Reducing the sizes of application layer messages in a network element

• US 20060129689A1
• Filed: 12/10/2004
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ho, Ricky, Anthias, Tefcros, Chan, Alex Yiu-Man, Raghavan, Kollivakkam R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,606,267 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/04 Protocols for data compression, e.g. ROHC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A method is disclosed for reducing the sizes of application layer messages in a network element such as a network switch or router. According to one aspect, the network element receives data packets and determines an original application layer message that is collectively contained in payload portions of the data packets. The network element compresses the original application layer message into a compressed message, and sends the compressed message toward an application that is hosted on a device other than the network element. According to another aspect, the network element receives data packets and determines a compressed message that is collectively contained in payload portions of the data packets. The network element decompresses the compressed message into an original application layer message, and sends the original application layer message toward an application that is hosted on a device other than the network element. Compressed messages consume less network bandwidth.

Claims

1. A method of reducing the size of application layer messages in a network element, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

receiving one or more data packets at the network element;

determining an application layer message that is collectively contained in one or more payload portions of the one or more data packets;

compressing the application layer message into a compressed message; and

sending the compressed message toward an application that is hosted on a device other than the network element.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein receiving the one or more data packets comprises intercepting the one or more data packets at the network element, and wherein the one or more data packets are destined for the application rather than the network element.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the network element is a network switch or router.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

determining, based on contents of the application layer message, that the application layer message belongs to a particular message classification;

wherein compressing the application layer message is performed only in response to determining that the application layer message belongs to the particular message classification.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein compressing the application layer message comprises replacing a portion of the application layer message with a reference to the portion of the application layer message.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, further comprising:

sending, toward the application, information that indicates that the reference corresponds to the portion of the application layer message.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein sending the information is performed in response to receiving a request for information that indicates a message portion that corresponds to the reference.

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12. A method of compressing Extensible Markup Language (XML) documents in a network element, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

receiving an XML document at the network element, wherein the XML document comprises one or more XML elements and one or more data values of the one or more XML elements;

generating, at the network element, a message that comprises a version of the XML document in which each particular XML element of the one or more XML elements has been replaced with a substitute value that corresponds to the particular XML element; and

sending the message toward an application that is hosted on a device other than the network element.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the network element is a network packet switch or router.

14. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the message comprises the one or more data values of the one or more XML elements.

15. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein each substitute value is a numeric value.

16. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein each substitute value is a result of applying a hash function to a corresponding XML element in the XML document.

17. A method as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

for each particular XML element in a schema to which the XML document conforms, establishing, at the network element, a separate XML element-to-substitute value mapping;

wherein generating the message comprises generating the message based on one or more XML element-to-substitute value mappings established at the network element.

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23. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for reducing the size of application layer messages in a network element, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

receiving one or more data packets at the network element;

determining an application layer message that is collectively contained in one or more payload portions of the one or more data packets;

compressing the application layer message into a compressed message; and

sending the compressed message toward an application that is hosted on a device other than the network element.

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34. A network element for reducing the size of application layer messages, the network element comprising:

means for receiving one or more data packets;

means for determining an application layer message that is collectively contained in one or more payload portions of the one or more data packets;

means for compressing the application layer message into a compressed message; and

means for sending the compressed message toward an application that is hosted on a device other than the network element.

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36. An apparatus for reducing the size of application layer messages, comprising:

a network interface that is coupled to a data network for receiving one or more packet flows therefrom;

a processor;

one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out the steps of;

receiving one or more data packets through the network interface;

determining an application layer message that is collectively contained in one or more payload portions of the one or more data packets;

compressing the application layer message into a compressed message; and

sending the compressed message toward an application that is hosted on a device other than the apparatus.

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