Network search methods and systems

A method for enabling searches of digital communications network traffic to identify selected human users of the network, and to identify social networks of human users of the network, the method comprising:

• translating Pcap (packet capture) files or streams of IP network packets obtained from the network into a scalable form suitable for query by search engine functionality, thereby to enable scalable, text-based search of network information contained in the Pcap files or streams of IP network packets, the Pcap files or streams of IP network packets comprising metadata extracted from network traffic, wherein the metadata comprise elements identifying selected human users of the network,
• providing scalable search engine functionality to enable a user to execute text-based searches on textual or human relationship-identifying information derived from the Pcap files or streams of IP network packets,
• correlating, via the scalable search engine functionality, selected metadata to identify human users of the network, wherein the metadata comprises identifying elements that enable the search engine functionality to correlate information that identifies human users of the network, and
• identifying, via the scalable search engine functionality, relationships between human users of the network, or social networks or portions of social networks, by correlating the identifies of first human users of the network and second human users that communicate with the first human users of the network,
• wherein the identifying enables rapid recall or identification of relationships between human users of the network, or social networks or portions of social networks, from massive quantities of Pcap files or IP network packet data,
• thereby to identify human users of the network, and identify social networks of human users of the network.

A method for enabling searches of digital communications network traffic to identify information transmitted by, received by, or exchanged with a given human or non-human entity via the digital communications network, the method comprising:

• translating Pcap (packet capture) files or streams of IP network packets obtained from the network into rich XML (extensible markup language) documents or rich XML document-like entities, and
• compiling the rich XML documents or document-like entities into at least one scalable, searchable, document-oriented database,
• such that packet-level IP network session data are converted into a scalable form suitable for text-based query by search engine functionality, thereby to enable scalable, text-based search and retrieval of network information, and
• providing scalable search engine functionality to enable a user to execute text-based searches on textual or human relationship-identifying information in the searchable database, thereby to identify information transmitted by, received by, or exchanged with the 25 given human or non-human entity.

A system for enabling a search of digital communications network traffic to identify selected human users of the digital communications network, and to identify social networks of human users of the digital communications network, the system comprising:

• means for translating Pcap (packet capture) files or streams of IP network packets obtained from the network into a scalable form suitable for query by a search engine, thereby to enable scalable, text-based search of network information contained in the Pcap files or streams of IP network packets, the Pcap files or streams of IP network packets comprising metadata extracted from network traffic, wherein the metadata comprise elements identifying selected human users of the network,
• scalable search engine means for enabling a user to execute a text-based search on textual or human relationship, identifying information derived from the Pcap files or streams of IP network packets,
• the search engine means comprising:
• (1) means for correlating selected metadata to identify human users of the network, wherein the metadata comprises identifying elements that enable the search engine functionality to correlate information that identifies human users of the network, and
• (2) means for identifying relationships between human users of the network, or social networks or portions of social networks, by correlating the identifies of first human users of the network and second human users that communicate with the first human users of the network,
• wherein the identifying enables rapid recall or identification of relationships between human users of the network, or social networks or portions of social networks, from Pcap files or IP network packet data,
• thereby to identify human users of the network, and identify social networks of human users of the network.

A computer program code product, comprising a non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing computer program code executable by a computer to enable the computer to execute a search of digital communications network traffic to identify selected human users of the digital communications network, and to identify social networks of human users of the digital communications network, the computer program code comprising:

• first computer program code executable by the computer to enable the computer to translate Pcap (packet capture) files or streams of IP network packets obtained from the network into a scalable form suitable for query by a Search engine, thereby to enable scalable, text-based search of network information contained in the Pcap files or streams of IP network packets, the Pcap files or streams of IP network packets comprising metadata extracted from network traffic, wherein the metadata comprise elements identifying selected human users of the network;
• second computer program code executable by the computer to enable the computer to provide a scalable search engine enabling a user to execute a text-based search on textual or human relationship-identifying information derived from the Pcap files or streams of IP network packets,
• the second computer program code comprising:
• (1) computer program code executable by the computer to enable the computer to correlate selected metadata to identify human users of the network, wherein the metadata comprises identifying elements that enable the search engine functionality to correlate information that identifies human users of the network, and
• (2) computer program code executable by the computer to enable the computer to identify relationships between human users of the network, or social networks or portions of social networks, by correlating identifies of first human users of the network and second human users that communicate with the first human users of the network,
• wherein the identifying enables rapid recall or identification of relationships between human users of the network, or social networks or portions of social networks, from Pcap files or IP network packet data,
• thereby to identify human users of the network, and identify social networks of human users of the network.