Prevention of protocol imitation in peer-to-peer systems

• US 20080031148A1
• Filed: 08/01/2006
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sagy, Ravid
• Granted Patent: US 7,697,423 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1085 involving dynamic management of active down- or uploading connections

Abstract

A method for allocating a resource in a computer network includes accepting from a peer a request to download a data item using a P2P protocol via the computer network from one or more other peers that store the data item, and determining whether the P2P protocol used by the request is a preferred P2P protocol. When the P2P protocol is determined to be the preferred P2P protocol, up to a maximum data quota derived from a size of the data item is allowed to be downloaded using a first allocation level of the resource. When the P2P protocol is determined not to be the preferred P2P protocol, only a second allocation level, smaller than the first allocation level, is allowed to be used for downloading the data item.

Claims

1. A method for allocating a resource in a computer network, comprising:

accepting from a peer a request to download a data item using a P2P protocol via the computer network from one or more other peers that store the data item;

determining whether the P2P protocol used by the request is a preferred P2P protocol;

when the P2P protocol is determined to be the preferred P2P protocol, allowing up to a maximum data quota derived from a size of the data item to be downloaded using a first allocation level of the resource; and

when the P2P protocol is determined not to be the preferred P2P protocol, allowing only a second allocation level, smaller than the first allocation level, to be used for downloading the data item.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the resource comprises a bandwidth of a network element in the computer network.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the resource comprises a queuing priority in a network element in the computer network.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the resource comprises a memory space of a network element in the computer network.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the resource comprises a computational resource of a network element in the computer network.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein accepting the request to download the data item comprises performing a purchasing transaction with the peer for purchasing the data item, and defining the maximum data quota and a temporary authorization code to be used by the peer for downloading the data item from the one or more other peers responsively to the purchasing transaction.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein allowing up to the maximum data quota to be downloaded comprises monitoring subsequent download attempts, and assigning the first allocation level of the resource only to the subsequent download attempts that originate from the peer and carry the temporary authorization code, subject to the maximum data quota.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein performing the purchasing transaction comprises creating a record in a transaction database holding at least one parameter selected from a group consisting of an identification of the peer, the temporary authorization code and a remaining data quota to be downloaded at the first allocation level, and wherein assigning the first allocation level of the resource comprises updating the remaining data quota responsively to the subsequent download attempts to which the first allocation level is assigned.

9. The method according to claim 7, and comprising inserting into data packets of the subsequent download attempts class of service (COS) indications instructing network elements in the computer network to assign one of the first and second allocation levels to the data packets.

10. The method according to claim 7, and comprising sending a notification to an element of the computer network to provide an enhanced service level to the subsequent download attempts to which the first allocation level is assigned.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein monitoring the subsequent download attempts comprises analyzing data packets sent over the computer network so as to identify at least one item selected from a group consisting of the communication address of the peer and the P2P protocol used in the data packets.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the preferred P2P protocol comprises a definition of time-dependent parameters, wherein monitoring the subsequent download attempts comprises analyzing a time-dependent parameter embedded in a data packet of the preferred P2P protocol and authenticating the subsequent download attempts by verifying that the time-dependent parameter matches the definition of the time-dependent parameters.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the time-dependent parameter comprises a value calculated by applying multiplicative factors to at least one data item selected from a group consisting of data content at predefined locations in the packet, a communication address of the peer and a time stamp.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein at least one element selected from a group consisting of the multiplicative factors, the predefined locations in the packet and a location of the value in the packet varies with time.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining whether the P2P protocol used by the request is the preferred P2P protocol comprises identifying a data pattern typical of the preferred P2P protocol in a data packet carrying the request.

16. Apparatus for allocating a resource in a computer network, comprising:

a classifier, which is arranged to accept from a peer in the computer network a request to download a data item using a P2P protocol via the computer network from one or more other peers that store the data item; and

a processor, which is arranged to determine whether the P2P protocol used by the request is a preferred P2P protocol, to allow, when the P2P protocol is determined to be the preferred P2P protocol, up to a maximum data quota derived from a size of the data item to be downloaded using a first allocation level of the resource, and, when the P2P protocol is determined not to be the preferred P2P protocol, to allow only a second allocation level, smaller than the first allocation level, to be used for downloading the data item.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the resource comprises at a bandwidth of a network element in the computer network.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the resource comprises a queuing priority in a network element in the computer network.

19. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the resource comprises a memory space of a network element in the computer network.

20. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the resource comprises a computational resource of a network element in the computer network.

21. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the classifier and the processor are arranged to monitor subsequent download attempts, and to assign the first allocation level of the resource only to the subsequent download attempts that originate from the peer and carry a temporary authorization code assigned to the peer in a purchasing transaction for purchasing the data item, subject to the maximum data quota.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21, and comprising a transaction database, which is arranged to hold transaction records, wherein the processor is arranged to create a record in the transaction database holding at least one parameter selected from a group consisting of an identification of the peer, the temporary authorization code and a remaining data quota to be downloaded at the first allocation level, and to update the remaining data quota responsively to the subsequent download attempts to which the first allocation level is assigned.

23. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the processor is arranged to insert into data packets of the subsequent download attempts class of service (COS) indications instructing network elements in the computer network to assign one of the first and second allocation levels to the data packets.

24. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the processor is arranged to send a notification to an element of the computer network to provide an enhanced service level to the subsequent download attempts to which the first allocation level is assigned.

25. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the classifier is arranged to monitor the subsequent download attempts by analyzing data packets sent over the computer network so as to identify at least one item selected from a group consisting of the communication address of the peer and the P2P protocol used in the data packets.

26. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the preferred P2P protocol comprises a definition of time-dependent parameters, wherein the processor is arranged to analyze a time-dependent parameter embedded in a data packet of the preferred P2P protocol and to authenticate the subsequent download attempts by verifying that the time-dependent parameter matches the definition of the time-dependent parameters.

27. The apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the time-dependent parameter comprises a value calculated by applying multiplicative factors to at least one data item selected from a group consisting of data content at predefined locations in the packet, a communication address of the peer and a time stamp.

28. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein at least one element selected from a group consisting of the multiplicative factors, the predefined locations in the packet and a location of the value in the packet varies with time.

29. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the classifier is arranged to identify a data pattern typical of one of the preferred P2P protocol in a data packet carrying the request so as to identify whether the P2P protocol used by the request is the preferred P2P protocol.

30. A computer software product for allocating a resource in a computer network, the product comprising a computer-readable medium in which program instructions are stored, which instructions, when read by the computer, cause the computer to accept from a peer in the computer network a request to download a data item using a P2P protocol via the computer network from one or more other peers that store the data item, to determine whether the P2P protocol used by the request is a preferred P2P protocol, to allow, when the P2P protocol is determined to be the preferred P2P protocol, up to a maximum data quota derived from a size of the data item to be downloaded using a first allocation level of the resource, and, when the P2P protocol is determined not to be the preferred P2P protocol, to allow only a second allocation level, smaller than the first allocation level, to be used for downloading the data item.

31. Apparatus for allocating a resource in a computer network, comprising:

means for accepting from a peer a request to download a data item using a P2P protocol via the computer network from one or more other peers that store the data item;

means for determining whether the P2P protocol used by the request is a preferred P2P protocol;

means for allowing up to a maximum data quota derived from a size of the data item to be downloaded using a first allocation level of the resource, when the P2P protocol is determined to be the preferred P2P protocol; and

means for allowing only a second allocation level, smaller than the first allocation level, to be used for downloading the data item when the P2P protocol is determined not to be the preferred P2P protocol.