Patent ID: 7907621
Filing Date: 2011-03-15
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for using a client agent executing on a client to send ICMP messages to an appliance connected via a virtual private network, the method comprising: (a) establishing, via a client agent executing on a client, a transport layer virtual private network (VPN) connection with an appliance; (b) intercepting, by the client agent at a network layer, an ICMP request originating from the client; (c) transmitting, by the client agent via the transport layer connection, the ICMP request to the appliance, the ICMP request comprising a destination address and a source address identifying the client; (d) determining, by the appliance, whether the destination address corresponds to a device having a VPN connection to the appliance; and (e) modifying, by the appliance, the source address of the ICMP request to identify an address routable back to the appliance if the destination address corresponds to a device not having a VPN connection to the appliance, and if the destination address corresponds to a device having a VPN connection to the appliance, responding by the appliance to the ICMP request on behalf of the device.