WebSpeed
Product Update Bulletin


Network Address Translation (NAT) and the WebSpeed Distributed Configuration

Network Address Translation, or NAT, is an Internet standard that supports one set of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses for external traffic and a second set of addresses for internal use. A router translates these IP addresses between network domains, hiding internal addresses and generating globally unique, routable addresses. NAT, and IP Convert, are general forms to mask IP addresses, shielding this information from the Internet. In this manner, the NAT process helps promote more secure connections between clients and WebSpeed.

Starting with Progress Version 9.1A and WebSpeed 3.1A, Progress and WebSpeed support NAT in a distributed configuration arrangement through a registration process. The value you select for the Registration Mode indicates how the WebSpeed Broker identifies its hostname when the WebSpeed Broker registers with its controlling NameServer. When a client application attempts to connect to an application service on a host machine that the WebSpeed Broker supports, the hostname information is passed to the client application, provided that the information can be authenticated.

The specific value you set up for the Registration Mode depends on the connection arrangement you want. The “Procedure Using the Progress Explorer” and the "Procedure Using the ubroker.properties File" identify and describe the Registration mode values.

Procedure Using the Progress Explorer

To make a client connection through a NAT firewall using the Progress Explorer Tool, perform these steps:

  1. Double click the WebSpeed folder on the left-hand side of the main Progress Explorer window.
  2. Right click the broker object.
  3. Choose Properties from the shortcut menu.
  4. Click on Broker Controlling NameServer Information to display properties associated with the WebSpeed Broker. The wsbroker1 Properties window shown below shows the location of the Registration Mode field and its three possible values.
  5. Select the Registration Mode value you want to set. Table A–7 defines each value.
  6. Table A–7: Registration Mode Connection - Progress Explorer 
    Select this Registration Mode...
    To Identify the hostname as...
    Use Broker Host IP Address (default)
    The IP address of the machine where the WebSpeed Broker is located. The WebSpeed Broker determines its IP address and passes this information to the NameServer when the Broker registers.
    Clients connect to the host using the Broker’s IP address.
    Use Broker LocalHost
    The hostname of the machine where the WebSpeed Broker is located. The WebSpeed Broker determines its hostname and passes this information to the NameServer when the Broker registers.
    Clients connect to the host using this hostname.
    Use Host Name (as defined in the unlabeled property description field)
    The IP address defined. The WebSpeed Broker passes the IP address value defined in the property description field to the NameServer when the Broker registers.
    Clients connect to the host using the IP address defined.

  7. Click the OK button.
Procedure Using the ubroker.properties File

To make a client connection through a NAT firewall using the ubroker.properties file, perform these steps:

  1. Search the file for the broker property section, or sections, that you want to change.
  2. Set the value of the registrationMode property. Table A–8 defines the values from which you can choose to enter in the registrationMode property.
  3. Table A–8: RegistrationMode Connection - ubroker.properties File
    Enter this Registration Mode...
    To Identify the hostname as...
    Register-IP (default)
    The IP address of the machine where the WebSpeed Broker is located. The WebSpeed Broker determines its IP address and passes this information to the NameServer when the Broker registers.
    Clients connect to the host using the Broker’s IP address.
    Register-LocalHost
    The hostname of the machine where the WebSpeed Broker is located. The WebSpeed Broker determines its hostname and passes this information to the NameServer when the Broker registers.
    Clients connect to the host using this hostname.
    Register-HostName
    A specific a hostname or IP address.
    You must
    • enter the value Register-HostName in the registrationMode property field
    • enter the hostname, or the IP address of the hostname, in the hostName property field to identify where the WebSpeed Broker is running
    • enter a description of the type of IP address you entered in the description property field
    The WebSpeed Broker passes either the hostname or the IP address value defined in the hostName property to the NameServer when the Broker registers.
    Clients connect to the host using either the hostName or the IP address defined.

    NOTE: For more information, see the “GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS for configuring the Unified Broker and NameServer for WebSpeed and AppServers” in the ubroker.properties file.


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