Translation between a first version of internet protocol and a second version of internet protocol when an application layer gateway (alg) is involved

Abstract

A device may receive, from a first device, a port control protocol (PCP) request that includes a customer side translator (CLAT) prefix and one or more private internet protocol version X (IPvX) addresses. The PCP request may be received via an internet protocol version Y (IPvY) network. The device may store the CLAT prefix and the one or more private IPvX addresses using a data structure. The device may receive a packet that includes a private IPvX of the one or more private IPvX addresses and a private IPvY address that includes the CLAT prefix and a second instance of the private IPvX address. The device may use an application layer gateway (ALG). The device may translate the private IPvX address to a public IPvX address using the CLAT prefix. The device may provide the packet that includes the public IPvX address to a second device that supports IPvX.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device, comprising:
 a memory; and   one or more processors to:
 translate a first internet protocol version 4 (IPv4) packet to an internet protocol version 6 (IPv6) packet that includes:
 a private IPv4 address of one or more private IPv4 addresses, and 
 a private IPv6 address that includes a copy of the private IPv4 address; 
 
 provide the IPv6 packet,
 wherein the private IPv4 address is translated to a public IPv4 address using a customer side translator (CLAT) prefix, and 
 wherein the private IPv4 address is replaced with the public IPv4 address; 
 
 receive, based on providing the IPv6 packet, a reply packet that includes the private IPv4 address; and 
 translate the reply packet to a second IPv4 packet. 
   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein translating the IPv4 packet to the IPv6 packet is based on receiving a response to a port control protocol request. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the IPv6 packet is provided to another device, and
 wherein the reply packet is received from the another device.   
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein a translator component associated with the device provides the second IPv4 packet to an application hosted by the device. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the translator component is associated with a CLAT associated with the device, and
 wherein the application is associated with IPv4.   
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the reply packet is associated with IPv6. 
     
     
         7 . A first device, comprising:
 a memory; and   one or more processors to:
 establish an association between a customer side translator (CLAT) prefix and one or more private internet protocol version 4 (IPv4) addresses; 
 receive, from a second device, a packet that includes:
 a private IPv4 address, of the one or more private IPv4 addresses, and 
 an internet protocol version 6 (IPv6) address that includes the CLAT prefix and a copy of the private IPv4 address; 
 
 translate the private IPv4 address to a public IPv4 address using the CLAT prefix; 
 identify, based on the packet, the private IPv4 address; 
 replace the private IPv4 address, associated with the packet, with the public IPv4 address; and 
 provide, based on replacing the private IPv4 address, the packet to a third device that supports IPv4. 
   
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the CLAT prefix and the one or more private IPv4 addresses are associated with a port control protocol (PCP) request. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the PCP request is received from the second device. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the PCP request is received via an IPv6 network. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein information associated with the CLAT prefix is received via an IPv6 network. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the device uses an application layer gateway. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more processors, when translating the private IPv4 address to the public IPv4 address, are to:
 remove the CLAT prefix from the IPv6 address;   identify, based on removing the CLAT prefix, the copy; and   update a data structure to associate the copy and the public IPv4 address.   
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more processors are to:
 process a port control protocol (PCP) request received from the second device to identify the CLAT prefix and the one or more IPv4 addresses.   
     
     
         15 . A method, comprising:
 establishing, by a first device, an association between a customer side translator (CLAT) prefix and one or more private internet protocol version 4 (IPv4) addresses;   receiving, by the first device and from a second device, a packet that includes:
 a private IPv4 address, of the one or more private IPv4 addresses, and 
 an internet protocol version 6 (IPv6) address that includes the CLAT prefix and a copy of the private IPv4 address; 
   translating, by the first device, the private IPv4 address to a public IPv4 address using the CLAT prefix;   identifying, by the first device and based on the packet, the private IPv4 address;   replacing, by the first device, the private IPv4 address with the public IPv4 address,
 wherein the private IPv4 address is associated with the packet; and 
   providing, by the first device and based on replacing the private IPv4 address, the packet to a third device that supports IPv4.   
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the CLAT prefix and the one or more private IPv4 addresses are associated with a port control protocol (PCP) request. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the PCP request is received from the second device. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the PCP request is received via an IPv6 network. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein information associated with the CLAT prefix is received via an IPv6 network. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more processors, when translating the private IPv4 address to the public IPv4 address, are to:
 remove the CLAT prefix from the IPv6 address;   identify, based on removing the CLAT prefix, the copy; and   update a data structure to associate the copy and the public IPv4 address.