Method for ascertaining network bandwidth allocation policy associated with application port numbers
First Claim
1. A method for fetching bandwidth control information about a datapacket in a network that is associated with a port number carried within such datapacket, the method comprising the steps of:
- parsing a port number from an information header in a datapacket;
searching for a matching port number in a port group table that associates port groups, port numbers, and service-level application policies; and
pointing to a particular service-level application policy if a match occurs in the step of searching.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A network comprises a local group of network workstations and clients that periodically need access to a wide area network like the Internet. A class-based queue traffic shaper is placed in between and enforces multiple service-level agreement policies on individual connection sessions by limiting the maximum data throughput for each connection. The class-based queue traffic shaper distinguishes amongst datapackets according to their respective source and/or destination application types. Which policy is appropriate to enforce is found by listing all standard port numbers for an application in a single port group. Policies are attached according to port group. The field of over 64K possible port numbers is thus reduced to a short list of application groups, e.g., twelve or less. When a datapacket arrives that needs to be classified according to application, its port numbers are used to index a port group table This returns an application type and a concomitant service-level agreement policy.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for fetching bandwidth control information about a datapacket in a network that is associated with a port number carried within such datapacket, the method comprising the steps of:
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parsing a port number from an information header in a datapacket;
searching for a matching port number in a port group table that associates port groups, port numbers, and service-level application policies; and
pointing to a particular service-level application policy if a match occurs in the step of searching. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A network, comprising:
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a local group of network workstations and clients with a set of corresponding local port numbers, and that periodically access a wide area network (WAN);
at least one type of application program for executing packet exchanges that involve any of the local group;
a class-based queue (CBQ) traffic shaper disposed between the local group and said WAN, and providing for a variety of access bandwidths;
a IP-address/port-number classifier (IP-address/port-number classifier) disposed within the CBQ traffic shaper, and providing for an identification of which application program transmitted or received a particular packet at any of the local group; and
an automatic bandwidth manager (ABM) disposed within the CBQ traffic shaper, and providing for a controlled delivery rate of each said particular packet that is dependent on the application-program type determined by the IP-address/port-number classifier;
wherein, bandwidth control information about a datapacket in the network is associated with a source or destination port number of such datapacket, and a processor provides for parsing a port number from an information header in a datapacket, and standard port numbers are gathered into groups that are used to point to individual service-level agreement (SLA) policies. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A computer network method, comprising the steps of:
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dividing a plurality of datapackets into classes that include at least one class for packets exchanged over a computer network by a particular application program;
identifying which class each particular one of plurality of packets belongs to on said computer network;
controlling a delivery rate of an identified particular one of plurality of datapackets according to its classification;
parsing a port number from an information header in a datapacket;
searching for a matching port number in a port group table that associates port groups, port numbers, and service-level application policies; and
pointing to a particular service-level application policy if a match occurs in the step of searching. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer network method, comprising the steps of:
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dividing a plurality of datapackets into classes that include at least one class for packets exchanged over a computer network by a particular application program;
identifying which class each particular one of plurality of packets belongs to on said computer network with a IP-address/port-number classifier (IP-address/port-number classifier) that monitors a particular port number and port for information that indicates that a particular application program is beginning a session, and said IP-address/port-number classifier uses said information to gather additional port number and port information that can be used to identify subsequent packet exchanges that belong to said particular application program;
communicating any application-identifying information obtained in the step of identifying within a message to an automatic bandwidth manager (ABM); and
controlling with said ABM a delivery rate of an identified particular one of plurality of datapackets according to its classification;
wherein, bandwidth control information about a datapacket in the network is associated with a source or destination port number of such datapacket, and a processor provides for parsing a port number from an information header in a datapacket, and standard port numbers are gathered into groups that are used to point to individual service-level agreement (SLA) policies.
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Specification