SECURED MEDIA COMMUNICATION ACROSS ENTERPRISE GATEWAY
A method for implementing communication between at least two client devices is provided. The first client device of the at least two client devices is disposed externally with respect to a firewall of an internal network. The method includes performing NAT (Network Address Translation) traversal between the first client device and a media server that is disposed internally with respect to the firewall of the internal network. The NAT traversal is configured to ascertain a NAT scheme employed for exchanging packets with the first client device. The method also includes establishing a communication path at least between the media server and the first client device, wherein logic for implementing the NAT traversal and logic for implementing the establishing the communication path are both implemented in the media server. The method further includes employing the media server to facilitate the communication.
1 . A method for implementing communication between at least two client devices, a first client device of said at least two client devices being disposed externally with respect to a firewall of an internal network, the method comprising:
performing NAT (Network Address Translation) traversal between said first client device and a media server that is disposed internally with respect to said firewall of said internal network, said NAT traversal configured to ascertain a NAT scheme employed for exchanging packets with said first client device;
establishing a communication path at least between said media server and said first client device, wherein logic for implementing said NAT traversal and logic for implementing said establishing said communication path are both implemented in said media server; and
employing said media server to facilitate said communication.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein said communication represents at least transmission of at least one of text data, voice data, image data, and video data.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein said first client device represents a VoIP (Voice over IP) device, and said communication represents VoIP calls.
4 . The method of claim 1 further comprising forwarding media streams to said media server using a port forwarding mechanism.
5 . The method of claim 1 further comprising routing media packets using a combination of at least one IP address and at least one port number associated with said media server.
6 . The method of claim 1 wherein media streams between said media server and said at least two client devices pass through a single port in said firewall.
7 . The method of claim 1 wherein media streams between said media server and said at least two client devices pass through a single port on said media server.
8 . The method of claim 1 further comprising inspecting media packets received at said media server for media stream IDs, said media stream IDs being employed to associate individual ones of said media packets received at said media server with media streams being handled by said media server.
9 . The method of claim 8 wherein headers of said media packets are inspected for said media stream IDs.
10 . The method of claim 1 wherein said logic for implementing said NAT traversal employs at least one of a TURN (Traversal Using Relay NAT) scheme and a STUN (Simple Traversal of UDP through NAT) scheme.
11 . A server for facilitating communication between at least two client devices, a first client device of said at least two client devices being disposed externally with respect to a firewall of an internal network, the server disposed internally with respect to said firewall of said internal network, the server comprising:
first logic for performing NAT (Network Address Translation) traversal between said first client device and said server; and
second logic for establishing a communication path at least between said server and said first client device.
12 . The server of claim 11 wherein said first logic is configured to implement at least one of a STUN (Traversal Using Relay NAT) scheme and a TURN (Simple Traversal of UDP through NAT) scheme.
13 . The server of claim 11 wherein said first logic is configured to communicate with an external network through a port forwarding mechanism, the external network being disposed externally with respect to said firewall of said internal network.
14 . The server of claim 11 further comprising a media switch application for routing media streams destined to at least one of said at least two client devices.
15 . The server of claim 11 further comprising a port configured to service media streams between said media server and said at least two client devices.
16 . The server of claim 15 wherein said port represents a MSAP (Media Service Access Point) port configured to execute MSAP rules.
17 . The server of claim 11 further comprising an inspecting mechanism for inspecting media packets received at said server for media stream IDs, said media stream IDs being employed to associate individual ones of said media packets received at said server with media streams being handled by said server.
18 . The server of claim 11 wherein said communication represents at least transmission of at least one of text data, voice data, image data, and video data.
19 . The server of claim 11 wherein said communication represents VoIP calls.
20 . The server of claim 11 wherein a second client device of said at least two client devices registered to be managed by said server.
21 . A communication system comprising:
a firewall of an internal network;
at least two client devices, a first client device of said at least two client devices being disposed externally with respect to said firewall of said internal network;
a server disposed internally with respect to said firewall of said internal network and configured to store first logic for performing NAT (Network Address Translation) traversal between said first client device and said server and to store second logic for establishing a communication path at least between said server and said first client device.
22 . The communication system of claim 21 wherein said first client device represents a VoIP client device.
23 . The communication system of claim 21 wherein said server includes a port configured to service media streams between said media server and said at least two client devices.
24 . The communication system of claim 21 wherein said first logic is configured to communicate with said first client device through a port forwarding mechanism.
25 . The communication system of claim 21 wherein said first logic is configured to implement at least one of a STUN (Traversal Using Relay NAT) scheme and a TURN (Simple Traversal of UDP through NAT) scheme.