Cisco Technology, Inc.

John Hopprich

John Gary Waclawsky

Dean Hiller

An address assignment mechanism allows an address server to receive requests for network addresses from computer systems. Based on an identity of the requesting computer system, the address server selects an address for use from local addresses or guest addresses. If the address server identifies the requesting computer system as a guest computer system, then a guest address selected from a set of guest addresses is assigned and provided to that computer system, whereas if the address server identifies the requesting computer system a local computer system then the address server selects and assigns a local address (from the set of local addresses) to the requesting local computer system. Data communications devices selectively route data portions sent from computer systems depending upon if those data portions contain guest addresses or not. Selective transport therefore restricts access to certain parts of the network if the data portion contains a guest address.

Apparatus and methods for allocating addresses in a network

The system of the invention provides a unique address assignment mechanism and technique that allows an address server such as a DHCP server to receive requests for network addresses from computer systems or other requesting devices. Based on an identity of the requesting computer system, or on another criteria, the address server can select an address for use on the network from either a set of local addresses or one or more sets of guest addresses. If the address server identifies the requesting computer system as a guest computer system, then a guest address selected from at least one set of guest addresses is assigned and provided to that computer system, whereas if the address server identifies the requesting computer system a local computer system then the address server selects and assigns a local address (from the set of local addresses) to the requesting local computer system. Data communications devices in the network can be configured to selectively route data portions sent from computer systems depending upon if those data portions contain guest addresses or not. Selective transport provides, for example, restricted access to certain parts of the network if the data portion contains a guest address. If multiple sets of guest addresses are provided, data communications devices in the network can be configured to provide less restrictive access to data portions containing a guest address from one set of guest addresses, while also providing more restrictive access to data portions containing a guest address from another set of guest addresses. Security is also provided via a robust verification and authentication technique that allows two components to securely verify the identity of each other via key encryption techniques during the exchange of information. Also, an address server in a local network can verify the identify of a requesting computer system from a verification computer system in a remote domain with which the requesting computer system purports to be associated.

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San Francisco, CA, United States of America

John Hopprich