Patent ID: 7085267
Filing Date: 2006-08-01
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of processing a packet, comprising: receiving a packet at a network address translator (NAT) device; determining if at least one of a source address and a destination address located in a packet header has been previously translated to a normalized Internet Protocol (IP) address; searching a payload of the packet for IP addresses if it is determined that at least one of the source address and the destination address located in the packet header has been previously translated; and translating IP addresses located in the pavload of the packet if at least one of the source address and the destination address located in the packet header has been previously translated by replacing at least one occurrence of an IP address located in the payload of the packet, wherein determining if at least one of the source address and the destination address located in the packet header has been previously translated comprises: wherein at least one of the source address and the destination address has been previously translated if it is determined that at least one of the source address and the destination address is present in a set of translation rules; and wherein determining if at least one of the source address and the destination address located in the packet has been previously translated further comprises: