security is improved, but device complexity and hardware requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical security devices (firewalls, DDoS appliances) with virtualized security functions running on cloud infrastructure. Security policies are enforced through software-based network virtualization layers that provide the same protective functions without requiring dedicated physical hardware at each location.
Solution Approach 2:
The cloud-based network virtualization platform provides multiple security functions (firewall, DDoS protection, intrusion detection) through a unified software platform that can serve multiple customers and networks simultaneously, eliminating the need for separate physical devices for each function.
2Ease of operation
If gateway boxes are installed to receive all traffic from offices or data centers, then internet access control is improved, but device complexity and routing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the gateway functionality from physical devices and relocates it to cloud-based network virtualization services. Traffic control and routing functions are performed through software-defined networking in the cloud, eliminating the need for complex physical gateway boxes at each office or data center.
Solution Approach 2:
The cloud-based network virtualization layer acts as an intermediary between customer networks and the internet, providing centralized traffic control and routing management that simplifies the network architecture compared to distributed physical gateways.
3Reliability
If physical colocation or direct point-to-point tunnels are used to connect networks, then network connectivity is improved, but device complexity and infrastructure requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical colocation infrastructure and point-to-point tunnel hardware with virtualized network functions running on distributed cloud computing infrastructure. Network connections are established through software-defined networking protocols that leverage existing cloud infrastructure rather than requiring dedicated physical pathways.
Data Source
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AI summary
A unified network service that connects multiple disparate private networks and end user client devices operating on separate networks is described. The multiple disparate private networks and end user client devices connect to a distributed cloud computing network that provides routing services, security services, and performance services, and that can be controlled consistently regardless of the connection type. The unified network service provides uniform access control at the L3 layer (e.g., at the IP layer) or at a higher layer using user identity information (e.g., a zero-trust model). The disparate private networks are run on top of the distributed cloud computing network. The virtual routing layer of the distributed cloud computing network allows customers of the service to have private resources visible only to client devices (e.g., user devices of the customer and/or server devices of the customer) of the organization while using address space that potentially overlaps with other customers of the distributed cloud computing network.