METHOD FOR TRANSMITTING DATA IN A NETWORK SYSTEM AS WELL AS A NETWORK SYSTEM

Abstract

A method for transmitting data in a network system and a network system having an operation of a network controller of a fourth network element in a promiscuous mode, and a generation of an IP tunnel between the first network and the second network, the third network element and the fourth network element being particular end points of the IP tunnel guided via an access element.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting data in a network system, the method comprising: providing a first network element connected to a first network; providing a second network element connected to a second network or a cluster network, the second network element not having a user right to generate a virtual network interface; providing a physical or virtual third network element connected to the first network and a physical or virtual fourth network element connected to the second network; operating a network controller of the fourth network element in a promiscuous mode; and generating an IP tunnel between the first network and the second network, wherein the third network element and the fourth network element are particular end points of the IP tunnel that is guided via an access element.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a first message is sent from the first network element to the first network, the first message being addressed to an IP address and a port of the second network element or to an IP address and a port of another network element, which is converted into an IP address and a port of the second network element by a further network element or by the third network element and/or the fourth network element.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the third network element receives packets of the first message arriving in the first network, the third network element packaging the first message in a first envelope, and a network controller of the third network element being operated in a promiscuous mode or a non-promiscuous mode.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the first message packaged in the first envelope is addressed to a first tunnel port of the access element and is sent from the third network element to the first tunnel port of the access element.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the first tunnel port of the access element is preconfigured such that the first tunnel port automatically sends incoming messages to the physical or virtual fourth network element.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein the physical or virtual fourth network element, unpacks the first message received from the access element and packaged in the first envelope, and wherein the unpacked first message is sent from the fourth network element to the second network element via the second network using the promiscuous mode.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein a second message is sent to the second network from the second network element using a dynamically assigned port of the second network element, the second message being addressed to an IP address and a port of the first network element.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fourth network element sniffs packets of the second message arriving in the second network using the promiscuous mode of the network controller of the fourth network element, and wherein the fourth network element packages the second message in a second envelope.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the second message packaged in the second envelope is addressed to a second tunnel port of the access element and is sent from the fourth network element to the second tunnel port of the access element.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the second tunnel port of the access element is dynamically configured at runtime using information from the first message such that the second tunnel port automatically sends incoming messages to the physical or virtual third network element.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the physical or virtual third network element, unpacks the second message received from the access element and packaged in the second envelope, and wherein the unpacked second message is sent from the third network element to the first network element via the first network.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first message has a sender IP and MAC address of the first network element, and wherein the third network element or the fourth network element replaces the sender IP and MAC address of the first network element with an IP and MAC address of the fourth network element.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second message has a receiver IP and MAC address, in particular the fourth network element, and wherein the first network element, the third network element or the fourth network element replaces the receiver IP and MAC addresses of the second message with an IP and MAC address of the first network element.

14. A method for transmitting data in a network system, the method comprising: providing a first network element connected to a first network; providing a second network element connected to a second network, the second network element not having a user right to generate a virtual network interface; providing a physical or virtual third network element connected to the second network; operating a network controller of the third network element in a promiscuous mode; and generating an IP tunnel between the first network and the second network, the first network element and the third network element being particular end points of the IP tunnel guided via an access element.

15. A network system for transmitting data between a first network element and a second network element, the network system comprising: a first network element connected to a first network; a second network element connected to a second network, the second network element not having a user right to generate a virtual network interface; a physical or virtual third network element connected to the first network; and a physical or virtual fourth network element connected to the second network, a network controller of the fourth network element being operable in a promiscuous mode, and the third network element and the fourth network element being particular end points of an IP tunnel guided via an access element.

16. A network system for transmitting data between a first network element and a second network element, the network system comprising: a first network element connected to the first network; a second network element connected to a second network, the second network element not having a user right to generate a virtual network interface; and a physical or virtual third network element connected to the second network, a network controller of the third network element being operable in a promiscuous mode, an IP tunnel being generated between the first network and the second network, the first network element and the third network element being particular end points of the IP network guided via an access element.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first network element is a user network node, and wherein the second network element is a destination network node.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0081] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:

[0082] FIG. 1 shows a flowchart of a method for transmitting data in a network system as well as an underlying network system according to one preferred specific embodiment of the invention; and

[0083] FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of the method for transmitting data in the network system as well as the underlying network system according to a further preferred specific embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0084] The method shown in FIG. 1 for transmitting data in a network system 1 comprises a provision 51 of a first network element 12, in particular a user network node, connected to a first network 10 and a second network element 16, in particular a destination network node, connected to a second network 14, in particular a cluster network. Second network element 16 does not have the user right to generate a virtual network interface.

[0085] The method furthermore comprises a provision S2 of a virtual third network element 18 connected to first network 10 and a virtual fourth network element 20 connected to second network 14. Third network element 18 and fourth network element 20 may alternatively be provided, for example, with a physical design.

[0086] First network element 12 is connected to first network 10 via a first network controller. Second network element 16 is connected to second network 14 via a second network controller.

[0087] Moreover, the method comprises an operation S3 of a network controller 20a of fourth network element 20 in a promiscuous mode P, and a generation S4 of an IP tunnel 22 between first network 10 and second network 14, third network element 18 and fourth network element 20 being particular end points of IP tunnel 22 guided via an access element 24.

[0088] A first message 26 is first sent from first network element 12 to first network 10. First message 26 is addressed to an IP address and a port of second network element 16.

[0089] Alternatively, first message 26 may be addressed, for example, to an IP address and a port of another network element, which is converted by a further network element, in particular, third network element 18 and/or fourth network element 20, into an IP address and a port of second network element 16.

[0090] Third network element 18 receives packets of first message 26 arriving in first network 10. Third network element 18 furthermore packages first message 26 in a first envelope 28. According to the present specific embodiment, a network controller 18a of third network element 18 is operated in a promiscuous mode P. Alternatively, the network controller may, for example, be operated in a non-promiscuous mode.

[0091] First message 26 packaged in first envelope 28 is addressed to a first tunnel port 24a of access element 24 and is sent from third network element 18 to first tunnel port 24a of access element 24.

[0092] First tunnel port 24a of access element 24 is preconfigured in such a way that first tunnel port 24a automatically sends incoming messages to virtual fourth network element 20, in particular a server network node.

[0093] Virtual fourth network element 20, in particular the server network node, unpacks first message 26 received from access element 24 and packaged in first envelope 28. Unpacked first message 26 is furthermore sent from fourth network element 20 to second network element 16, in particular the destination network node, via second network 14, using promiscuous mode P.

[0094] A second message 30 is sent from second network element 16 to second network 14, using a dynamically assigned port of second network element 16. Second message 30 is addressed to an IP address and a port of first network element 12.

[0095] Fourth network element 20 receives, in particular sniffs, packets of second message 30 arriving in second network 14, using promiscuous mode P of network controller 20a of fourth network element 20. Fourth network element 20 furthermore packages second message 30 in a second envelope 32.

[0096] Second message 30 packaged in second envelope 32 is addressed to a second tunnel port 24b of access element 24 and is sent from fourth network element 20 to first tunnel port 24b of access element 24.

[0097] Second tunnel port 24b of access element 24 is dynamically configured, in particular at runtime, using information from first message 26, in such a way that second tunnel port 24b automatically sends incoming messages to physical or virtual third network element 18, in particular the client network node.

[0098] Virtual third network element 18, in particular the client network node, unpacks second message 30 received from access element 24 and packed into second envelope 32. Unpacked second message 30 is sent from third network element 18 to first network element 12, in particular the user network node, via first network 10.

[0099] First message 26 has an IP and MAC address of first network element 12, third network element 18 or fourth network element 20 replacing the IP and MAC address of first network element 12 with an IP and MAC address of fourth network element 20. The IP and MAC address of the first network element is a sender IP and MAC address.

[0100] Second message 30 furthermore has a receiver IP and MAC address, in particular fourth network element 20. One of the end points of IP tunnel 22, in particular first network element 12, third network element 18 or fourth network element 20, replaces the receiver IP and MAC address of second message 30 with an IP and MAC address of first network element 12.

[0101] Network system 1 shown in FIG. 1 for transmitting data between a first network element 12 and a second network element 16 comprises a first network element 12, in particular a user network node, connected to a first network 10 and a second network element, in particular a destination network node, connected to a second network 14, in particular a cluster network.

[0102] Second network element 16 does not have the user right to generate a virtual network interface. Network system 1 also comprises a virtual third network element connected to first network 10 and a virtual fourth network element connected to second network 14.

[0103] Third network element 18 and fourth network element 20 may alternatively be provided, for example, with a physical design. A network controller 20a of fourth network element 20 may be operated in a promiscuous mode P. In addition, third network element 18 and fourth network element 20 are particular end points of an IP tunnel 22 guided via an access element 24.

[0104] FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of the method for transmitting data in a network system as well as the underlying network system according to a further preferred specific embodiment of the invention.

[0105] The method comprises a provision 51′ of a first network element 112, in particular a user network node, connected to a first network 10, and a second network element 116, in particular a destination network node, connected to a second network, 114 in particular a cluster network, second network element 116 not having the user right to generate a virtual network interface.

[0106] The method also comprises a provision S2′ of a physical or virtual third network element 120 connected to second network 114 as well as an operation S3′ of a network controller 120a of third network element 120 in a promiscuous mode P′.

[0107] Moreover, the method comprises a generation S4′ of an IP tunnel 122 between first network 110 and second network 114, first network element 112 and third network element 120 being particular end points of IP tunnel 122 routed via an access element 124.

[0108] Apart from the modified network architecture of this specific embodiment, the network communication takes place similarly to the method illustrated in FIG. 1. These steps will therefore not be repeated.

[0109] Network system 1 shown in FIG. 2 for transmitting data between a first network element 12 and a second network element 16 comprises a network system 100 for transmitting data between a first network element 112 and a second network element 116, comprising a first network element, in particular a user network node, connected to a first network 110, and a second network element, in particular a destination network node, connected to a second network 114, in particular a cluster network.

[0110] Second network element 116 does not have the user right to generate a virtual network interface.

[0111] Network system 1 further comprises a virtual third network element connected to second network 114, a network controller 120a of third network element 120 being operable in a promiscuous mode P′.

[0112] An IP tunnel 122 is generated between first network 110 and second network 114, first network element 112 and third network element 120 being particular end points of IP tunnel 122 guided via an access element 124.

[0113] The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims.