Configure NAT for sockets from inside server to internet clients?

[platibus]

Can I open up a socket directly to an internet client from inside the firewall?

We want to implement an asynchronous protocol via HTTP between our internet clients and a server inside the firewall. The client will send a request via HTTP (including his own ip address, fire and forget), the server does some processing, and when the results are ready the server will open up a direct socket connection to the client to tell the client the results are ready, so he can pick them up from the server with another HTTP request.

Is this possible? Can the NAT be configured that way?

Thanks,

Thomas

[Gilles Dufour]

I don't see a problem with this (unless the client ip address is NATed).

THe firewall needs to permit HTTP session from outside to inside.

You need a static nat translation for your Server.

To configure the static translation, use the command 'static (inside) ....'