Patent ID: 8806033

Claim:
A network device, comprising: a memory to store instructions; and a processor, connected to the memory, to: receive a request from a local device to establish a connection with another device, the request comprising an internal network identifier of the local device; evaluate a plurality of external network identifiers, associated with the network device, based on selected criteria, when evaluating the plurality of external network identifiers, the processor is to: estimate a connection longevity corresponding to each of the plurality of external network identifiers, and identify a particular external network identifier, of the plurality of external network identifiers, with a lowest connection longevity out of the estimated connection longevity corresponding to each of the plurality of external network identifiers; select an external network identifier, of the plurality of external network identifiers, based on evaluating the plurality of external network identifiers evaluation; and establish the connection requested by the local device using the internal network identifier and the external network identifier.