Patent ID: 8213441

Claim:
An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory storing computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and stored computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to at least: receive a service query for requesting a service concerning a first node located in a first network having a private address space from a second node, the service query comprising a global identifier of the first node; obtain a local identifier of the first node for identifying the first node in the first network; cause, responsive to receipt of the service query, a request to allocate a state comprising the local identifier of the first node to be sent to a network element providing a connection to the first node, wherein a mapping between a public identifier of the network element and a private identifier of the first node is established, wherein the public identifier of the network element comprises a public address and a public port of the network element, wherein the private identifier of the first node comprises a private address and a private service port, the mapping between the public identifier of the network element and the private identifier of the first node comprising a mapping between the public port of the network element and the private service port of the first node and a mapping between the public address of the network element and the private address of the first node; receive the public identifier of the network element; and cause the public identifier of the network element to be sent to the second node; wherein the apparatus comprises or is embodied on a name server.