Adaptive classification of network traffic

• US 20040114518A1
• Filed: 12/17/2002
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: MacFaden, Michael Robert, Calato, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,366,174 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/230.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0896 Bandwidth or capacity management, i.e. automatically increasing or decreasing capacities flow or congestion control using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation, H04L47/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5025 by proactively reacting to service quality change, e.g. by reconfiguration after service quality degradation or upgrade
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2441 relying on flow classification, e.g. using integrated services [IntServ]

Abstract

Rules for classifying traffic in a communications network are set by collecting traffic data related to traffic that is input into a network node, processing the traffic data that is collected, and setting classification rules in response to the processed traffic data, wherein the set classification rules are used to classify subsequent input traffic. In an embodiment, subsequent traffic is classified according to the set classification rules. In another embodiment, traffic conditioning rules are also set in response to the processed traffic data and subsequent input traffic is conditioned according to the set traffic conditioning rules.

Claims

1. A method for setting classification rules for classifying traffic in a communications network, said method comprising:

collecting traffic data related to traffic that is input into a network node;

processing said traffic data that is collected; and

setting classification rules in response to said processed traffic data, wherein said set classification rules are used to classify subsequent input traffic.

2. The method of claim 1 further including classifying said subsequent input traffic according to said set classification rules.

3. The method of claim 2 further including repeating said collecting, processing, setting, and classifying at a subsequent designated interval.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said designated interval is defined in terms of time.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein said designated interval is defined in terms of traffic volume.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein collecting traffic data includes classifying said traffic into traffic classes based, at least in part, on layer 3 information from said traffic, where layer 3 is defined by the International Standards Organization (ISO) in the Open System Interconnect (OSI) model.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein collecting traffic data further includes classifying said traffic into traffic classes based, at least in part, on layer 4 information from said traffic, where layer 4 is defined by the International Standards Organization (ISO) in the Open System Interconnect (OSI) model.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein collecting traffic data includes collecting traffic volume information.

9. The method of claim 1 further including:

setting traffic conditioning rules in response to said processed traffic data; and

conditioning said subsequent input traffic according to said set traffic conditioning rules.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein:

collecting traffic data includes collecting traffic data related to multiple network nodes;

processing said traffic data includes processing said traffic data at a common classification control module.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein:

collecting traffic data includes collecting traffic data from multiple network nodes and forwarding said traffic data to a common classification control module; and

processing said traffic data includes processing said traffic data at said common classification control module.

12. The method of claim 11 further including:

setting classification rules for said multiple network nodes at said common class control module; and

distributing said set classification rules from said common classification control module to said network nodes.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said multiple network nodes are remote from said common classification control module.

14. The method of claim 12 further including classifying said subsequent input traffic according to said set classification rules that are distributed from said common classification control module.

15. The method of claim 1 further including:

classifying traffic that is input into said network node before said traffic data is collected; and

collecting said traffic data from said classified traffic.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein said network node is within a differentiated services domain.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein processing said traffic data includes enhancing said traffic data.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein processing said traffic data includes transforming said traffic data.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein processing said traffic data includes aggregating said traffic data.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein processing said traffic data includes identifying traffic trends from said traffic data.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein setting classification rules includes setting said classification rules in response to said identified traffic trends.

22. The method of claim 20 further including setting traffic conditioning rules in response to said identified traffic trends.

23. A method for setting classification rules for a plurality of classifiers that are distributed among a plurality of network nodes in a communications network, said method comprising:

collecting traffic data from traffic that is input into said plurality of network nodes;

communicating said traffic data that is collected to a common classification control module;

processing, at said common classification control module, said traffic data that is collected; and

setting classification rules in response to said processed traffic data, wherein said set classification rules are used to classify subsequent input traffic.

24. The method of claim 23 further including distributing said set classification rules to said classifiers that are distributed among said plurality of network nodes.

25. The method of claim 24 further including classifying said subsequent input traffic according to said set classification rules.

26. The method of claim 24 further including repeating said steps of collecting, communicating, processing, setting, and classifying at a subsequent designated interval.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein said designated interval is defined in terms of time.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein said designated interval is defined in terms of traffic volume.

29. The method of claim 23 further including:

setting traffic conditioning rules in response to said processed traffic data;

distributing said set traffic conditioning rules to said network nodes; and

conditioning said subsequent input traffic according to said set traffic conditioning rules.

30. The method of claim 23 wherein said plurality of network nodes are within a given differentiated services domain.

31. The method of claim 23 wherein processing said traffic data includes enhancing said traffic data.

32. The method of claim 23 wherein processing said traffic data includes transforming said traffic data.

33. The method of claim 23 wherein processing said traffic data includes aggregating said traffic data.

34. The method of claim 23 wherein processing said traffic data includes identifying traffic trends from said traffic data.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein setting classification rules includes setting said classification rules in response to identified trends.

36. The method of claim 34 further including setting traffic conditioning rules in response to identified trends.

37. A system for classifying traffic in a communications network comprising:

a classifier that classifies input traffic according to classification rules;

a classification control module, associated with said classifier, configured to;

collect traffic data related to traffic that is input into a network node;

process said traffic data that is collected; and

set classification rules in response to said processed traffic data, wherein said set classification rules are used by said classifier to classify subsequent input traffic.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein said classification control module includes a data enhancement module that enhances said traffic data.

39. The system of claim 37 wherein said classification control module includes a data transformation module that transforms said traffic data.

40. The system of claim 37 wherein said classification control module includes a data aggregation module that aggregates said traffic data.

41. The system of claim 37 wherein said classification control module includes a trend identification module that identifies trends in said traffic data.

42. The system of claim 37 further including a traffic conditioner module for conditioning traffic that has been classified by said classifier according to traffic conditioning rules.

43. The system of claim 42 further including a traffic conditioning rules module for setting traffic conditioning rules in response to said processed traffic data.

44. A system for controlling the flow of traffic in a communications network comprising:

a classifier, associated with a network node, that classifies input traffic according to classification rules;

a traffic conditioner module for conditioning the flow of said classified traffic;

a data collection module, associated with said classifier, configured to collect traffic data related to traffic that is input into said network node;

a data processing module, associated with said classifier, configured to process said traffic data that is collected by said data collection module; and

a classification rules module, associated with said classifier, configured to set classification rules in response to said processed traffic data, wherein said set classification rules are used to classify subsequent input traffic.

45. The system of claim 44 wherein said data processing module includes a data enhancement module that enhances said traffic data.

46. The system of claim 44 wherein said data processing module includes a data transformation module that transforms said traffic data.

47. The system of claim 44 wherein said data processing module includes a data aggregation module that aggregates said traffic data.

48. The system of claim 44 wherein said data processing module includes a trend identification module that identifies trends in said traffic data.

49. The system of claim 44 data further including a traffic conditioning rules module for setting traffic conditioning rules in response to said processed traffic data.

50. A system for controlling the flow of traffic at ports of multiple network nodes in a communications network comprising:

multiple port-specific classifiers;

a common classification control module configured to;

collect traffic data from traffic that is input into said ports of said multiple network nodes;

process said traffic data that is collected;

set classification rules in response to said processed traffic data, wherein said set classification rules are used to classify subsequent traffic; and

distribute said classification rules to said port-specific classifiers.

51. The system of claim 50 further including local data collection modules, associated with said multiple port-specific classifiers, that collect port-specific traffic data and provide said collected port-specific traffic data to said common classification control module.

52. The system of claim 50 wherein said port-specific classifiers are located between customer premises equipment of a subscriber-based network and an Internet backbone.

53. The system of claim 50 wherein said common classification control module is located in a network node that is remote to said port-specific classifiers.

54. The system of claim 50 wherein said common classification control module includes a data enhancement module for enhancing said traffic data.

55. The system of claim 50 wherein said common classification control module includes a data transformation module that transforms said traffic data.

56. The system of claim 50 wherein said common classification control module includes a data aggregation module that aggregates said traffic data.

57. The system of claim 50 wherein said common classification control module includes a trend identification module that identifies trends in said traffic data.

58. The system of claim 50 further including multiple port-specific traffic conditioner modules.

59. The system of claim 58 further including a traffic conditioning rules module that sets traffic conditioning rules in response to said processed traffic data.