FREE STRING MATCH ENCODING AND PREVIEW

• US 20090187568A1
• Filed: 01/18/2008
• Published: 07/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NetScout Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Fluke Corporation (Fortive Corp.)
• Inventors: MORIN, Tom
• Granted Patent: US 7,996,523 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/045 for graphical visualisation of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/18 Protocol analysers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements

Abstract

A system for entering data in a format that is easy to use, enabling selection of encoding format and displaying the resulting search data string in format to enable generation of byte sets for supplying to free string match algorithm for application to network data.

Claims

1. A system for entering free string match data, stored in memory in a computer, comprising the following computer executable components:

a graphical display component providing

a data string entry field,

an encoding selection field,

a display field for displaying a text description of the encoding of the data string, and

a hexadecimal display field for displaying a hexadecimal representation of the encoding of the data string;

an input data processing component for receiving supplied string match data and providing an encoded byte set representing the input data encoded with a selected encoding; and

a display process for outputting the encoded data to the display field for displaying a text description in a first form and outputting the encoded data to the display field for displaying a hexadecimal representation in a second form.

2. A network test instrument, comprising:

data entry user interface for entering a string to be encoded and for selection of an encoding type to be used for encoding the string;

display user interface for displaying at least one representation of the string as will be encoded.

3. The network test instrument according to claim 2, wherein said display user interface comprises:

a display of a textual representation of the string to be matched; and

a display of a hexadecimal representation of the string to be matched.

4. A method of operating a network test instrument, comprising:

enabling a user to select an encoding format for a search string;

allowing the user to enter the search string; and

displaying the search string as encoded in accordance with the encoding format.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said displaying is performed as the user is entering the search string.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein said displaying the search string as encoded in accordance with the encoding format comprises:

displaying a hexadecimal representation of the encoded search string.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein said displaying the search string as encoded in accordance with the encoding format comprises:

displaying a text representation of the encoded search string.

8. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

employing the encoded search string to filter network traffic, capturing network traffic that matches the encoded search string.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising performing analysis processing of the captured network traffic.

10. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

employing the encoded search string to filter network traffic, beginning capturing and storing network traffic that matches the encoded search string.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising performing analysis processing of the captured network traffic.

12. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

enabling the user to specify a triggering event that defines when to begin applying the search string to the network traffic.

13. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

enabling the user to specify whether to apply the search string to an entire frame of a given frame of network traffic or whether to apply the search string to a subset of the entire frame.