Selective scanning of network packet traffic using cloud-based virtual machine tool platforms
First Claim
1. A method for processing network packets, comprising:
- receiving one or more network packet streams at one or more input ports for a network tool optimizer (NTO) device;
using the NTO device to analyze contents of packets within the one or more network packet streams to identify one or more subsets of traffic of interest (TOI) packets;
forwarding the one or more subsets of TOI packets from the NTO device to a cloud server system having one or more cloud-based packet analysis tools;
receiving the one or more subsets of TOI packets with a management platform within the cloud server system;
sending the one or more subsets of TOI packets from the management platform to the one or more cloud-based packet analysis tools;
receiving the packet analysis results with the management platform from the one or more cloud-based packet analysis tools;
sending the packet analysis results from the management platform to the NTO device; and
receiving packet analysis results at the NTO device from the cloud server system, the packet analysis results being based upon packet processing conducted by the one or more cloud-based packet analysis tools.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Network tool optimizer devices and related methods are disclosed that provide selective scanning of network packet traffic using cloud-based virtual machine tool platforms. Rather than require local network analysis tool resources, the disclosed embodiments identify subsets of packet traffic of interest, and these subsets are forwarded to a cloud-based server system where cloud-based virtual machine tool platforms are used to process the subsets of traffic of interest. Results from this processing are then provided back to adjust the operation of the network tool optimizers. Some further embodiments use local capture buffers and remote cloud replay buffers to stored subsets of traffic locally for later communication to cloud server systems where cloud-based tools analyze replays of the captured network traffic. Some further embodiments also use results from cloud-based tools to initiate local virtual machine tool platforms that are used to further analyze traffic of interest.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for processing network packets, comprising:
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receiving one or more network packet streams at one or more input ports for a network tool optimizer (NTO) device; using the NTO device to analyze contents of packets within the one or more network packet streams to identify one or more subsets of traffic of interest (TOI) packets; forwarding the one or more subsets of TOI packets from the NTO device to a cloud server system having one or more cloud-based packet analysis tools; receiving the one or more subsets of TOI packets with a management platform within the cloud server system; sending the one or more subsets of TOI packets from the management platform to the one or more cloud-based packet analysis tools; receiving the packet analysis results with the management platform from the one or more cloud-based packet analysis tools; sending the packet analysis results from the management platform to the NTO device; and receiving packet analysis results at the NTO device from the cloud server system, the packet analysis results being based upon packet processing conducted by the one or more cloud-based packet analysis tools. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A network tool optimizer (NTO) device, comprising:
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one or more input ports configured to receive one or more network packet streams; a packet processor configured to receive the one or more network packet streams from the one or more input ports, to identify one or more subsets of traffic of interest (TOI) packets based upon contents of network packets within the one or more network packets streams, and to output the one or more subsets of TOI packets; and a cloud offload processor configured to receive the one or more subsets of TOI packets, to forward the one or more subsets of TOI packets to a cloud server system including one or more cloud-based packet analysis tools, and to receive packet analysis results from the cloud server system, the packet analysis results being based upon packet processing conducted by the one or more cloud-based packet analysis tools; wherein the offload processor is further configured to communicate the one or more subsets of TOI packets to a management platform within the cloud server system which is configured to send the one or more subsets of TOI packets from the management platform to the one or more cloud-based packet analysis tools and to receive the packet analysis results from the one or more cloud-based packet analysis tools, and the offload processor is further configured to receive the packet analysis results from the management platform. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A packet processing system, comprising:
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a network tool optimizer (NTO) device, comprising; one or more input ports configured to receive one or more network packet streams; a packet processor configured to receive the one or more network packet streams from the one or more input ports, to identify one or more subsets of traffic of interest (TOI) packets based upon contents of network packets within the one or more network packets streams, and to output the one or more subsets of TOI packets; and a cloud offload processor configured to receive the one or more subsets of TOI packets, to forward the one or more subsets of TOI packets to a cloud server system including one or more cloud-based packet analysis tools, and to receive packet analysis results from the cloud server system, the packet analysis results being based upon packet processing conducted by the one or more cloud-based packet analysis tools; and a management platform within the cloud server system, the management platform being configured to receive the one or more subsets of TOI packets from the cloud offload processor, to communicate the one or more subsets of TOI packets to the one or more cloud-based packet analysis tools, to receive the packet analysis results from the one or more cloud-based packet analysis tools, and to communicate the result information to the cloud offload processor. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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Specification