Method, System and Apparatus for Identifying User Datagram Protocol Packets Using Deep Packet Inspection

• US 20090300153A1
• Filed: 05/29/2008
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ray, Amar Nath, Heinz, John M.
• Application Number:
  US12/128,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20090300153A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2433 Allocation of priorities to traffic types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2475 for supporting traffic characterised by the type of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2483 involving identification of individual flows
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers

Abstract

An embodiment of a method, system and apparatus for prioritizing network datagram traffic includes receiving a datagram packet from a sender device. The datagram packet is addressed to a receiver device and includes a real-time data payload. The method further includes identifying the datagram packet in a network layer using deep packet inspection to determine at least one of an application or protocol associated with the datagram packet. The method still further includes generating traffic priority information associated with the datagram packet based upon identifying the datagram packet. The traffic priority information indicates traffic prioritization between the sender device and the receiver device. Various embodiments further include controlling the sending of the datagram packet to the receiver device based upon the traffic priority information. Some embodiments further include prioritizing traffic between the sender device and the receiver device in accordance with the traffic priority information.

Claims

1. A method for prioritizing network datagram traffic comprising:

receiving a datagram packet from a sender device, the datagram packet addressed to a receiver device and including a real-time data payload;

identifying the datagram packet in a network layer using deep packet inspection to determine at least one of an application or protocol associated with the datagram packet; and

generating traffic priority information associated with the datagram packet based upon identifying the datagram packet, the traffic priority information indicating traffic prioritization between the sender device and the receiver device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling of sending of the datagram packet to the receiver device based upon the traffic priority information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising prioritizing traffic between the sender device and the receiver device in accordance with the traffic priority information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein generating traffic priority information further comprises determining a source port and a destination port associated with the datagram packet.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending the traffic priority information to at least one of the sender device and the receiver device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein sending the traffic priority information to at least one of the sender device and the receiver device includes sending the traffic priority information in a transport layer.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending the traffic priority information to a network controller; and

controlling sending of the datagram packet from the sender device to the receiver device based upon the traffic priority information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the packet in the network layer includes performing analysis by port on the datagram packet.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the packet in the network layer includes performing analysis by string match on the datagram packet.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the packet in the network layer includes performing analysis by numerical properties on the datagram packet.

11. An apparatus for prioritizing network datagram traffic comprising:

at least one processor, the at least one processor configured to;

receive a datagram packet from a sender device, the datagram packet addressed to a receiver device and including a real-time data payload;

identify the datagram packet in a network layer using deep packet inspection to determine at least one of an application or protocol associated with the datagram packet; and

generate traffic priority information associated with the datagram packet based upon identifying the datagram packet, the traffic priority information indicating traffic prioritization between the sender device and the receiver device.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further operable to control sending of the datagram packet to the receiver device based upon the traffic priority information.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further operable to prioritize traffic between the sender device and the receiver device in accordance with the traffic priority information.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further operable to determine a source port and a destination port associated with the datagram packet to generate the traffic priority information.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further operable to send the traffic priority information to at least one of the sender device and the receiver device.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further operable to send the traffic priority information to at least one of the sender device and the receiver in a transport layer.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further operable to send the traffic priority information to a network controller, the network controller operable to control sending of the datagram packet from the sender device to the receiver device based upon the traffic priority information.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further operable to perform analysis by port on the datagram packet when identifying the packet in the network layer.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further operable to perform analysis by string match on the datagram packet when identifying the packet in the network layer.

20. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further operable to perform analysis by numerical properties on the datagram packet when identifying the packet in the network layer.