A network element, method and computer program product enable to reduce the need to send keep-alive messages when elements have to be traversed. Specifically, a network element comprises a port allocation request unit configured to request from a server over the transmission control protocol the allocation of a user datagram protocol port having a destination determined to take care of traffic for the network element. The network element further comprises a registration unit configured to create a message for requesting internet protocol registration and to send the message over the transmission control protocol.