Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Vinod V Valloppillil

Brian J Smith

Abraham Nathan

Hans Hurvig

Proxy network address translation (PNAT) is disclosed, which combines proxy server capability with network address translation (NAT) capability. At a NAT component, address translation is performed at a packet level of a stream of packets originating from a client and destined for a server. The address translation redirects the packets to a proxy component, and masks the source of the packets. At the proxy component, filtering is performed at a stream level of the stream of packets. The proxy component transmits the packets to the server. A specific installed component is not required at clients for access through the PNAT. The PNAT retains the advantages of a proxy server, while retaining for the component-less nature of access of NAT.

Proxy network address translation

A method, computer program product, and system for routing URL data object requests in a proxy server array. A URL data object request is received at one proxy server of the array while the desired URL data object resides in the local cache of another proxy server in the array. The receiving proxy server will deterministically identify the residing proxy server based on information residing thereon without resorting to expensive query-response transactions, such as those that occur in proxy server arrays using ICP. An array membership list containing array membership information is available at each and every proxy server and is used in conjunction with the URL as the information for identifying the correct proxy server where the URL data object resides. First, a deterministic hash value is computed for each proxy server name and the URL. Next, a combined hash value is computed that combines the URL hash value with each proxy server hash value. Finally, the proxy server with the highest &ldquo;score&rdquo; or combined hash value is identified as the proxy server where the desired URL data object should reside in local cache storage. Since the array membership list, the URL, and the hashing algorithm are the same at each proxy server, the same proxy server will be identified as having the URL data object regardless of which proxy server originally receives the URL data object request.

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Mountain View, CA, United States of America

Vinod V Valloppillil