Systems and methods for reflecting messages associated with a target protocol within a network

• US 20040136386A1
• Filed: 06/10/2003
• Published: 07/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quest Software, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Akonix Systems, Inc. (Quest Software, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shapiro, Dmitry, Miller, Randy, Poling, Robert, Pugh, Richard S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,428,590 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1408 by monitoring network traffic monitoring network traffic per se H04L43/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• 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 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A protocol management system is capable of detecting certain message protocols and applying policy rules to the detected message protocols that prevent intrusion, or abuse, of a network'"'"'s resources. In one aspect, a protocol message gateway is configured to apply policy rules to high level message protocols, such as those that reside at layer 7 of the ISO protocol stack.

Claims

1. A method for managing communication traffic in a network, comprising:

intercepting a message intended for an external server configured to redirect the message to an intended destination;

determining if the destination is within the network; and

when it is determined that the destination is within the network, redirecting the message to the destination bypassing the external server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the received message comprises a screen name, and wherein the method further comprises determining a unique user name for the source, associating the screen name with the unique user name, and storing the association between the screen name and the unique user name.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising selecting a policy rule for handling the received message based on the unique user name and applying the policy rule to the message.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the policy rule is based on the source of the received message.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the policy rule is based on the intended destination of the received message.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the policy rule is based on information included in the received message.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the policy rule is based on when the received message is sent or intended to be received.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the policy rule is based on the size of the received message.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the policy rule is based on whether the received message includes an attachment.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein the policy rule is based on whether the received message includes a virus.

11. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining if a session associated with the received message is still in progress before applying the policy rule.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising recording information associated with the received message.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating a log comprising information associate with the received message and any related messages.

14. The method of claim 2, wherein the received massage is associated with a network address, and wherein determining a unique user name comprises identifying the source using the network address.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein determining a unique user name further comprises determining a global user identification associated with the source.

16. The method of claim 15, determining a global user identification comprises interrogating a registry associated with the source.

17. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining if the screen name has previously been associated with a unique user name, and if so, then applying a policy rule to the message based on the unique user name

18. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if the destination is within the network comprises:

determining a screen name associated with the destination from the message; and

determining if the destination screen name is associated with a unique user name used by the network.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein determining if the destination is within the network further comprises attempting to associate the destination screen name with a unique user name used by the network, when it is determined that the destination screen name is not already associated with a unique user name.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein attempting to associate the destination screen name with a unique user name, comprises:

determining a unique user name for the destination;

associating the destination screen name with the unique destination user name; and

storing the association between the destination screen name and the unique destination user name.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising selecting a policy rule for handling the received message based on the unique destination user name and applying the policy rule to the message.