Abstract:
A virtual private network using domain name service proxy, and a method of virtual private networking, are disclosed. The VPN using domain name service proxy includes a user computer in communicative connection with a VPN client, at least one switch within the VPN client, and a VPN gateway communicatively connected to the VPN client. The switch receives at least one domain name service inquiry directed to the first domain name server from the VPN client, and redirects the at least one domain name service inquiry away from the first domain name server to the second domain name server through the gateway. The gateway unencrypts the payload and sends the payload to the second domain name server, which returns to the gateway a resolution of the at least one domain name service inquiry. The method includes the steps of receiving a request from at least one user for at least one address that can be translated by a second DNS server, detecting that the at least one address cannot be translated by a first DNS server, wherein the first DNS server is then in use by the user, redirecting the request from the first DNS server to a gateway, wherein the gateway directs the request to the second DNS server, and wherein the second DNS server resolves the request and returns the address to the gateway, and receiving, from the gateway, the requested address formatted according to the first DNS server.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
         [0001]    Not Applicable.  
         STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
         [0002]    Not Applicable.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0004]    The present invention is directed generally to a method and apparatus for domain name service and, more particularly, to virtual private networking using domain name service proxy.  
           [0005]    2. Description of the Background  
           [0006]    Large companies operating in the internet space generally have access for employees to the internet, as well as the company&#39;s intranet. The intranet typically includes information the company intends to maintain securely away from the public eye, but that same information is often necessary for employees to perform work tasks. Consequently, large companies typically give employees access to the intranet using an internal DNS server, and access to the internet using an external DNS server.  
           [0007]    However, computers in a workplace, or those used by travelling employees, are often not configured, or are improperly configured, to enable those computers to use the correct server for intranet activities. Historically, the correct DNS server was hard-coded into a particular computer. Thus, if that computer lost the hard coding, or the hard code was incorrectly entered, or not entered, the particular computer would be unable to gain the necessary access, due to the fact that the DNS server or servers used could not translate the same addresses that the internal, i.e. intranet, DNS server could translate, and thus information from those addresses would be foreclosed from the user of that particular computer.  
           [0008]    Certain solutions to this difficulty have involved making a series of operating calls to the operating system to force the operating system to use the correct DNS servers for desired tasks. However, this solution actually requires an overwriting in the operating system of certain information, such as the DNS server used by an ISP on that same particular computer. Such an overwriting could prevent use of the computer by the user for non-work related tasks without employer monitoring, and could unnecessarily place an additional drain on employer resources.  
           [0009]    An alternative solution to the DNS problem would require systems personnel to access each unit that was improperly configured and re-configure the unit to use the correct DNS servers for the correct tasks. However, this solution can create a tremendous drain on technical personnel, and can prove very costly to an employer.  
           [0010]    Therefore, a need exists for a system and method of providing DNS service for both private sites and public sites, without requiring technical personal to touch any non-configured or misconfigured desktop, and without requiring the overwriting of all DNS inquiries with the address of a particular DNS server.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0011]    The present invention is directed to a virtual private network using domain name service proxy that redirects a domain name service inquiry from a first domain name server that cannot resolve the inquiry to a second domain name service server that can resolve the inquiry. The VPN using domain name service proxy includes a user computer in communicative connection with a VPN client, at least one switch within the VPN client, and a VPN gateway communicatively connected to the VPN client. The switch receives at least one domain name service inquiry directed to the first domain name server from the VPN client. Upon activation of the switch, the switch redirects the at least one domain name service inquiry away from the first domain name server to the second domain name server through the gateway by sending at least one encrypted payload, including therein the at least one domain name service inquiry, to the gateway. The gateway then unencrypts the payload, modifies the packet header, and redirects to the second domain name server. The second domain name server returns to the gateway a resolution of the at least one domain name service inquiry, wherein the resolution includes therein information from a destination address for the at least one domain name service inquiry, and the gateway encrypts the information, modifies the packet header as though the resolution had come from the first domain name server, and returns the information to the VPN client.  
           [0012]    The present invention also includes a method of virtual private networking. The method includes the steps of receiving a request from at least one user for at least one address that can be translated by a second DNS server, detecting that the at least one address cannot be translated by a first DNS server, wherein the first DNS server is then in use by the user, redirecting the request from the first DNS server to a gateway, wherein the gateway directs the request to the second DNS server, and wherein the second DNS server resolves the request and returns the address to the gateway, and receiving, from the gateway, the requested address formatted according to the first DNS server.  
           [0013]    The present invention solves problems experienced with the prior art by providing a system and method for providing DNS service for both private sites and public sites, without requiring technical personal to touch any non-configured or misconfigured desktop, and without requiring the overwriting of all DNS inquiries with the address of a particular DNS server. Those and other advantages and benefits of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description of the invention hereinbelow. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING  
       [0014]    For the present invention to be clearly understood and readily practiced, the present invention will be described in conjunction with the following figures, wherein:  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of the virtual private networking; and  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the connection of the VPN client to the VPN gateway, and the connection of the VPn gateway to the correct DNS server. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0017]    It is to be understood that the figures and descriptions of the present invention have been simplified to illustrate elements that are relevant for a clear understanding of the present invention, while eliminating, for purposes of clarity, many other elements found in a typical network system. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other elements are desirable and/or required in order to implement the present invention. However, because such elements are well known in the art, and because they do not facilitate a better understanding of the present invention, a discussion of such elements is not provided herein.  
         [0018]    A computer on the internet space is globally accessible. Virtual private networking creates an encrypted tunnel into a particular private network or networks, such as a corporate or law firm network, for example, and the encrypted tunnel provides for any computer on the globally accessible space to be treated by the private network as a computer on the private, or internal, network.  
         [0019]    In general, a computer on the globally accessible space cannot access the internal network because larger internal networks may limit access to the domain name service (DNS) of that internal network. This limitation on access to domain name service is traditionally provided using a split domain name service, meaning that the internal address space, which is unregistered and not routable to the global space outside of the private network fire wall, is assigned a different domain name server than that which is accessed to reach the publicly accessible address space. The internal domain name server may include, for example, addresses for mail exchangers, firm directory websites, and/or internal FTP sites.  
         [0020]    A central difficulty in the use of a VPN connection is the operating system of the computer in use. For example, if the operating system, such as Windows, is programmed to attempt to access domain names through an improperly addressed domain name server, or through a domain name server for which the operating system does not have an address at all, the operating system will not have the ability to use the correct DNS servers in the right context. Consequently, the operating system will not be able to connect the computer to the desired DNS, and the user will not be able to access the desired information. However, using the virtual private networking (VPN) of the present invention, a DNS request is made by an authorized VPN program, such as a VPN client, and the computer is automatically attached to the internal corporate network via the VPN, regardless of what DNS servers the computer is programmed to use. In the case of an incorrect or unprogrammed DNS, the VPN rewrites the packet headers and redirects the packets to the DNS on which resides the desired internal information, regardless of the DNS the computer is programmed to use, and the VPN does so without any reprogramming of the operating system or software thereon. Thus, neither the user, nor the operating system, nor any pre-programmed software must have the correct DNS address for the internal space in order to reach the internal space, because all incoming and outgoing packets are rewritten by the VPN to reach the desired location, regardless of to what DNS the operating system or non-VPN software may have directed the packet.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 1 is a flow diagram illustrating a method  10  of the virtual private networking. The method  10  includes step  12 , wherein the user makes a request for information the address of which can be translated only by an internal, i.e. a private, DNS server, the optional step  14  wherein the VPN client detects that the address cannot be translated by the DNS server then-in-use by the client computer of the user, the step  16 , wherein the VPN client redirects the request from the hard-coded DNS server then-in-use to the VPN gateway, the step  18 , wherein the VPN gateway directs the request to a DNS server that can translate the requested address, such as an internal DNS server, the step  20 , wherein the DNS server that can translate the requested address translates the requested address and returns the requested information to the VPN gateway, and step  22 , wherein the requested information is returned to the user as if it had come directly from the internal DNS server, and preferably according to the protocol, i.e. having therein the IP address of, the hard-coded DNS server.  
         [0022]    The present invention is applicable both inside the internal network and outside the internal network, such as in a dial-in environment to an ISP. In an external environment, the user may desire virtual private networking at home, through the use of a modem, a cable modem or a DSL, for example, to reach an ISP, or at a hotel or conference room where a familiar or unfamiliar dial-in or connection is performed for the user, at step  12 . A familiar dial-in might be the user&#39;s preferred ISP, while an unfamiliar dial-in might be an ISP unknown to the user and, for example, chosen by the hotel. In an internal environment, there may be present a plurality of misconfigured computers, but the technical staff present may be inadequate to visit each desktop and properly re-configure each computer. In such an instance, installation of the VPN on all desktops would rewrite the office LAN and force all DNS queries to go to the correct location, according to the method of FIG. 1. The VPN application knows the correct address, and rewrites, or redirects, the packets to the correct location, at steps  16 ,  18 ,  20 , and  22 .  
         [0023]    For example, where a user desires to reach an intranet server, the user might enter an address such as www.internalcompany.com, at step  12 . In a typical embodiment, the computer would make a DNS query to resolve that to an IP address at step  12 . However, if the user&#39;s computer and/or its operating system is not configured to point to the right, i.e. the internal, DNS server to resolve this address, i.e. where the necessary DNS server defines an internal server and split domain name service is used, the external internet DNS cannot do a symbolic name look-up whereby an IP address is ascertained from the entered internal address, because the external DNS does not recognize this symbolic address, and thus cannot associate an IP address with this symbolic address to allow the DNS to translate the symbolic name to the necessary IP address. Only where a user knows the IP address can such a site then be reached, and users rarely know IP addresses rather than symbolic names. Thus, if the computer does not have information adequate to point to the internal DNS, it cannot access information available at IP addresses only known to the internal DNS server.  
         [0024]    As a more specific example, a DNS packet typically includes a header section including miscellaneous information about the query, and a question section, such as “address of www.abcd.com?”, and an answer section, such as “the address of www.abcd.com is 1.0.0.6, among other sections. If the question received cannot be answered by the DNS server to which the VPN client is connected, no information from the site www.abcd.com can be gained, because the DNS server cannot resolve the question, and thus cannot send the answer including the IP address. If the address cannot be resolved, the site cannot be connected to, and the desired information cannot be accessed by the user. This inability to resolve may be detected by the VPN client at step  14 .  
         [0025]    Consequently, a computer in the present invention includes the methodology to rewrite the packets to the correct IP address, regardless of whether the symbolic address can be associated with an IP address. This is accomplished through the use of the VPN system. The VPN is a mechanism external to the computer, operating system, and other computer applications, whereby an entered request for information resident only at addresses that can be translated by an internal DNS, or other private DNS server, is artificially resolved. The VPN redirects packets to the correct server, at steps  16  and  18 , by translating the entered DNS name to the correct four octet IP address, irrespective of what DNS server the request was actually directed to. Thus, a VPN system operates on a semi-open principle, in that once a user has tunnelled into the VPN system, the computer can behave as though it is on the internal network.  
         [0026]    Typically, a computer sets up the operating system with two or three or more IP addresses, i.e. four octet IP addresses, and instructs the operating system and applications that this location or these locations are where DNS lookup is to be done. For example, if a computer is set up to use an ISP, the ISP preprograms the ISP DNS servers as the servers to be used for communication by the operating system and applications, before power up or before dial up. Alternatively, where employees are given desktop access to the network, each employee computer is hard-coded to use the internal DNS server for private inquiries, and the extrenal DNS server for public inquiries.  
         [0027]    In a preferred embodiment, the VPN client resident on the user&#39;s computer to grant the user access to the VPN system is a software program. The VPN client can be installed, for example, by download from a base server that is available for access to global users, or from an internal server, as at optional step  30 , or on desktop computers at the home or at the office of authorized users, as at optional step  30 , or on mobile computers of authorized users, as at optional step  30 . The VPN client is preferably active or inactive, at the selection of the user or the installer. Upon activation, the VPN client may override, at step  16 , the DNS assigned by, for example, an ISP into which the user&#39;s computer has dialed, in favor of the address of a VPN gateway. However, in the preferred embodiment, the VPN client does not overwrite the DNS addresses previously stored in applications or the operating system when inactive. Rather, the VPN client simply overrides those DNS addresses when active.  
         [0028]    A VPN gateway is, in one embodiment, a server, may be computer or hardware specific, and provides an access tunnel to an internal server or network, such as an internal DNS server. The VPN gateway receives encrypted traffic from the VPN client, i.e. the computer of the user, at step  16 , which encrypted traffic may be sent over the public ISP, and un-encrypts the traffic to form internet packets at step  18 . The VPN gateway and the VPN client software provide a matched pair in that the VPN client for company A connects, in a preferred embodiment, only to the VPN gateway or gateways of company A. For example, a second VPN client of company B, programmed to connect to a different internal network for company B, cannot connect to the VPN gateway of company A, and thus cannot gain access to the internal network on company A. However, where a VPN client is compatible with multiple VPN gateways, the VPN client can be reconfigured to connect to a new VPN gateway. Additionally, where a VPN client is compatible with multiple VPN gateways, a single VPN client can be programmed to provide access to several VPN gateways. In a preferred embodiment, where several VPN gateways are available to a particular user, that user will be asked by the VPN client to select a gateway to which the VPN client will connect. Further, the VPN gateway may require additional information from the use for additional security before connecting to the internal network, such as a VPN gateway user password. Additionally, security is preferably provided at each VPN gateway to check that only authorized VPN clients are allowed to access that VPN gateway.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a virtual private network  200 , wherein the VPN client  202  is connected to the VPN gateway  204 , and the connection of the VPN gateway  204  to the correct DNS server  206 . Upon connection of the VPN client  202  to the VPN gateway  204  at step  16 , the computer having the VPN client  202  thereon is no longer sending packetized information on an ISP  230 , for example, unecrypted, rather, the packetized information is passed to and from the VPN gateway  204  in encrypted form. Thus, for security purposes, it is as if the VPN client  202  is directly on the internal network  212 . In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2, a VPN client  202 , which is at IP address 2.2.2.2, sends information packets to the VPN gateway  204  at IP address 4.4.4.4, which VPN gateway address is coded into the VPN client  202  at 2.2.2.2 as the address to which DNS inquiries unresolvable by the external DNS server  218  are to be sent. These packets are sent in an encrypted fashion. The VPN gateway  204  then changes the destination address on the packet so that the destination points to the internal domain name server  206  at 10.0.0.2, at step  18 . The internal domain name server  206  then accesses, for example, that destination address on the intranet, or the internet, and returns the return packet to the VPN gateway  204  at step  20 , which VPN gateway  204  returns the return packets, in encrypted fashion, to the VPN client  202 , at step  22  of FIG. 1. The VPN client  202  and the VPN gateway  204  can communicate over a network outside the public internet, such as an intranet, or over the public internet, such as by ISP  230 . Thus, the VPN gateway  204  is a proxy in that it serves as a replacement for the DNS server  218  the computer was originally directed to use. This replacement is invisible to the VPN client  202 , and thus is invisible to the user, to whom it appears that the normal DNS server process is occurring, without any redirection. As such, the process is transparent to the user.  
         [0030]    In a preferred embodiment, the internal server  206  or servers are able to resolve any internal or external address requested by the VPN client  202 . Thus, for example, a request by a user to review the user&#39;s 401K plan on an internet financial site would be handled by the internal server  206 , and would preferably be handled in the same manner as a request for a search of the company&#39;s private telephone directory.  
         [0031]    In a preferred embodiment, the user needs no knowledge of the address of the VPN gateway  204 . The VPN client  202  is preferably set up on the user&#39;s computer before any packets are sent to or from the user, such as at step  30 , and before the user switches on the VPN client  202  at optional step  40 , all to and from packets are sent through the preprogrammed, such as the ISP, DNS server  218 . In general, those preprogrammed DNS servers  218  are hard coded onto the computer. The preprogrammed DNS servers  218  may be entered manually by the user, or may be software installed by, for example, an ISP installation application. Once the user switches on the VPN client  202  at step  40 , the preprogrammed DNS servers  218  are capable of answering most queries, but, in a preferred embodiment, may not be used for even those inquiries that could be answered. Rather, all inquiries may be directed to the internal network server  206  via the VPN gateway  204 .  
         [0032]    When the VPN client  202  is switched on at step  40 , the user may be, for example, connected to an ISP  230 . The ISP  230  would preferably still be used for packet transport, but, by means of the encryption used by the VPN client  202 , the user is tunneled into the VPN gateway  204  network for DNS inquiries, i.e. is drawn into an encapsulated security pin protocol. The packets encrypted by the VPN client  202  have therein a payload that includes the actual addresses that the user desires to reach. Thus, the VPN client  202  sends encrypted information over the ISP  230 , which encrypted preferably cannot be un-encrypted by the ISP  230 , to the VPN gateway  204 . The VPN gateway  204  then decrypts the received information, and takes out the encrypted payload to create normal IP packets.  
         [0033]    The VPN client  202  is preferably operable in multiple modes, shown at optional step  14 . In the first mode, the VPN client  202  is inactive at step  40 , and all inquiries are sent to the preprogrammed DNS  218 , such as the ISP defined DNS. In the second mode, the VPN client  202  is active at step  40  and uses the preprogrammed DNS server  218  assigned, for example, by the ISP  230 , for all inquiries that the preprogrammed DNS  218  can resolve, but, for inquiries that the preprogrammed DNS  218  cannot resolve, the VPN client  202  detects the inability to resolve at step  14  and uses the internal DNS server  206  via the VPN gateway  204 . This use of the VPN gateway  204  can either be performed automatically by the VPN client  202  whenever the preprogrammed DNS server  218  is unable to resolve an address as detected at step  14 , or may be user activated. In the third mode, the VPN client  202  would exclusively use the internal DNS server  206  via the VPN gateway  204 , in that all queries would ultimately be sent via the gateway  204  to the internal DNS server  206 , and returned via the same path, although it would appear to the VPN client that the query was sent to, and resolved by, the preprogrammed DNS  218 . The use of multiple modes allows the alleviation of excess traffic on the VPN gateway  204  and the internal DNS server. Further, the use of multiple modes allows the user to use the internet for personal purposes without drawing on company resources, and without being exposed to monitoring mechanisms often employed by companies, and yet allows that user to use company resource for employment-related tasks.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 2 illustrates the three modes of operation for the transparent proxy mechanism. In part A of FIG. 2, a standard DNS query is performed, such as by the applications of an ISP provider. In part B of FIG. 2, a standard DNS query is performed but, where the DNS query fails, the VPN client  202  sends the query through the VPN gateway  204 , rather than to the externally accessible DNS server  218 . Alternatively in part B of FIG. 2, all inquiries may be sent to through the VPN gateway  204 . As shown in the FIG. 2, to the end user all DNS inquiries appear to have originated at server 3.3.3.3, but inquiries not answered or answerable by server 3.3.3.3 are address-translated to the internal server at 10.0.0.2, and the return from server 10.0.0.2 is similarly translated to appear as if the response came from server 3.3.3.3. In other words, the information provided through the transparent DNS proxy server is the same, or substantially the same, information as that the user requested to see, although the actual DNS server may not be the one that appeared to the user to be used, according to the present invention.  
         [0035]    Through the use of the method and system hereinabove, a user does not have to reenter main server addresses, or reboot his computer, when crashes of the user&#39;s computer occur. Even in the instance of a crash, as long as the VPN client retains the necessary information to locate the VPN gateway, i.e. the hard-coded VPN gateway IP address, a connection can be immediately re-established.  
         [0036]    Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that many modifications and variations of the present invention may be implemented. The foregoing description and the following claims are intended to cover all such modifications and variations.