Connecting transparent network devices to optimize unidirectional network traffic

• US 10,044,670 B1
• Filed: 06/27/2011
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Riverbed Technology, LLC (Riverbed Technology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Riverbed Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Kini, Adityashankar
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Minh Chau
• Application Number:
  US13/170,063
• Time in Patent Office: 2,598 Days
• Field of Search: 709227-229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/2876 Pairs of inter-processing entities at each side of the network, e.g. split proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services independent of the application payload and not provided for in the other groups of this subclass networks security protocols H04L9/40; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols

Abstract

Transparent network devices intercept unidirectional network traffic and use bidirectional network protocol messages to discover each other and configure an inner connection. A first transparent network device intercepting unidirectional network traffic between a source and destination will send a bidirectional network protocol message addressed to the destination that includes an indicator of its presence. Additional transparent network devices that intercept this network message each add their own indicator to the message. If no response to the bidirectional network message is received, an error message is received, or a response message is received directly from the destination by one of the transparent network devices, this additional transparent network device deduces that it is the closest transparent network device to the destination and sends a response message addressed to the source that includes an indicator of its presence. The first transparent network device receives the response message and establishes an inner connection.

Claims

1. A method for communicating data in a network, wherein the network comprises a source device, a destination device, and a plurality of transparent network devices, the method comprising:

the source device sending unidirectional network traffic via a unidirectional network protocol to the destination device;

an upstream transparent network device intercepting a unidirectional network protocol message (UNPM) in the unidirectional network traffic;

in response to intercepting the UNPM, the upstream transparent network device generating a bidirectional network protocol connection request message (BNPCRM) of a bidirectional network protocol, wherein the BNPCRM includes a first indicator that signals a presence of the upstream transparent network device to other transparent network devices;

the upstream transparent network device sending the BNPCRM to the destination device via the bidirectional network protocol;

the upstream transparent network device forwarding the UNPM toward the destination device via the unidirectional network protocol;

a downstream transparent network device intercepting the BNPCRM;

in response to determining that (1) the BNPCRM includes the first indicator, and (2) the downstream transparent network device is a closest transparent network device to the destination device, the downstream transparent network device establishing a bidirectional network protocol connection (BNPC) with the upstream transparent network device by using the bidirectional network protocol; and

using the BNPC to optimize the unidirectional network traffic.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the downstream transparent network device establishing the BNPC with the upstream transparent network device comprises:

sending, by the downstream transparent network device, a bidirectional network protocol connection request response message to the source device via the bidirectional network protocol, wherein the bidirectional network protocol connection request response message includes a second indicator that signals the presence of the downstream transparent network device to the upstream transparent network device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the unidirectional network protocol includes UDP.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the bidirectional network protocol includes TCP.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the BNPC assists the downstream transparent network device to perform WAN optimization on the unidirectional network traffic.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the BNPC assists the downstream transparent network device to perform network QoS.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the BNPC assists the downstream transparent network device to perform network monitoring of network traffic communicated via the unidirectional network protocol.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the downstream transparent network device strips away additional information in the unidirectional network traffic before forwarding the unidirectional network traffic to the destination device, wherein the downstream transparent network device uses the additional information to measure at least a network delay, and wherein the downstream transparent network device sends a least the measured network delay to the upstream transparent network device via the BNPC.

9. An apparatus for communicating data in a network, comprising:

a source device to send unidirectional network traffic via a unidirectional network protocol to a destination device;

an upstream transparent network device to;

intercept a unidirectional network protocol message (UNPM) in the unidirectional network traffic,

in response to intercepting the UNPM, generate a bidirectional network protocol connection request message (BNPCRM) of a bidirectional network protocol, wherein the BNPCRM includes a first indicator that signals a presence of the upstream transparent network device to other transparent network devices,

send the BNPCRM to the destination device via the bidirectional network protocol, and

forward the UNPM toward the destination device via the unidirectional network protocol; and

a downstream transparent network device to;

intercept the BNPCRM, and

in response to determining that (1) the BNPCRM includes the first indicator, and (2) the downstream transparent network device is a closest transparent network device to the destination device, establish a bidirectional network protocol connection (BNPC) with the upstream transparent network device by using the bidirectional network protocol, wherein the BNPC is used to optimize the unidirectional network traffic.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the downstream transparent network device establishing the BNPC with the upstream transparent network device comprises:

sending, by the downstream transparent network device, a bidirectional network protocol connection request response message to the source device via the bidirectional network protocol, wherein the bidirectional network protocol connection request response message includes a second indicator that signals the presence of the downstream transparent network device to the upstream transparent network device.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the unidirectional network protocol includes UDP.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the bidirectional network protocol includes TCP.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the BNPC assists the downstream transparent network device to perform WAN optimization on the unidirectional network traffic.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the BNPC assists the downstream transparent network device to perform network QoS.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the BNPC assists the downstream transparent network device to perform network monitoring of network traffic communicated via the unidirectional network protocol.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the downstream transparent network device strips away additional information in the unidirectional network traffic before forwarding the unidirectional network traffic to the destination device, wherein the downstream transparent network device uses the additional information to measure at least a network delay, and wherein the downstream transparent network device sends at least the measured network delay to the upstream transparent network device via the BNPC.