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.

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 M 1  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 M 2 ;    a query module M 2  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 M 3 ;  
   a configuration module M 3  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 M 1 , M 2  and M 3  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 M 1  and M 3  are implanted on the access router and the module M 2  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 M 1  is implanted on a DHCP relay agent through which traffic passes between the client terminal and the access router, and modules M 2  and M 3  are implanted on the access router.  
   
   
       13 . Device according to  claim 6  or  7  in which the module M 1  is implanted on a DHCP relay agent through which traffic passes between the client terminal and the access router, the module M 2  is implanted on the DHCP server and the module M 3  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).