U.S. patent application number 10/884131 was filed with the patent office on 2005-02-24 for method for automatic configuration of an access router compatible with the dhcp protocol, for specific automatic processing of ip flows from a client terminal.
This patent application is currently assigned to France Telecom. Invention is credited to Battello, Fabien, Vinel, Romain.
Application Number | 20050044265 10/884131 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33427721 |
Filed Date | 2005-02-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050044265 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Vinel, Romain ; et
al. |
February 24, 2005 |
Method for automatic configuration of an access router compatible
with the DHCP protocol, for specific automatic processing of IP
flows from a client terminal
Abstract
Method and device for automatic configuration of an access
router 2, compatible with the DHCP protocol, for controlling
resources for a client terminal 1, as a function of a profile
associated with the terminal client line and an ID identifier of
the terminal client line, in a computer network, starting from the
configuration phase of the terminal by a DHCP 3 server in the
network; the router routing the DHCP traffic of the terminal with
the server. The ID identifier, inserted 5 in the DHCPREQUEST
message 4 broadcast by the terminal, is used 9 to query 10 a
profiles server 11 that transmits 12 the corresponding profile in
response; Extraction 14 of the parameters of the transmitted
profile 13 configures 15 the router so that it can be able to
process terminal flows.
Inventors: |
Vinel, Romain; (Trebeurden,
FR) ; Battello, Fabien; (Perros Guirec, FR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PEARNE & GORDON LLP
1801 EAST 9TH STREET
SUITE 1200
CLEVELAND
OH
44114-3108
US
|
Assignee: |
France Telecom
Paris
FR
|
Family ID: |
33427721 |
Appl. No.: |
10/884131 |
Filed: |
July 2, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
709/238 ;
709/245 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L 41/0806 20130101;
H04L 41/0856 20130101; H04L 61/2015 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
709/238 ;
709/245 |
International
Class: |
G06F 015/16 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 4, 2003 |
FR |
03 50296 |
Claims
1. Method for automatic configuration of an access router,
compatible with the DHCP protocol, for specific automatic
processing of IP flows from a client terminal in a computer
network, as a function of a given set of values of flow processing
parameters corresponding to the client line from the client
terminal, the access router routing DHCP traffic between the client
terminal and any DHCP server on the network capable of proposing a
lease to this client terminal, characterized in that it comprises
the following steps consisting of: a) inserting information
enabling identification of the client line of the client terminal
into the contents of a DHCP DHCPREQUEST configuration request sent
on the network by the client terminal to accept a lease proposal
from a DHCP server on the network, this information being
associated with the client line and values of flow processing
parameters corresponding to the client line of the client terminal,
and transmitting the request, thus completed with the
identification information, to the DHCP server through the access
router; and b) using the identification information of the client
line to obtain values of flow processing parameters associated with
it; and c) configuring the access router with the values of flow
processing parameters obtained in step b) such that it is capable
of carrying out the corresponding processing of packets in data
flows routed on the client line corresponding to the identification
information associated with these parameter values.
2. Method according to claim 1 in which the values of flow
processing parameters are capable of configuring the access router
so that it can perform operations on routed flows consisting of:
filtering some network IP addresses, for flows in the client to
network or network to client direction; or filtering some ports,
for flows in the client to network or network to client direction;
or filtering some IP protocols, for flows in the client to network
or network to client direction; or limiting the IP flow rate to or
from some addresses or some IP ports; or maintaining a specific
service quality for some IP flows, for flows in the client to
network or network to client direction.
3. Method according to either claim 1 or 2 in which information for
identification of the client line is a DHCP-RAIO type
information.
4. Method according to claim 1 or 2 in which: a profiles server,
comprising a database in which values of flow processing parameters
corresponding to the client line of the client terminal associated
with the client line identification information for this terminal
is stored, is connected to the network, for each client terminal in
the network for which flows have to be processed; since the
profiles server can be queried, using client line identification
information as query key, and being capable of providing values of
flow processing parameters associated with the query key, in
response to a query; in step b), the values of flow processing
parameters are obtained by querying the profiles server, using the
client line identification information as query key.
5. Method according to claim 1 or 2 in which: the values of flow
processing parameters obtained in step b) are transmitted to the
DHCP server, for which the lease proposal is accepted by the client
terminal; and these values of flow processing parameters are
inserted in the DHCPACK response of the DHCP server to the
DHCPREQUEST request from the client terminal; and the DHCPACK
response, to which values of flow processing parameters have been
added, is transmitted to the access router; and when the access
router receives the completed DHCPACK message, the values of flow
processing parameters are extracted from the message and the
message from which the flow processing information has been
extracted is transmitted to the client terminal; and the
configuration of the access router in step c) is made with values
of flow processing parameters extracted from the completed DHCPACK
message received by the access router.
6. Automatic configuration device for an access router, compatible
with the DHCP protocol, for performing specific automatic
processing of IP flows from a client terminal in a computer
network, as a function of a given set of values of flow processing
parameters corresponding to the client line of the client terminal,
the access router routing DHCP traffic between the client terminal
and any DHCP server on the network that can propose a lease to this
client terminal, characterized in that it comprises: an SP profiles
server connected to the network, comprising a database in which
values of flow processing parameters corresponding to the client
line of the client terminal associated with the client line
identification information for this terminal is stored, for each
client terminal in the network for which flows have to processed;
the profiles server being capable of: receiving a query request
from a network entity, using the client line identification
information as query key; and transmitting values of flow
processing parameters associated with the query key of the request,
in response to the query request; an insertion module M1 capable
of: receiving a DHCPREQUEST configuration request from the client
terminal on the network; and inserting client line identification
information for the client terminal that is sending the request,
into the received configuration request; and transmitting the
request completed with the client line identification information
to the DHCP server for which the lease proposal is accepted by the
client terminal in the DHCPREQUEST request; and transmitting the
client line identification information to a module M2; a query
module M2 capable of: receiving a client line identification
information; and transmitting a query request to the profiles
server SP, with the received client line identification information
as query key; and receiving a reply from the profiles server SP
concerning the transmitted query request; and transmitting the
values of flow processing parameters associated with the client
line identification information received in the response from the
profiles server, to a module M3; a configuration module M3 capable
of: receiving values of flow processing parameters associated with
client line identification information for configuration of the
access router; and configuring the access router as a function of
the received values of flow processing parameters so that it is
capable of performing the corresponding processing of packets in
data flows routed on the client line identified by the
identification information associated with these parameter
values.
7. Device according to claim 6 in which the values of flow
processing parameters are used to configure the access router so
that it can carry out the following operations on routed flows:
filter some network IP addresses, for flows in the client to
network or network to client direction; or filter some ports, for
flows in the client to network or network to client direction; or
filter some IP protocols, for the flows in the client to network or
network to client direction; or limit the IP flow rate to or from
some IP addresses or some ports; or provide a specific service
quality for some IP flows, for flows in the client to network or
network to client direction.
8. Device according to claim 6 or 7 in which information for
identification of the client line is a DHCP-RAIO type
information.
9. Device according to claim 6 or 7 in which the modules M1, M2 and
M3 are implanted on the access router.
10. Device according to claim 9 in which the SP profiles server is
implanted on the access router.
11. Device according to claim 6 or 7 in which the modules M1 and M3
are implanted on the access router and the module M2 is implanted
on the DHCP server of the network for which the lease proposal is
accepted in the DHCPREQUEST configuration request sent by the
client terminal.
12. Device according to claim 6 or 7 in which the module M1 is
implanted on a DHCP relay agent through which traffic passes
between the client terminal and the access router, and modules M2
and M3 are implanted on the access router.
13. Device according to claim 6 or 7 in which the module M1 is
implanted on a DHCP relay agent through which traffic passes
between the client terminal and the access router, the module M2 is
implanted on the DHCP server and the module M3 is implanted on the
access router.
14. Device according to claim 12 in which the relay agent is a
Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer (DSLAM).
15. Device according to claim 13 in which the relay agent is a
Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer (DSLAM).
Description
TECHNICAL DOMAIN
[0001] This invention relates to a method and device for automatic
configuration of an access router compatible with the DHCP protocol
for specific automatic processing of IP flows from a client
terminal in a computer network, as a function of a given set of
values of flow processing parameters corresponding to the client
line from the client terminal, the access router routing DHCP
traffic between the client terminal and any DHCP server on the
network capable of proposing a lease to this client terminal. The
network part related to configuration according to the DHCP
protocol comprises a client/server type architecture. DHCP traffic
between a terminal and a DHCP server denotes the traffic necessary
for configuration of the terminal according to the DHCP protocol,
by the server. The connection line between a client terminal and an
access router on which flows between the terminal and the router
transit, is called the client line and therefore corresponds to the
client terminal.
[0002] Therefore, the invention relates to computer networks and
the technical domain of the invention is configuration of equipment
in such networks by means of configuration protocols and more
particularly control of resources on network equipment (in other
words configuration of this network equipment to program parameters
specific to a client connection). In this case, the networks
considered are networks on which the traffic, and particularly
communications between processes, depends on protocols (or sets of
rules and procedures to be respected to send and receive data on a
network) in the TCP/IP (<<Transmission Control
Protocol/Internet Protocol >>) [1] series of communication
protocols used on Internet. The term network is equally applicable
to a private network or a public network, or several private or
public networks of telecommunication operators connected to each
other through routers. Connections or Internet accesses to these
networks may be high speed, for example by ADSL (<<Asymmetric
Digital Subscriber Line >>. Therefore, messages circulating
on the networks considered are in the form of data packets (or IP
datagrams) according to the IP protocol (or Internet protocol [2]),
the terms IP traffic or IP flow will also be used (an IP flow is
defined by elements contained in the header of IP packets (source
or destination IP address, protocol, source or destination ports,
service type, etc.)).
[0003] In particular, the DHCP (<<Dynamic Host Configuration
Protocol >>) [3] protocol enables client equipment connected
to the network (or that renews its lease) to obtain its
configuration, and particularly its IP address, dynamically from a
DHCP server for the duration of the lease awarded by the server.
There are four phases involved in obtaining a lease by a client
terminal, network host:
[0004] the client broadcasts a configuration request on the network
in the form of a DHCPDISCOVER message, to find a DHCP server;
[0005] one or several DHCP servers on the network that received the
DHCPDISCOVER message will respond by sending a DHCPOFFER message
that contains a lease offer;
[0006] the client broadcasts a DHCPREQUEST message in reply to this
offer, to indicate that it accepts the lease offer from a given
DHCP server;
[0007] the DHCP server concerned replies with a DHCPACK message to
confirm the lease and particularly to assign an IP address to the
client (the other servers then withdraw their offers).
[0008] DHCP servers may be on the same network or they may be on
different interconnected networks, and in this case they will need
to install a DHCP relay agent on network equipment (often a router)
so that it can intercept broadcast messages (that cannot normally
pass through a router) and direct them towards the servers for
which it knows the IP addresses and which are not on the client's
LAN. Thus, a DHCP relay agent relays DHCP messages between a client
and a DHCP server that are not on the same LAN, so that a
centralized DHCP service can be implemented for a set of local
networks.
[0009] Applications of the invention relate to computer networks
and telecommunication networks (digital subscriber lines at
ordinary speed, for example with a client cable connection, or high
speed lines, for example an ADSL connection) and Internet accesses
of equipment to these networks.
STATE OF PRIOR ART
[0010] Most ADSL Internet accesses now use the Point-to-Point
Protocol (PPP) [4]. This protocol enables the client to connect to
a remote network on which he is identified by a login/password
pair. In the current state of industrial products, the PPP protocol
is frequently used combined with the RADIUS (<<Remote
Authentication Dial-In User Service >>) protocol [5,6] for
the control of resources on access routers; when an access router
receives a PPP connection request sent by a client terminal, it
relays the request to an authentication server using the RADIUS
protocol; when the authentication server responds to the access
router, the response may contain a number of elements determining
the way in which the client traffic must be processed by the access
router. For example, processing of traffic consists of filtering an
IP address or a port or a protocol (in this case protocol denotes a
field in the header of IP packets that indicates the protocol
supported above the IP protocol such as, for example, the TCP
protocol [7] or the UDP protocol [8]), or limiting the transmission
rate on some flows.
[0011] Although it is now widely used for Internet accesses, the
PPP protocol has a number of limitations:
[0012] for PC (<<Personal Computer >>) type terminals,
it is fairly easy to install the PPP protocol since frequently used
operating systems may be equipped with this type of protocol stack,
however most non-PC terminals that can be used on an ADSL access
(for example such as IP telephones, Set-Top Boxes, games consoles,
etc.) are usually designed for use on LANs and do not have a PPP
stack;
[0013] the use of PPP introduces encapsulation of IP packets and
consequently, when PPP is used between a client and an access
router, it is impossible to differentiate service qualities (in IP)
in intermediate equipment between the client and the router;
[0014] the use of PPP between a client and an access router is
incompatible with replication of packets in intermediate equipment,
in other words with multicast, due to encapsulation of IP
packets.
[0015] Concerning the RADIUS protocol, its use in ADSL equipment
connections for control of resources on access routers, has the
disadvantage that the coding system for RADIUS parameters for
processing IP traffic of a client is usually proprietary.
[0016] There are other protocols specific to the control of
resources, for example COPS [9] (<<Common Open Policy Service
protocol >>) or MIDCOM, or more general purpose protocols for
example such as SNMP [10] (<<Simple Network Management
Protocol >>) or Telnet [11], that can be used to set
parameters for network equipment, but in principle their
implementation is now proprietary.
[0017] Finally, if the DHCP protocol is used instead of the PPP
protocol, with a resource control protocol, the result is a complex
organization of the network control plan; when a DHCP server
assigns an IP address to a client, it must invoke an entity
responsible for control of network resources so that it can program
(using another protocol) parameters specific to the newly connected
client terminal, on the network equipment. Moreover, this manner of
managing the configuration of a client terminal and management of
its traffic has operating constraint disadvantages; an operating
and maintenance mechanism is necessary that regularly detects
changes to the client profile (in other words flow management
parameters) that take place so that traffic parameters can be
updated on the programmed network equipment (usually an access
router). This mechanism is complicated to set up, particularly if
it is necessary to take account of client profile modifications
very quickly.
[0018] Considering the disadvantages of prior art, it is obvious
that there is a need for an easy-to-use mechanism on a network for
management of client terminal traffic and resource control, that
quickly takes account of modifications to client profiles and that
does not lead to a complex organization of the network control
plan. This mechanism must also be compatible with multicast and it
must be useable with Internet accesses with a cable connection or
an ADSL connection.
PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION
[0019] The invention is thus intended to overcome the disadvantages
of prior art by enabling control of resources on network equipment,
data transfers using the Internet protocol, to process IP flows
sent or received by a client terminal on the network, fully
compatible with the network elements configuration protocol so as
to simplify the network control plan and to make it possible to
quickly take account of a change in the client profile; the
configuration protocol selected in the invention should enable
multicast and should be useable equally well on a LAN and on a
network with Internet accesses (particularly with an ADSL
connection).
[0020] In order to achieve these purposes, the invention firstly
completely associates the configuration phase of the client
terminal considered and control of resources (unlike prior art) and
chooses the DHCP protocol for dynamic configuration of the hosts in
the network considered. The DHCP protocol is used for configuration
and for control of resources, which simplifies the control plan and
enables fast (dynamic) updating of client profiles.
[0021] The DHCP protocol has the advantage of being simple and
available on a wide range of different terminals. The DHCP protocol
is now used very broadly in LANs for the configuration of client
terminals. Its use is becoming more widespread in telecommunication
operator networks, both for cable and for ADSL connections. This
protocol was initially designed for use in LANs, but has gradually
been extended to include some needs of public networks; in
particular, it has option 82 [12] that enables a DHCP relay to
insert a client line identification of the client terminal that
makes this request into each DHCP request, this line identification
information that corresponds to option 82 is called `DHCP-RAIO`
type information (<<DHCP-Relay Agent Information
Option>>) in the remainder of this presentation. The DHCP
relay function enables network equipment to retransmit DHCP
messages between clients and servers when the clients and servers
are on different LANs and DHCP relay agents are used to implement a
centralized DHCP service for a set of LANs.
[0022] The invention adds an important function that is missing in
the DHCP protocol; namely, a function to set parameters on the
access router that routes traffic for the client terminal
considered, the manner in which traffic for the client to which
DHCP has given an IP address should be processed.
[0023] The invention uses the DHCP configuration phase of the
client terminal considered so that at the same time, it sets
parameters controlling the manner in which the network should
process traffic sent. by the terminal or to the terminal, by
automatically configuring the access router that routes traffic
between the terminal and the network (particularly traffic between
the network and the DHCP terminal configuration server) as a
function of values of IP flow processing parameters given for this
terminal.
[0024] When a client terminal is connected to the client line
(connection line between the terminal and the DHCP server(s)
capable of configuring it, through an access router) on the
network, it sends a DHCPDISCOVER message on the network, and in
response receives lease proposals from DHCP servers on the network,
it accepts a proposal from a DHCP server (usually the first it
receives) and sends a DHCPREQUEST message to accept the lease from
the server and at this time, according to the invention, an
identification information about the client line on which the
client terminal is located, is inserted in the DHCPREQUEST request
and after being completed, this request is sent to the server
through the router. This client line identification information is
associated with values of flow processing parameters of the client
line for the corresponding client terminal (client profile) and if
these values are modified, the identification information is
associated with the new values. According to the invention, all
that is necessary is then to use this identification information
contained in the completed DHCP request, for example the
DHCPREQUEST request completed and distributed on the network, to
obtain the corresponding set of flow processing parameter values
and, depending on this set, to configure the access router so that
it makes the corresponding processing on the flows that it is
routing and that concern the terminal line. The access router must
obviously be configurable according to a profile, but this is the
case for most routers at the moment. Those skilled in the art will
note that the process according to the invention can easily be
adapted to process the case in which the terminal is already
connected to the network and renews its lease.
[0025] More precisely, in its general embodiment, the invention is
a process for automatic configuration of an access router
compatible with the DHCP protocol, to perform specific automatic
processing of IP flows from a client terminal in a computer
network, as a function of a given set of flow processing parameter
values corresponding to the client line of the client terminal, the
access router routing DHCP traffic between the client terminal and
every DHCP server on the network that can propose a lease to this
client terminal, characterized in that it comprises the following
steps consisting of:
[0026] a) inserting information enabling identification of the
client line of the client terminal into the contents of a DHCP
DHCPREQUEST configuration request sent on the network by the client
terminal to accept a lease proposal from a DHCP server on the
network, this information being associated with the client line and
values of flow processing parameters corresponding to the client
line of the client terminal, and transmitting the request, thus
completed with the identification information, to the DHCP server
through the access router; and
[0027] b) using the identification information of the client line
to obtain values of flow processing parameters associated with it;
and
[0028] c) configuring the access router with the values of flow
processing parameters obtained in step b) such that it is capable
of carrying out the corresponding processing of packets in data
flows routed on the client line corresponding to the identification
information associated with these parameter values.
[0029] Note that, similarly, the client line identification
information of the client terminal may also be inserted in step a)
of the process, on any other type of DHCP message than the
DHCPREQUEST relayed to a server (for example DHCPDISCOVER).
[0030] One particular embodiment of the invention, called mode with
specific processing, is a method for automatic configuration of an
access router according to the general mode, in which the values of
flow processing parameters are capable of configuring the access
router so that it can perform operations on routed flows consisting
of:
[0031] filtering some network IP addresses, for flows in the client
to network or network to client direction; or
[0032] filtering some ports, for flows in the client to network or
network to client direction; or
[0033] filtering some IP protocols, for flows in the client to
network or network to client direction; or
[0034] limiting the IP flow rate to or from some addresses or some
IP ports; or
[0035] maintaining a specific service quality for some IP flows,
for flows in the client to network or network to client
direction.
[0036] Therefore, this embodiment provides a means of applying a
specific profile for managing flows at a client terminal,
particularly when it is connected to the network.
[0037] It is advantageous to use a DHCP-RAIO type information (that
can be used with the DHCP message option 82) as information for
identification of the client line on which the client terminal is
located, and this is why information used to identify the client
terminal is DHCP-RAIO type information, in the mode with DHCP-RAIO
according to the invention, which is a method for automatic
configuration of an access router according to the general mode or
according to the mode with specific processing.
[0038] Another advantageous embodiment of the invention, called
mode with profiles server, is a method for automatic configuration
of an access router according to the general mode or according to
the mode with specific processing or according to the mode with
DHCP-RAIO, in which:
[0039] a profiles server, comprising a database in which values of
flow processing parameters corresponding to the client line of the
client terminal associated with the client line identification
information for this terminal is stored, is connected to the
network, for each client terminal in the network for which flows
have to be processed; since the profiles server can be queried,
using client line identification information as query key, and
being capable of providing values of flow processing parameters
associated with the query key, in response to a query;
[0040] in step b), the values of flow processing parameters are
obtained by querying the profiles server, using the client line
identification information as query key.
[0041] This embodiment is particularly advantageous when resources
have to be controlled for a large number of terminals.
[0042] Finally, the invention also relates to a device for
implementing a new router configuration process. More precisely,
the invention also relates to a general device that is an automatic
configuration device for an access router, compatible with the DHCP
protocol, for performing specific automatic processing of IP flows
from a client terminal in a computer network, as a function of a
given set of values of flow processing parameters corresponding to
the client line of the client terminal, the access router routing
DHCP traffic between the client terminal and any DHCP server on the
network that can propose a lease to this client terminal,
characterized in that it comprises:
[0043] an SP profiles server connected to the network, comprising a
database in which values of flow processing parameters
corresponding to the client line of the client terminal associated
with the client line identification information for this terminal
is stored, for each client terminal in the network for which flows
have to processed; the profiles server being capable of:
[0044] receiving a query request from a network entity, using the
client line identification information as query key; and
[0045] transmitting values of flow processing parameters associated
with the query key of the request, in response to the query
request;
[0046] an insertion module M1 capable of:
[0047] receiving a DHCPREQUEST configuration request from the
client terminal on the network; and
[0048] inserting client line identification information for the
client terminal that is sending the request, into the received
configuration request; and
[0049] transmitting the request completed with the client line
identification information to the DHCP server for which the lease
proposal is accepted by the client terminal in the DHCPREQUEST
request; and
[0050] transmitting the client line identification information to a
module M2;
[0051] a query module M2 capable of:
[0052] receiving a client line identification information; and
[0053] transmitting a query request to the profiles server SP, with
the received client line identification information as query key;
and
[0054] receiving a reply from the profiles server SP concerning the
transmitted query request; and
[0055] transmitting the values of -flow processing parameters
associated with the client line identification information received
in the response from the profiles server, to a module M3;
[0056] a configuration module M3 capable of
[0057] receiving values of flow processing parameters associated
with client line identification information for configuration of
the access router; and
[0058] configuring the access router as a function of the received
values of flow processing parameters so that it is capable of
performing the corresponding processing of packets in data flows
routed on the client line identified by the identification
information associated with these parameter values.
[0059] The invention also relates to a device with specific
processing that is a device for automatic configuration of an
access router according to the general device in which the values
of flow processing parameters are used to configure the access
router so that it can carry out the following operations on routed
flows:
[0060] filter some network IP addresses, for flows in the client to
network or network to client direction; or
[0061] filter some ports, for flows in the client to network or
network to client direction; or
[0062] filter some IP protocols, for the flows in the client to
network or network to client direction; or
[0063] limit the IP flow rate to or from some IP addresses or some
ports; or
[0064] provide a specific service quality for some IP flows, for
flows in the client to network or network to client direction.
[0065] The invention also relates to a device for automatic
configuration of an access router, called a device with DHCP-RAIO,
which is a device according to the general device or according to
the device with specific processing in which DHCP-RAIO type
information is used to identify the client terminal.
[0066] As those skilled in the art will realize from the various
embodiments described, the invention differs from prior art in
several respects, and particularly by the important fact that the
DHCP configuration process of a client terminal is no longer
separate from the resource control process, and quite the contrary
they are done concomitantly using the same protocol.
[0067] Applications of the invention relate to computer networks
and telecommunication networks (with digital subscriber lines at
ordinary speed for example with a client cable connection, or high
speed lines, for example an ADSL connection), and Internet accesses
of equipment to these networks.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0068] The characteristics and advantages of the invention
presented above, and others, will become clear from the description
of particular embodiments given as examples, with reference to the
attached drawings, in which:
[0069] FIG. 1 shows a diagram of a device according to the
invention in which modules M1, M2 and M3 are implanted on the
access router 2.
[0070] FIG. 2 is a diagram of a device according to the invention
in which modules M1 and M3 are implanted on the access router 21
and module M2 is implanted on the DHCP server 31.
[0071] FIG. 3 is a diagram of a device according to the invention
in which the module M1 is implanted on a relay agent DHCP 16 and
modules M2 and M3 are implanted on the access router 22.
[0072] FIG. 4 is a diagram of a device according to the invention
in which module M1 is implanted on a DHCP relay agent 16, module M2
is implanted on the DHCP server 31 and module M3 is implanted on
the access router 23.
[0073] In FIGS. 1 to 4, identical or similar objects have the same
reference numbers.
DETAILED PRESENTATION OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS
[0074] In the method for automatic configuration of an access
router according to the invention, it may be advantageous to make
use of the DHCPACK response from the DHCP client terminal
configuration. server, that passes through the access router to be
configured as a function of the client terminal profile, to
transmit flow processing parameters to the router for its
configuration. All the router needs to do then is to extract
parameters from the message, before routing the message to the
terminal to start its configuration. Thus, the corresponding
particular embodiment and a method for automatic configuration of
an access router according to the general mode or according to the
mode with specific processing or according to the mode with
DHCP-RAIO or according to the mode with profiles server in
which:
[0075] the values of flow processing parameters obtained in step b)
are transmitted to the DHCP server, for which the lease proposal is
accepted by the client terminal; and
[0076] these values of flow processing parameters are inserted in
the DHCPACK response of the DHCP server to the DHCPREQUEST request
from the client terminal; and
[0077] the DHCPACK response, to which values of flow processing
parameters have been added, is transmitted to the access router;
and
[0078] when the access router receives the completed DHCPACK
message, the values of flow processing parameters are extracted
from the message and the message from which the flow processing
information has been extracted is transmitted to the client
terminal; and
[0079] the configuration of the access router in step c) is made
with values of flow processing parameters extracted from the
completed DHCPACK message received by the access router.
[0080] Concerning the device for implementation of the method
according to the invention, different choices can be made about the
implantation of functional modules M1, M2 and M3. This adaptation
flexibility is one of the advantages of the invention and applies
to the three versions of the device, in other words the general
device and also the device with specific processing and the device
with DHCP-RAIO.
[0081] A first module implantation choice that is valid for any of
the device versions mentioned above, is shown in FIG. 1: modules
M1, M2 and M3 are implanted on the access router 2. The operation
of the device is also indicated; the client terminal 1 sends a
DHCPREQUEST message 4 to the insertion module M1 5 that inserts
terminal line identification information, or an identifier ID, into
the message, and transmits the completed message 6 to the DHCP
server 3 that responds to the terminal with a DHCPACK message 7;
the module M1 transmits the identifier ID 8 to the query module M2
9 that sends a query request 10 to the profiles server SP 11, which
responds by transmitting values of flow processing parameters 12
corresponding to the identifier ID, to module M2; module M2
transmits these values 13 to the configuration module M3 14 that
then configures 15 the router to process flows for the
terminal.
[0082] A second choice for implantation of modules, valid for any
of the versions of the device is shown in FIG. 2; differences from
FIG. 1 are shown on the access router 21 in which the modules M1
and M3 are implanted, and on the DHCP server 31 in which module M2
is implanted.
[0083] A third choice for implantation of modules, valid for any of
the versions of the device, is shown in FIG. 3; modules M2 and M3
are implanted on the access router 22; a DHCP relay agent 16
through which traffic passes between the client terminal 1 and the
access router 22, particularly towards the DHCP server 32.
[0084] A fourth choice for implantation of modules, valid for any
of the versions of the device, is shown in FIG. 3; module M1 is
implanted on a DHCP relay agent through which traffic passes
between the client terminal 1 and the access router 23,
particularly to the DHCP server 31; module M2 is implanted on the
server 31; module M3 is implanted on the access router 23.
[0085] Other variants are possible, particularly concerning the
profiles server SP that is external in FIGS. 1 to 4, but that could
for example be implanted on the access router or on the DHCP
server.
REFERENCES
[0086] The RFC reports mentioned in references are available on the
Internet site of the IETF ( <<Internet Engineering Task Force
>>) organization at the following address:
http://www.ietf.org (on the RFC page).
[0087] [1]: RFC1180
[0088] [2]: RFC791
[0089] [3]: RFC2131
[0090] [4]: RFC1661
[0091] [5]: RFC2865
[0092] [6]: RFC2866
[0093] [7]: RFC793
[0094] [8]: RFC768
[0095] [9]: RFC2748
[0096] [10]: see Internet site: www.snmp.com
[0097] [11]: RFC854
[0098] [12]: RFC3046
* * * * *
References