NAT traversal method and apparatus

摘要

According to an embodiment of network address translation traversal, a server agent interfaces a private network to a public network. Private IP addresses for servers located in the private network are mapped to corresponding identifiers known to clients located outside the private network. A request message sent over the public network by a client located outside the private network is received by the server agent. The request message includes a host identifier having a first portion that identifies the server agent to the public network and a second portion that identifies a server located in the private network. The second portion of the host identifier is unknown to the public network. The request message is sent to the server identified by the second portion of the host identifier using the private IP address that maps to the second portion of the host identifier.