System and method for redirected firewall discovery in a network environment
AssigneeMcAfee, Inc.
InventorsGeoffrey Cooper, Michael W. Green, John Richard Guzik
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method is provided in one example embodiment that includes receiving metadata from a host over a metadata channel. The metadata may be correlated with a network flow and a network policy may be applied to the connection. In other embodiments, a network flow may be received from a host without metadata associated with the flow, and a discovery redirect may be sent to the host. Metadata may then be received and correlated with the flow to identify a network policy action to apply to the flow.
Claims20
A method implemented by a firewall, the method comprising:
- receiving a network flow of data including an initial connection packet;
- sending a discovery redirect, if the firewall does not have metadata associated with the network flow in a metadata cache of the firewall;
- receiving the metadata;
- and
- releasing a connection to a server, if the metadata is received.
An apparatus that implements a firewall, the apparatus comprising:
- an interface that receives a network flow of data including an initial connection packet, wherein the interface sends a discovery redirect, if the firewall does not have metadata associated with the network flow in a metadata cache of the firewall, and the interface receives the metadata;
- and
- a processor configured to release a connection to a server, if the metadata is received.
A non-transitory medium including logic that implements operations for a firewall, the operations comprising:
- receiving a network flow of data including an initial connection packet;
- sending a discovery redirect, if the firewall does not have metadata associated with the network flow in a metadata cache of the firewall;
- receiving the metadata;
- and
- releasing a connection to a server, if the metadata is received.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.