Patent ID: 8611354

Claim:
Apparatus for relaying packets between a first host and a second host, the apparatus comprising: a memory for registering information for the first host as follows: an address of the first host; a relayed address of the first host; an address of the second host; and an outbound Higher Layer Identifier and/or an inbound Higher Layer Identifier; and at least one inspector coupled to the memory, the at least one inspector comprising: an outbound packet inspector for inspecting packets received from the first host and addressed to an address of the apparatus to determine whether they contain a registered outbound Higher Layer Identifier and, if so, for forwarding the packets to the address of the second host; and/or an inbound packet inspector for inspecting packets received from the second host and addressed to the relayed address to determine whether they contain a registered inbound Higher Layer Identifier and, if so, for forwarding the packets to the address of the first host.