Identifying NATed devices for device-specific traffic flow steering

摘要

The present disclosure describes methods and apparatus for differentiating subscriber devices of a subscriber hidden by a network address translation device and enables traffic flow steering on a per device basis rather than a per subscriber basis. Identification of subscriber devices is achieved by assigning a reserved set of external ports to each subscriber device. Different service paths can be defined for different subscriber devices to provide a subscriber with a different experience for each subscriber device of the subscriber.

主权项

1. A method implemented by a network address translation device in a private communication network of enabling device-specific traffic flow steering, in an external network, of traffic associated with one of a plurality of subscriber devices in the private communication network, the method comprising:
reserving, for a first subscriber device associated with a first device identity, a set of external ports associated with a public IP address of the network address translation device; receiving, from the external network, a list of device identities for one or more subscriber devices among the plurality of subscriber devices, each subscriber device in said list of devices having a defined device-specific service path; determining if the first device identity associated with the first subscriber device is included in the received list of device identities; and if the first device identity associated with the first subscriber device is included in the list of device identities, sending the reserved set of external ports and for the first subscriber device and associated IP address to the external network to enable traffic traversing the reserved set of ports to be steered according to a device-specific service path defined for the first subscriber device.