US 7,296,288 B1 · Methods, apparatuses, and systems allowing for bandwidth management schemes responsive to utilization characteristics associated with individual users

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses and systems allowing for bandwidth management schemes responsive to utilization characteristics associated with individual users. In one embodiment, the present invention allows network administrators to penalize users who carry out specific questionable or suspicious activities, such as the use of proxy tunnels to disguise the true nature of the data flows in order to evade classification and control by bandwidth management devices. In one embodiment, each individual user may be accorded an initial suspicion score. Each time the user is associated with a questionable or suspicious activity (for example, detecting the set up of a connection to an outside HTTP tunnel, or peer-to-peer application flow), his or her suspicion score is downgraded. Data flows corresponding to users with sufficiently low suspicion scores, in one embodiment, can be treated in a different manner from data flows associated with other users. For example, different or more rigorous classification rules and policies can be applied to the data flows associated with suspicious users.

Claims34

Dependent claims

A method allowing for bandwidth management schemes responsive to utilization characteristics associated with individual users, the method comprising

monitoring, at a network device, data flows relative to at least one user for indications of suspicious activity directed to evading classification of network traffic associated with the at least one user by a network traffic classification device;
maintaining a suspicion level for the at least one user based on detected indications of suspicious activity, wherein the detected indications of suspicious activity comprise a user connecting to a tunnel proxy resource operative to encrypt data flows corresponding to the user;
and
applying bandwidth utilization controls to the data flows associated with the at least one user based on the respective suspicion level.

1 more element

An apparatus allowing for bandwidth management schemes responsive to utilization characteristics associated with individual users, comprising

a suspicion scoring module operative to:
monitor data flows relative to at least one user for indications of suspicious activity directed to evading classification of network traffic associated with the at least one user by a network traffic classification device;
and
generate a suspicion level for the at least one user based on detected indications of suspicious activity, wherein the detected indications of suspicious activity comprise a user connecting to a tunnel proxy resource operative to encrypt data flows corresponding to the user;
and
a bandwidth utilization control module operative to apply bandwidth utilization controls to data flows associated with the at least one user based at least in part on the respective suspicion levels.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Methods, apparatuses, and systems allowing for bandwidth management schemes responsive to utilization characteristics associated with individual users

Life of this patent

Methods, apparatuses, and systems allowing for bandwidth management schemes responsive to utilization characteristics associated with individual users

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims34