| abstract |
A method and system for allocating persistent private network addresses between private networks. An Internet Protocol ("IP") address of a multimedia device (e.g., a Voice-over-IP ("VoIP") device) is publicly available and the device, the device's location or the device's user may be identified and become the target of a hacker. Persistent private IP addresses may be used for such multimedia devices. Persistent private IP addresses are unique and persistent for a duration of a multimedia session between two private networks. The persistent private IP addresses are not routable on a public network like the Internet. The persistent private IP addresses allow a first network device on a first private network to establish a data session with a second network device on a second private network over a public network such as the Internet. The first network device and the second network device negotiate a pair of private IP addresses that are persistent, private and unique across both the first private network and the second private network address space. The persistent private IP addresses may be allocated by Distributed Network Address Translation ("DNAT") or Realm Specific Internet Protocol ("RSIP") servers. The method and system allow a first private network to determine an estimated number of persistent private IP addresses to send to a second private network such that the second private network can select at least one pair of persistent private IP addresses that is not in use on the second private network with high probability of success (e.g., about 99.9% or greater). The method and system may improve security of multimedia data sessions (e.g., VoIP) and allow two private networks using private IP addresses to communicate over a public network like the Internet. |