Microsoft Corporation
External access to internal network resource

Abstract:

Providing fluid external access to a resource that is internal to a network from external to that network. From within the network, the internal user simply provides an internal identifier, and the external user accesses not the internal identifier, but an external uniform resource identifier (URL) that the external user can simply select to obtain access to the internal resource of the network. This is accomplished by translating the internal identifier to an external URL having a proxy server as its domain name. When the external URL selects the URL, a request with that external URL is made to the proxy server, which translates the external URL back to the internal identifier, and coordinates with the network to obtain the resource for the external user.