Cross protocol association for internet addresses for metadata association systems and methods

Abstract

Described embodiments provide systems and methods for cross protocol association using internet addresses for metadata association. An association between IPv4 addresses and IPv6 addresses can determined and used to bridge metadata from collection context in a first protocol into usage for a second protocol. A server can monitor a plurality of handshake exchanges to generate the association between IPv4 addresses and IPv6 addresses for a device or group of devices. The handshake exchange can include an IPv4 address, an IPv6 address, or both an IPv4 address and an IPv6 address for a respective device. The handshake exchanges can include a unique identifier corresponding to the respective device. The server can use the association to generate a mapping linking a range of IPv4 addresses to a range of IPv6 addresses corresponding to the same device. The mapping can be used to associate metadata to devices within the same ranges.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method comprising:
 establishing, by a server, a mapping of a first range of IP addresses of a first address type of a device to a first range of IP addresses of a second address type of the device responsive to a number of higher order bits of the first IP address a second IP address being the same;   assigning, by the server, the first range of IP addresses of the first address type of the device and the first range of IP addresses of the second address type of the device to a cluster of metadata for a plurality of devices having IP addresses within the mapping;   using, by the server the cluster of metadata, to identify metadata of a second device with a second IP address of one of first address type or the second address type that falls within the mapping.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising identifying, by the server, the first IP address and the second IP address from one or more handshake exchanges received by the server from the device. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising receiving, by the server, from a monitoring agent on the device the one or more handshake exchanges. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising determining, by the server using an identifier of the device, an association between the first address type and the second address type responsive to a comparison of the same number of higher order bits of the first IP address of the first address type and the second IP address of the second address type. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising determining, by the server, a boundary between an address space for the first range of IP addresses of the first address type owned by an entity and an assigned address space for the first range of IP addresses of the first address type. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising determining, by the server using the boundary, the second device is to be included within the mapping. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the cluster of metadata identifies geographical properties of the plurality of devices, wherein the geographic properties comprises one or more of the following: a country, a region, a state and a city. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the cluster of metadata identifies performance properties of the plurality of devices. 
     
     
         29 . A system comprising:
 one or more servers, configured to:   establish a mapping of a first range of IP addresses of a first address type of a device to a first range of IP addresses of a second address type of the device responsive to a number of higher order bits of the first IP address a second IP address being the same;   assign the first range of IP addresses of the first address type of the device and the first range of IP addresses of the second address type of the device to a cluster of metadata for a plurality of devices having IP addresses within the mapping; and   use, the cluster of metadata, to identify metadata of a second device with a second IP address of one of first address type or the second address type that falls within the mapping.   
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the one or more servers are further configured to identify the first IP address and the second IP address from one or more handshake exchanges received by the server from the device. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the one or more servers are further configured to receive from a monitoring agent on the device the one or more handshake exchanges. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the one or more servers are further configured to determine, using an identifier of the device, an association between the first address type and the second address type responsive to a comparison of the same number of higher order bits of the first IP address of the first address type and the second IP address of the second address type. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the one or more servers are further configured to determine a boundary between an address space for the first range of IP addresses of the first address type owned by an entity and an assigned address space for the first range of IP addresses of the first address type. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the one or more servers are further configured to determine, using the boundary, the second device is to be included within the mapping. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the cluster of metadata identifies geographical properties of the plurality of devices, wherein the geographic properties comprises one or more of the following: a country, a region, a state and a city. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the cluster of metadata identifies performance properties of the plurality of devices. 
     
     
         37 . A system comprising:
 one or more servers, configured to:   establish a mapping of a first range of IP addresses of a first address type of a device to a first range of IP addresses of a second address type of the device responsive to a number of higher order bits of the first IP address a second IP address being the same;   identify a boundary between an address space for the first range of IP addresses of the first address type owned by an entity and an assigned address space for the first range of IP addresses of the first address type; and   determine, using the boundary, that a second IP address of a second device is to be included within the mapping.   
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the one or more servers are further configured to assign the first range of IP addresses of the first address type of the device and the first range of IP addresses of the second address type of the device to a cluster of metadata for a plurality of devices having IP addresses within the mapping. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the one or more servers are further configured use, the cluster of metadata, to identify metadata of the second device. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the cluster of metadata identifies one of geographical properties or performance properties of the plurality of devices.