Unified network service that connects multiple disparate private networks and end user client devices operating on separate networks

US11677717B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• CLOUDFLARE, INC. · US

Inventors

• Nicholas Alexander Wondra · Savoy, US
• Igor Postelnik · Austin, US
• Michael John Vanderwater · Champaign, US
• Adam Simon Chalmers · Austin, US
• Nuno Miguel Lourenço Diegues · Lisbon, PT
• Arég Harutyunyan · San Francisco, US
• Erich Alfred Heine · Champaign, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 21, 2022
• Grant date: Jun 13, 2023
• Expiry date: Mar 21, 2042

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04L69/326
• WIPO field: Digital communication
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A unified network service that connects multiple disparate private networks and end user client devices operating on separate networks is described. The multiple disparate private networks and end user client devices connect to a distributed cloud computing network that provides routing services, security services, and performance services, and that can be controlled consistently regardless of the connection type. The unified network service provides uniform access control at the L3 layer (e.g., at the IP layer) or at a higher layer using user identity information (e.g., a zero-trust model). The disparate private networks are run on top of the distributed cloud computing network. The virtual routing layer of the distributed cloud computing network allows customers of the service to have private resources visible only to client devices (e.g., user devices of the customer and/or server devices of the customer) of the organization while using address space that potentially overlaps with other customers of the distributed cloud computing network.