Hierarchical packet processing system and method, relay device and server

A relay device which applies a service process to a received packet and relays the received packet, comprising:

• a call unit for calling up a prescribed service processing unit for performing the service process of the received packet;
• a first service processing unit for performing the service process of the received packet by the call of the call unit;
• a second service processing unit for performing a virtual service process of the received packet by the call of the call unit;
• a connection state management unit for managing information obtained by the detection of the state of a higher-order layer of the received packet;
• a transmitting unit for transmitting prescribed information of the received packet to a prescribed server when the second service processing unit is called up by the call unit;
• a receiving unit for receiving information transmitted from the server;
• a reflection unit for reflecting the received result in the received packet or the information managed by the connection state management unit;
• and
• a filter processing unit for applying a filter process to packets in the same connection state, according to the reflected information managed by the connection state management unit, wherein
• when said second service processing unit is called up by the call of said call unit, the received packet is temporarily queued to a process request queue, the second service processing unit extracts the prescribed information from the received packet queued to the process request queue and generates a process request including extracted information, the transmitting unit transmits the process request to the server in order to request a service process of the received packet, and the first service processing unit called up sequentially by said call unit performs a service process of a subsequent received packet.

A method used in a hierarchical packet processing system composed of a relay unit and a server, which applies a service process to a received packet and relays the received packet,

• the method of said relay unit, comprising:
• calling up a first or second service processing unit for performing the service process of the received packet;
• performing the service process of the received packet, if said first service processing unit is called up by the call;
• and
• performing a virtual service process of the received packet, if said second service processing unit is called up by the call, and
• the method of said server, comprising
• processing a real service process of the received packet instead of said second service processing unit, if said second service processing unit is called up, wherein
• said relay unit comprises a service list management unit for managing information about a server performing a service process and the identification information of a service process provided by said server, according to the type of a packet, in order to distribute the service process of the received packet to said server,
• said server transfers information about its own server and the identifier of a service process provided by its own server, to said service list management unit, and
• when said second service processing unit is called up by the call, the received packet is temporarily queued to a process request queue, the second service processing unit extracts information from the received packet queued to the process request queue, generates a process request including extracted information and transmits the process request to the server in order to request the real service process of the received packet, and the first service processing unit called up sequentially by the call performs a service process of a subsequent received packet.

A storage medium on which is recorded a program for enabling a computer a process,

• said process of a relay unit for relaying packets, comprising:
• calling up a first or second service processing unit for performing the service process of the received packet;
• performing the service process of the received packet, if said first service processing unit is called up by the call;
• and
• performing a virtual service process of the received packet, if said second service processing unit is called up by the call, and
• said process of a server, comprising
• processing a real service process of the received packet instead of said second service processing unit, if said second service processing unit is called up, wherein
• said process of said relay unit comprising a service list management unit, comprises
• managing information about a server performing a service process and identification information of a service process provided by the server, according to the type of a packet, in order to distribute the service process of the received packet to said server,
• said process of said server, comprises
• transferring information about its own server and the identifier of a service process provided by its own server, to said service list management unit, and
• said process of said relay unit performed when said second service processing unit is called up by the call, comprises:
• temporarily queuing the received packet to a process request queue;
• extracting information from the received packet queued to the process request queue;
• generating a process request including extracted information;
• transmitting the process request to the server in order to request the real service process of the received packet;
• and
• performing a service process of a subsequent received packet in said first service processing unit called up sequentially by the call.

A hierarchical packet processing system composed of a relay unit and a server, which applies a service process to a received packet and relays the received packet,

• said relay unit, comprising:
• a call means for calling up a prescribed service processing means for performing the service process of the received packet;
• a first service processing means for performing the service process of the received packet by the call of the call unit;
• and
• a second service processing means for performing a virtual service process of the received packet by the call of the call unit, and
• said server, comprising
• an external service processing means for performing an arbitrary service process of the received packet instead of the second service processing means, wherein
• when said second service processing means is called up by the call of said call means, the received packet is temporarily queued to a process request queue, the second service processing means extracts information from the received packet queued to the process request queue, generates a process request including extracted information and transmits the process request to the server in order to request the arbitrary service process of the received packet, and the first service processing means called up sequentially by said call means performs a service process of a subsequent received packet.

A relay device which applies a service process to a received packet and relays the received packet, comprising:

• call means for calling up a prescribed service processing means for performing the service process of the received packet;
• first service processing means for performing the service process of the received packet by the call of the call unit;
• second service processing means for performing a virtual service process of the received packet by the call of the call unit;
• connection state management means for managing information obtained by the detection of the state of a higher-order layer of the received packet;
• transmitting means for transmitting prescribed information of the received packet to a prescribed server when the second service processing means is called up by the call means;
• receiving means for receiving information transmitted from the server;
• reflection means for reflecting the received result in the received packet or the information managed by the connection state management means;
• and
• filter processing means for applying a filter process to packets in the same connection state, according to the reflected information managed by the connection state management means, wherein
• when said second service processing means is called up by the call of said call means, the received packet is temporarily queued to a process request queue, the second service processing means extracts information from the received packet queued to the process request queue, generates a process request including extracted information and transmits the process request to the server in order to request a service process of the received packet, and the first service processing means called up sequentially by said call means performs a service process of a subsequent received packet.