Abstract: A method for operating a network is provided. The method comprises segmenting the network into a plurality of virtual private networks, wherein each virtual private network runs on an underlying physical network; and wherein each virtual private network represents a particular context; and configuring at least some nodes within the network to send and receive traffic based on context.

Abstract: A method for creating a secure network is provided. The method comprises establishing a controller for a plurality of edge nodes in the network; configuring each edge node to perform a discovery operation to discover Network Address Traversal (NAT) information for any NAT device associated with said edge node; and configuring each edge node to transmit any NAT information discovered through said discovery operation to the controller; and configuring the controller to distribute the NAT information received from the plurality of edge node to each edge node.

Abstract: A method for creating a secure link between any two endpoints in a network comprises: assigning a unique identifier to each endpoint of a network; for each endpoint in the network, transmitting the unique identifiers associated with each of the remaining endpoints in the network to said endpoint; establishing a secure link between a source endpoint and a destination comprising: transmitting a data-session establishment packet from the source endpoint to the destination endpoint via a symmetric NAT device; wherein the data-session establishment packet comprises the unique identifier associated with the source endpoint; performing a matching operation at the destination endpoint to match the unique identifier associated with the source endpoint with a unique identifier known to the destination endpoint; and upon matching of unique identifiers then creating a forwarding table entry for the destination endpoint based on the source address and source port associated with the source endpoint.

Abstract: A method for creating a secure link between any two endpoints in a network comprises: assigning a unique identifier to each endpoint of a network; for each endpoint in the network, transmitting the unique identifiers associated with each of the remaining endpoints in the network to said endpoint; establishing a secure link between a source endpoint and a destination comprising: transmitting a data-session establishment packet from the source endpoint to the destination endpoint via a symmetric NAT device; wherein the data-session establishment packet comprises the unique identifier associated with the source endpoint; performing a matching operation at the destination endpoint to match the unique identifier associated with the source endpoint with a unique identifier known to the destination endpoint; and upon matching of unique identifiers then creating a forwarding table entry for the destination endpoint based on the source address and source port associated with the source endpoint.

Abstract: A method for creating a secure link between any two endpoints in a network comprises: assigning a unique identifier to each endpoint of a network; for each endpoint in the network, transmitting the unique identifiers associated with each of the remaining endpoints in the network to said endpoint; establishing a secure link between a source endpoint and a destination comprising: transmitting a data-session establishment packet from the source endpoint to the destination endpoint via a symmetric NAT device; wherein the data-session establishment packet comprises the unique identifier associated with the source endpoint; performing a matching operation at the destination endpoint to match the unique identifier associated with the source endpoint with a unique identifier known to the destination endpoint; and upon matching of unique identifiers then creating a forwarding table entry for the destination endpoint based on the source address and source port associated with the source endpoint.

Abstract: A method for creating a secure network is provided. The method comprises establishing a controller for a plurality of edge nodes in the network; configuring each edge node to perform a discovery operation to discover Network Address Traversal (NAT) information for any NAT device associated with said edge node; and configuring each edge node to transmit any NAT information discovered through said discovery operation to the controller; and configuring the controller to distribute the NAT information received from the plurality of edge node to each edge node.

Abstract: A method for routing network traffic between network elements within a computer network is disclosed. The method comprises configuring the computer network to include a control plane and a forwarding plane; configuring each network element of the forwarding plane to periodically compose and transmit a control plane protocol message to every other network element of the forwarding plane, said control plane message comprising network, next-hop; and service information; via the control plane, provisioning at least some of the network elements with at least one policy to control routing of the network traffic based on at least one service; and processing the network traffic by the network elements of the forwarding plane based on the at least one policy.