System and method for processing network packet flows

A method for routing Internet packets, the method comprising:

• classifying, by a processor, the packets into one or more packet flows according to classification rules;
• routing each classified packet flow to a predetermined input port of a process engine according to classification information of the packets, each input port having an associated function, so that the packets flow through the processing engine as a data path;
• programming the classification rules and functions through a control path that looks across packet flows of the data path;
• detecting a new packet type;
• creating a dataflow program to classify the new packet type based on parameters of the new packet type;
• monitoring DNS requests and responses to associate traffic with an IP address;
• and
• programming a classify engine with rules to control traffic with IP address information.

A system for processing packets comprising:

• a classify engine executed by a processor and interfaced with the Internet, the classify engine to accept packets from the Internet and determine classification information for each packet;
• a process engine having plural ports to receive the packets from the classify engine, each port having an associated function;
• and
• a controller interfaced with the classify engine and the process engine, wherein the controller is to program the classify engine to route each packet to a predetermined port of the process engine based on the classification information of the packet;
• wherein the controller is to program the classify engine with a dataflow program that determines the classification information for the packets, and
• wherein the controller detects host and port quadruples of a new TCP connection and creates a new dataflow program based on the host and port quadruples for the new TCP connection.