Content Based Overload Protection

• US 20140254368A1
• Filed: 11/14/2012
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Zhang, Jiangtao, Johansson, Bengt, Pettersson, Sten Rune
• Granted Patent: US 9,769,083 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/235
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/122 by diverting traffic away from congested entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2441 relying on flow classification, e.g. using integrated services [IntServ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2483 involving identification of individual flows
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/6275 based on priority
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls

Abstract

Unit (1, eNB, SGW, PGW) comprising a processor (20) and interface means (10) adapted for receiving and transmitting packets (15, 17) to external units (1, eNB, SGW, PGW) over a communication interface. The interface means (10) comprises a first layer filtering means (101) operating according to first level filtering rules (1010) and first packet queues (Q1_1-Q1_n); while the processor (20) comprises at least one kernel (KL_1-KL_n), second layer filtering means (102) operating according to second level filtering rules (1020), second packet queues and applications. For a given packet received on the communication interface, the unit being adapted for delivering (12) parts the packet to the first layer filtering means (101); applying first level filtering (14); performing first sorting (16) and delivering parts of the packet according to the first level filtering rules (201) and delivering parts of the packet to one of the first packet queues (Q1_1-Q1_n) in dependence on the first sorting; the unit further being adapted for delivering (16, 18) the packet to second layer filtering means (102) from kernel or from first packet queues; applying (24) second level filtering; performing second sorting (26) of parts of the packet according to the second level filtering rules (201) and delivering (28) parts of the packet to one of the applications in dependence on the second sorting (AP_1-AP_n).

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

an interface for receiving and transmitting packets to external units over a communication interface, wherein

the interface comprises a first layer filter operating according to first level filtering rules and first packet queues,

the processor comprises at least one kernel, a second layer filter operating according to second level filtering rules, and second packet queues,

the apparatus is adapted for delivering at least parts of a packet from a first packet queue to the second layer filter and delivering at least part of a packet in the second layer filter to a second packet queue and further to an application,

for a packet received on the communication interface, the apparatus is further configured to;

deliver parts of the packet to the first layer filter;

apply first level filtering;

perform first sorting according to the first level filtering rules and deliver parts of the packet to one of the first packet queues in dependence on the first sorting;

deliver the packet to second layer filter from kernel or from first packet queues;

apply second level filtering;

perform second sorting of parts of the packet according to the second level filtering rules and

deliver parts of the packet to one of the applications in dependence on the second sorting.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the unit further being adapted for delivering at least parts of a packet from a first packet queue (Q1_n) to a kernel and further to an application (AP_—

1-AP_n), thus bypassing the second layer filtering means.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first packet queues (Q1) are associated with a set of respective first priority levels (0-6);

and wherein the second packet queues (Q2) are associated with a set of second priority levels (0-6);

the first and second layer rules being arranged such that lower priority packets are queued in respective queues of lower priority levels (4-6) while high priority packets are queued in respective queues of higher priority levels (0-3), and such that

that for a given amount of high priority packets being accommodated for in queues of high priority levels, such high priority packets are delivered to applications (AP_—

1-AP_n), despite queues of lower priority levels are being overflowed with low priority packets, such that not all of such low priority packets can be delivered to applications.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first layer filtering is applied on at least one field out of the Media Access Control, MAC, field, Virtual Local Area Network, VLAN, field, Internet Protocol, IP, field, User Datagram Protocol, UDP, field or GRPS Tunneling Protocol, GTP, field of a given packet received on the communication interface (COM_INT);

and wherein the second layer filtering is applied on the GTP-user, GTP-U, payload of the given packet received on the communication interface (COM_INT).

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first layer filtering is applied on one of

node internal control commands;

node internal messages;

Address Resolution Protocol, ARP;

Open Shortest Path First, OSPF;

Routing Information Protocol, RIP;

Internet Control Message Protocol, ICMP;

echo request and echo response;

error indication;

GTP-control plane, GTP-C, tunnel management and mobility management,

GTP-user plane, GTP-U, payload.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the 2'"'"'nd layer filtering is applied on one of ICMP, SNMP, Session Initiation Protocol, SIP control messages;

Instant messages, Voice over IP, VOIP;

Audio and Video;

Web, browsing/Global Positioning System, GPS, navigation, social network;

Game, Telnet and SSH;

Picture and File share, Post Office Protocol, POP3, and Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, SMTP;

Peer to peer, P2P, File Transfer Protocol, FTP and further payload.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the 2'"'"'nd layer filtering constitutes deep packet inspection.

8. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

node internal control commands;

and

node internal messages;

have a higher priority than

Address Resolution Protocol, ARP;

Open Shortest Path First, OSPF;

Routing Information Protocol, RIP;

Internet Control Message Protocol, ICMP.

9. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

ICMP, Session Initiation Protocol, SIP;

Instant messages;

have a higher priority than

Post Office Protocol, POP3, and Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, SMTP;

Peer to peer, P2P, File Transfer Protocol, FTP and further payload.

10. The apparatus according to any previous claim, forming a Evolved Node B node, eNB, mobility Management Entity, MME, Serving gateway, SGW or a Packet Data Network Gateway node, PGW node, for operating in an evolved packet core, EPC, network.

11. Method for a unit comprising a processor and interface means adapted for receiving and transmitting packets to external units over a communication interface,

the interface means comprising a first layer filtering means operating according to first level filtering rules and comprising first packet queues (Q1_—

1-Q1_n);

the processor comprising at least one kernel (KL_—

1-KL_n), second layer filtering means operating according to second level filtering rules, second packet queues (Q2_—

1-Q2_n) and applications (AP_—

1-AP_n);

the unit further being adapted for delivering parts of a packet from a first packet queue to the second layer filtering means, possibly via a kernel (KL_—

1-KL_n); and

delivering parts of a packet in the second layer filtering means to a second packet queue to an application (AP_—

1-AP_n);

the method comprising

receiving at least part of a packet on the communication interface (COM_INT),

delivering (12) parts of the packet to the first layer filtering means;

applying first level filtering;

performing first sorting and delivering parts of the packet according to the first level filtering rules and delivering parts of the packet to one of the first packet queues (Q1_—

1-Q1_n) in dependence on the first sorting;

from kernel or from first queues, delivering parts of the packet to second layer filtering means;

applying second level filtering;

performing second sorting on parts of the packet according to the second level filtering rules and

delivering parts of the packet to one of the applications in dependence on the second sorting (AP_—

1-AP_n).

12. Method according to claim 11, comprising the steps of delivering at least parts of a packet from a first packet queue (Q1_n) to a kernel and further to an application (AP_—

1-AP_n), thus bypassing the second layer filtering means.

13. Method according to claim 11, wherein the first packet queues (Q1) are associated with a set of respective first priority levels (0-6);

and wherein the second packet queues (Q2) are associated with a set of second priority levels (0-6);

the first and second layer rules being arranged such that lower priority packets are queued in respective queues of lower priority levels (4-6) while high priority packets are queued in respective queues of higher priority levels (0-3), and such that

for a given amount of high priority packets being accommodated for in queues of high priority levels, such high priority packets are delivered to applications (AP_—

1-AP_n), even for situations where queues of lower priority levels are being overflowed with low priority packets, such that not all of such low priority packets can be delivered to applications.

14. Method according to claim 11, wherein the first layer filtering is applied on at least one field out of the Media Access Control, MAC, field, Virtual Local Area Network, VLAN, field, Internet Protocol, IP, field, User Datagram Protocol, UDP, field or GRPS Tunneling Protocol, GTP, field of a given packet received on the communication interface (COM_INT);

and wherein the second layer filtering is applied on the GTP-user, GTP-U, payload of the given packet received on the communication interface (COM_INT).

15. Method according to claim 11, wherein the first layer filtering is applied on one of

node internal control commands;

node internal messages;

Address Resolution Protocol, ARP;

Open Shortest Path First, OSPF;

Routing Information Protocol, RIP;

Internet Control Message Protocol, ICMP messages;

echo request and echo response;

error indication;

GTP-control plane, GTP-C, tunnel management and mobility management,

GTP-user plane, GTP-U, payload.

16. Method according to claim 15, wherein

node internal control commands;

and

node internal messages;

have a higher priority than

Address Resolution Protocol, ARP;

Open Shortest Path First, OSPF;

Routing Information Protocol, RIP; and

Internet Control Message Protocol, ICMP, messages.

17. Method according to claim 15, wherein the priorities of the filtering is according to the order, and wherein node internal control commands have highest priority.

18. Method according to claim 11, wherein the 2'"'"'nd layer filtering is applied on one of

ICMP, SNMP, Session Initiation Protocol, SIP;

Instant messages, Voice over IP, VOIP;

Audio and Video;

Web, browsing/Global Positioning System, GPS, navigation, social network;

Game, Telnet and SSH;

Picture and File share, Post Office Protocol, POP3, and Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, SMTP;

Peer to peer, P2P, File Transfer Protocol, FTP and further payload.

19. Method according to claim 11, wherein the 2'"'"'nd layer filtering constitutes deep packet inspection.

20. Method according to claim 18, wherein

ICMP, Session Initiation Protocol, SIP;

and

Instant messages;

have a higher priority than

Picture and File share, Post Office Protocol, POP3, and Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, SMTP; and

Peer to peer, P2P, File Transfer Protocol, FTP and further payload.

21. Method according to claim 18, wherein the priorities of the filtering is according to the order mentioned in claim 18, and wherein—

ICMP, SNMP, Session Initiation Protocol, SIP have highest priority.

22. Method according to claim 11, wherein the Unit is forming an Evolved Node B node, eNB, mobility Management Entity, MME, Serving gateway, SGW or a Packet Data Network Gateway node, PGW node, for operating in an evolved packet core, EPC, network.