US 2013/0294239 A1 · DATA FLOW SEGMENT OPTIMIZED FOR HOT FLOWS

Abstract

Embodiments are directed towards improving the performance of network traffic management devices by optimizing the management of hot connection flows. A packet traffic management device (“PTMD”) may employ a data flow segment (“DFS”) and control segment (“CS”). The CS may perform high-level control functions and per-flow policy enforcement for connection flows maintained at the DFS, while the DFS may perform statistics gathering, per-packet policy enforcement (e.g., packet address translations), or the like, on connection flows maintained at the DFS. The DFS may include high-speed flow caches and other high-speed components that may be comprised of high-performance computer memory. Making efficient use of the high speed flow cache capacity may be improved by maximizing the number of hot connection flows and minimizing the number of malicious and/or in-operative connections flows (e.g., non-genuine flows) that may have flow control data stored in the high-speed flow cache.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A method for managing communication over a network with a traffic management device (TMD) that includes a plurality of components and is operative to perform actions, comprising:

employing at least one data flow segment (DFS) component to provide packet level flow handling for a portion of a plurality of connection flows;
employing at least one control segment (CS) component to perform actions, including:
managing the plurality of connection flows and handling a remainder portion of the plurality of connection flows;
generating at least one connection flow metric based on at least one received network packet for at least one of the plurality of managed connection flows;
employing the at least one connection flow metric to determine each hot connection flow in the plurality of managed connection flows;
determining each hot connection flow to be handled by the DFS component;
and
employing the DFS component to handle each determined hot connection flow.

5 more elements

A traffic management device (TMD) that includes a plurality of components for managing communication over a network and is operative to perform actions, comprising:

a transceiver that is operative to communicate data over the network;
a memory that is operative to store instructions;
and
a processor that is operative to execute instructions that enable actions, including:
employing at least one data flow segment (DFS) component to provide packet level flow handling for a portion of a plurality of connection flows;
and
employing at least one control segment (CS) component to perform actions, comprising:
managing the plurality of connection flows and handling a remainder portion of the plurality of connection flows;
generating at least one connection flow metric based on at least one received network packet for at least one of the plurality of managed connection flows;
employing the at least one connection flow metric to determine each hot connection flow in the plurality of managed connection flows;
determining each hot connection flow to be handled by the DFS component;
and
employing the DFS component to handle each determined hot connection flow.

10 more elements

A processor readable non-transitive storage media that is operative to store processor executable instructions for managing communication over a network with a traffic management device (TMD) having a plurality of components, wherein execution of the instructions by a processor enables the TMD to perform actions, comprising:

employing at least one data flow segment (DFS) component to provide packet level flow handling for a portion of a plurality of connection flows;
employing at least one control segment (CS) component to perform actions, including:
managing the plurality of connection flows and handling a remainder portion of the plurality of connection flows;
generating at least one connection flow metric based on at least one received network packet for at least one of the plurality of managed connection flows;
employing the at least one connection flow metric to determine each hot connection flow in the plurality of managed connection flows;
determining each hot connection flow to be handled by the DFS component;
and
employing the DFS component to handle each determined hot connection flow.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Data flow segment optimized for hot flows

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Data flow segment optimized for hot flows

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24