What do you mean by Network Address Translation (NAT)?


Network Address Translation (NAT)
            Network Address Translation (NAT) is a method of connecting multiple computers to the Internet (or any other IP network) using one IP address. This allows home users and small businesses to connect their network to the Internet cheaply and efficiently. NAT is necessary when the number of IP addresses assigned to you by your Internet Service Provider is less than the total number of computers that you wish to provide Internet access for.

Advantage of Using NAT:
  • Use of a single registered IP address for an entire network
  • Independence of ISP IP addresses
  • Transparent to end systems in some cases (increased security)
  • Delays need for IPv4 replacement
  • Mask the true internal IP addresses of the internal network.
Disadvantages of NAT:
  • Breaks end-to-end model (the private IP space might already be in use)
  • Enables end-to-end address conflicts (encourages poor address management)
  • Increases local support burden and complexity
  • Certain applications do not work properly in conjunction
  • Applications needing encryption and key exchange might be problematic
  • Increases the probability of misaddressing
  • It might require more work if assigning registered IPs to private IPs
  • Possible performance degradation if you get close to the limit of about 25,000 connections
  • Obscures the ability to manage from the public side of the NAT box.
Solving IPv4 Address Exhaustion

The problem can be solved in two ways:

1) Extending NAT Architecture
       - IP Next Layer (IPNL)
       - Preserves characteristics of IPv4
2) Transition to  IPv6
        - Much bigger address space

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