Method and apparatus for end-host based mobility, multi-homing and multipath protocols
View Patent ↗A method and apparatus for dynamically engaging a network anchor adapted to support communication with one or more end-hosts associated with an Internet Protocol (IP) not supported by the multi-homed source host. are provided.
1. A method for anchoring a multipath connection between a first host outside a firewall and a second host inside the firewall, the method comprising:
obtaining connection information associated with the multipath connection;
establishing a first transport path between the first host and an anchor node outside of the firewall using the multipath connection protocol and using the end point identifier of the anchor node as a proxy for the second host;
establishing a second transport path between the anchor node and the second host using the multipath connection protocol and using the end point identifier of the anchor node as a proxy for the first host; and
relaying data and signaling information between the first and second transport paths, said relaying including adapting each packet received via one transport path to include a source ID associated with the anchor node and a destination ID associated with the host connected to the anchor node via the other transport path, and transmitting said adapted packet via the other transport path.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the anchor node uses the multipath protocol to announce its own end-point identifier to the first host as a proxy end point for the second host.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of establishing a second transport path is performed by the anchor node in response to the first host establishing the first transport path.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the connection information is obtained by monitoring one path of the multipath connection.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the connection information is obtained by examining packets associated with one host.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the connection information is obtained by explicit signaling initiated by one of the hosts.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the connection information comprises one or more of IP address, port number and connection identifier information.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising caching the obtained connection information.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said relaying comprises:
receiving packets addressed to the anchor node via a flow or sub flow created by a source host;
adapting the packets to identify the anchor node as a packet source and a destination host as a packet destination; and
transmitting the packets toward the destination host via a flow or sub flow between the anchor node and the destination host.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising adapting the packets to add an offset to any SEQ and ACK numbers.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to one host establishing a new flow between the one host and the anchor node, establishing via the anchor node a new flow between the anchor node and the other host.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the new flow between the anchor node and the other host is included within the second transport path.
13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to the first host establishing a new transport path between the first host and the anchor node, routing packets between the first host and second host via the new transport path and the second transport path.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein anchored multipath connection comprises a flow-based multipath protocol connection.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein said anchored multipath connection comprises a flow-based multihoming protocol connection.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein said anchored multipath connection comprises a mobility protocol connection.
17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
in response to a determination that said flow of said mobility protocol connection has been interrupted between said anchor node and one of said hosts, establishing a replacement transport path between said anchor node said one of said hosts.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein said relaying further includes adapting sequence information of the packet to be transmitted by the other transport path.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein said relaying function further includes adapting any acknowledgment information of the packet to be transmitted by the other transport path.
20. The method of claim 1 , wherein said connection information is obtained using said firewall.
21. The method of claim 13 , wherein the firewall resides on the new transport path and wherein a trusted session is established using said new transport path.
22. A non-transitory computer readable medium including software instructions which, when executed by a processer, adapt the processor to perform a method for anchoring a multipath connection between a first host outside a firewall and a second host inside the firewall, the method comprising:
obtaining connection information associated with the multipath connection;
establishing a first transport path between the first host and an anchor node outside the firewall using the multipath connection protocol and using the end point identifier of the anchor node as a proxy for the second host;
establishing a second transport path between the anchor node and the second host using the multipath connection protocol and using the end point identifier of the anchor node as a proxy for the first host; and
relaying data and signaling information between the first and second transport paths, said relaying including adapting each packet received via one transport path to include a source ID associated with the anchor node and a destination ID associated with the host connected to the anchor node via the other transport path, and transmitting said adapted packet via the other transport path.
23. An apparatus for anchoring a multipath connection between a first host outside a firewall and a second host inside the firewall, the apparatus comprising a processor adapted to:
obtain connection information associated with the multipath connection;
establish a first transport path between the first host and an anchor node outside the firewall using the multipath connection protocol and using the end point identifier of the anchor node as a proxy for the second host;
establish a second transport path between the anchor node and the second host using the multipath connection protocol and using the end point identifier of the anchor node as a proxy for the first host; and
relay data and signaling information between the first and second transport paths, wherein each packet received via one transport path is adapted to provide a source ID associated with the anchor node and a destination ID associated with the host connected to the anchor node via the other transport path.
24. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the processor is further adapted to implement the firewall, the firewall residing on at least one path of the multipath connection.
25. The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein said connection information is obtained using said firewall.
26. The apparatus of claim 25 , wherein the first host and anchor node are external to the firewall and the second host is internal to the firewall.