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US 9,319,459 B2Granted
Services controlled session based flow interceptor
AssigneeCisco Technology, Inc.
InventorsArivu Ramasamy, Jim Ervin, Martin Cieslak, Zach Seils, Venkataraman Anand, Tom Black
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Abstract
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving session information at a traffic interceptor in communication with a plurality of service devices, the session information transmitted from one of the service devices and identifying flows associated with a session and the service device associated with the session, storing the session information at the traffic interceptor, and transmitting traffic received at the traffic interceptor to the service device selected based on the session information. An apparatus is also disclosed.
Claims19
A method comprising:
- receiving session information at a traffic interceptor in communication with a plurality of service devices, said session information transmitted from one of the service devices and identifying flows associated with a session and the service device associated with the session, wherein the traffic interceptor is located in a communication path between a source and a destination and operable to intercept traffic on the communication path and transmit the traffic to one of the service devices;
- storing said session information at the traffic interceptor, wherein storing said session information comprises storing a flow entry mapping the flows associated with the session to the service device transmitting the session information;
- intercepting traffic received at the traffic interceptor on the communication path;
- searching said session information for a flow corresponding to the traffic, wherein searching comprises performing a lookup in a flow table containing said session information to select one of the service devices to transmit the traffic;
- identifying the service device to transmit the traffic based on said session information;
- transmitting the traffic received at the traffic interceptor to the service device selected based on said session information;
- receiving the traffic back from the service device after the service device applies services to the traffic;
- and
- forwarding the traffic to the destination;
- wherein the session comprises an application session comprising a series of related flows, each of the flows comprising a sequence of packets sent from the source to the destination;
- and
- wherein the traffic interceptor uses said session information to identify the traffic associated with said session to perform session aware traffic distribution said session information comprising application level information.
9 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- an interface for communication with a plurality of service devices;
- a processor for receiving session information transmitted from one of the service devices, intercepting traffic received at the traffic interceptor, searching said session information for a flow corresponding to the traffic, identifying one of the service devices to transmit the traffic based on said session information, transmitting traffic to the service device selected based on said session information, receiving the traffic back from the service device after the service device applies services to the traffic, and forwarding the traffic to the destination, wherein searching comprises performing a lookup in a flow table containing said session information to select one of the service devices to transmit the traffic;
- and
- memory for storing said session information, wherein said memory comprises a table for storing a flow entry mapping the flows associated with the session to the service device transmitting the session information;
- wherein the apparatus is configured for operation in a communication path between a source and a destination and operable to intercept the traffic on the communication path and transmit the traffic to one of the service devices and wherein the session comprises an application session comprising a series of related flows, each of the flows comprising a sequence of packets sent from the source to the destination;
- and
- wherein the traffic interceptor uses said session information to identify the traffic associated with said session to perform session aware traffic distribution, said session information comprising application level information.
4 more elements
Logic encoded on one or more non-transitory computer readable media for execution and when executed operable to:
- receive session information at a traffic interceptor in communication with a plurality of service devices, said session information transmitted from one of the service devices and identifying flows associated with a session and the service device associated with the session, wherein the traffic interceptor is configured for operation in a communication path between a source and a destination and operable to intercept the traffic on the communication path and transmit the traffic to one of the service devices;
- store said session information, wherein storing said session information comprises storing a flow entry mapping the flows associated with the session to the service device transmitting the session information;
- intercept traffic received at the traffic interceptor on the communication path;
- search said session information for a flow corresponding to the traffic, said search comprising a lookup in a flow table containing said session information to select one of the service devices to transmit the traffic:
- identify the service device to transmit the packet based on said session information;
- and transmit the traffic received at the traffic interceptor to the service device selected based on said session information;
- receive the traffic back from the service device after the service device applies services to the traffic;
- forward the traffic to the destination;
- wherein the session comprises an application session comprising a series of related flows, each of the flows comprising a sequence of packets sent from the source to the destination;
- and wherein the traffic interceptor uses said session information to identify the traffic associated with said session to perform session aware traffic distribution, said session information comprising application level information.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.