Packet mapper for dynamic data packet prioritization

• US 6,449,251 B1
• Filed: 04/02/1999
• Issued: 09/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Chen, Michael, Li, David, Awadallah, Amr A., Thapar, Manu
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Wellington
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Maikhanh
• Application Number:
  US09/285,127
• Time in Patent Office: 1,257 Days
• Field of Search: 370/229-230, 370/352, 370/389, 370/386, 370/395, 370/398, 370/412, 370/465, 370/422, 370/254, 709/103, 709/220-221, 709/223-224, 709/230, 709/235, 709/238, 709/240, 709/244, 713/100, 713/200-201
• US Class Current: 370/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/32 Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/326 in the transport layer [OSI layer 4] H04L69/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A packet mapper prioritizes streams of data packets in a computer network, each data packet having a packet header containing feature values descriptive of the data packet. The packet mapper includes a mapping table that associates application-related features with network-reserved feature values from a range of feature values reserved for use by selected network data packet streams, and a feature value mapper that performs at least one of (i) in each packet header having an application-related feature value associated with a network-reserved feature value, substituting the associated network-reserved feature value for the application-related feature value, and (ii) in each packet header having a network-reserved feature value associated with an application-related feature value, substituting the associated application-related feature value for the network-reserved feature value.

Claims

1. A packet mapper that maps streams of data packets in a computer network to provide quality of service (QoS) routing, each data packet having a packet header containing data port numbers associated with the data packet, the packet mapper comprising:

a router that includes a plurality of data interfaces for streams of data packets to enter and exit the router, wherein the router is for monitoring the port number negotiation and selection for applications and protocols within end-point devices that dynamically select data exchange port numbers, the router further including a mapping table that associates dynamically assigned data port numbers with network-reserved data port numbers from a range of data port numbers reserved for use by selected network data packet streams; and

a data port number mapper that performs at least one of;

(i) in each packet header having a dynamically assigned data port number associated with a network-reserved data port number, substituting the associated network-reserved data port number for the dynamically assigned data port number, and

(ii) in each packet header having a network-reserved data port number associated with a dynamically assigned data port number, substituting the associated dynamically assigned data port number for the network-reserved data port number.

2. A packet mapper according to claim 1, wherein the data port numbers include a packet source data port value and a packet destination data port value.

3. A packet mapper according to claim 1, further including:

a priority violation reporter that identifies unauthorized data packet streams that are not selected network data packet streams and that have data packet headers using network-reserved data port numbers.

4. A packet mapper according to claim 3, wherein the priority violation reporter further communicates the identity of such unauthorized data packet streams to a network administrator.

5. A packet mapper according to claim 1, wherein the application-related feature values are dynamically assigned data port numbers.

6. A packet mapper according to claim 1, wherein the selected network data packet streams include at least one of H.323, H.225.0, H.245, RTP (Real Time Protocol), RTCP (Real Time Control Protocol), and MGCP (Media Gateway Control Protocol) data packets.

7. A packet mapper according to claim 1, wherein the selected network data packet streams include at least one of audio data, voice data, and video data.

8. A packet mapper according to claim 1, wherein the data port numbers are Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) data port numbers.

9. A packet mapper according to claim 1, wherein the data port numbers are User Datagram Protocol (UDP) data port numbers.

10. A packet mapper according to claim 1, wherein the packet mapper performs both (i) and (ii).

11. A method of prioritizing streams of data packets in a computer network to provide quality of service (QoS) routing, each data packet having a packet header containing data port numbers descriptive of the data packet, the method comprising;

monitoring the port number negotiation and selection for applications and protocols within end-point devices that dynamically select data exchange port numbers;

associating dynamically assigned data port numbers with network-reserved data port numbers from a range of data port numbers reserved for use by selected priority data streams; and

performing at least one of;

(i) in each packet header having a dynamically assigned data port number associated with a network-reserved data port number, substituting the associated network-reserved data port number for the dynamically assigned data port number; and

(ii) in each packet header having a network-reserved data port number associated with a dynamically assigned data port number, substituting the associated dynamically assigned data port number for the network-reserved data port number.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the data port numbers include a packet source data port value and a packet destination data port value.

13. A method according to claim 11, further including:

identifying unauthorized data packet streams that are not selected network data packet streams and that have data packet headers using network-reserved data port numbers.

14. A method according to claim 13, further including:

communicating the identity of such unauthorized data packet streams to a network administrator.

15. A method according to claim 11, wherein the application-related feature values are dynamically assigned data port numbers.

16. A method according to claim 11, wherein the selected network data packet streams include at least one of H.323, H.225.0, H.245, RTP (Real Time Protocol), RTCP (Real Time Control Protocol), and MGCP (Media Gateway Control Protocol) data packets.

17. A method according to claim 11, wherein the selected network data packet streams include at least one of audio data, voice data, and video data.

18. A method according to claim 11, wherein the data port numbers are Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) data port numbers.

19. A method according to claim 11, wherein the data port numbers use are User Datagram Protocol (UDP) data port numbers.

20. A method according to claim 11, wherein the are Transmission-Control Protocol (TCP) data port numbers.

21. A router for prioritizing streams of data packets in a computer network to provide quality of service (QoS) routing, each data packet having a packet header containing data port numbers descriptive of the data packet, the router comprising.

a plurality of data interfaces for streams of data packets to enter and exit the router;

circuitry for monitoring the streams of data packets that enter and exit the router; and

a packet mapper that maps the streams of data packets, wherein the packet mapper includes;

a mapping table that associates dynamically assigned data port numbers with network-reserved data port numbers from a range of data port numbers reserved for use by selected network data packet streams; and

a data port number mapper that performs at least one of;

(i) in each packet header having a dynamically assigned data port number associated with a network-reserved data port number, substituting the associated network-reserved data port number for the dynamically assigned data port number, and

(ii) in each packet header having a network-reserved data port number associated with a dynamically assigned data port number, substituting the associated dynamically assigned data port number for the network-reserved data port number.

22. A router according to claim 21, wherein the data port numbers include a packet source data port value and a packer destination data port value.

23. A router according to claim 21, further including:

a priority violation reporter that identifies unauthorized data packer streams that are not selected network data packet steams and that have data packet headers using network-reserved data numbers.

24. A router according to claim 23, wherein the priority violation reporter further communicates the identity of such unauthorized data packet streams to a network administrator.

25. A router according to claim 21, wherein the application-related feature values are dynamically assigned data port numbers.

26. A router according to claim 21, wherein the selected network data packet streams include at least one of H.323, H.225.0, H.245, RTP (Real Time Protocol), RTCP (Real Time Control Protocol), and MGCP (Media Gateway Control Protocol) data packets.

27. A router according to claim 21, wherein the selected network data packet streams include at least one of audio data, voice data, and video data.

28. A routher according to claim 21, wherein the data port numbers are Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) data port numbers.

29. A router according to claim 21, wherein the data port number are User Datagram Protocol (UDP) data port numbers.

30. A router according to claim 21, wherein the packet mapper performs both (i) and (ii).

31. A computer network having a plurality of prioritized streams of data packets providing quality of service (QoS) routing, each data packet having a packet header containing data port numbers descriptive of the data packet, the computer network comprising:

a plurality of subnetworks, each subnetwork having at least one application that generates a stream of data packets for transmission over the computer network;

a plurality of routers that prioritize streams of data packets, at least one router having a plurality of data interfaces for streams of data packets to enter and exit the router, and a packet mapper that maps the streams of data packets, wherein the packet mapper includes;

a mapping table that associates dynamically assigned data port numbers with network-reserved data port numbers from a range of data port numbers reserved for use by selected network data packet streams; and

a data port number mapper that performs at least one of;

(i) in each packet header having a dynamically assigned data port number associated with a network-reserved data port number, substituting the associated network-reserved data port number for the dynamically assigned data port number, and

(ii) in each packet header having a network-reserved data port number associated with a dynamically assigned data port number, substituting the associated dynamically assigned data port number for the network-reserved data port number.

32. A computer network according to claim 31, wherein the data port numbers include a packet source data port value and a packet destination data port value.

33. A computer network according to claim 31, further including:

a priority violation reporter that identifies unauthorized data packet streams that are not selected network data packet streams and that have data packet headers using network-reserved data port numbers.

34. A computer network according to claim 33, wherein the priority violation reporter further communicates the identity of such unauthorized data packet streams to a network administrator.

35. A computer network according to claim 31, wherein the application-related are dynamically assigned data port numbers.

36. A computer network according to claim 31, wherein the selected network data packet streams include at least one of H.323, H.225.0, H.245, RTP (Real Time Protocol), RTCP (Real Time Control Protocol), and MGCP (Media Gateway Control Protocol) data packets.

37. A computer network according to claim 31, wherein the selected network data packet streams include at least one of audio data, voice data, and video data.

38. A computer network according to claim 31, wherein the data port numbers are Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) data port numbers.

39. A computer network according to claim 31, wherein the data port numbers are User Datagran Protocol (UDP) data port numbers.

40. A computer network according to claim 31, wherein the packet mapper performs both (i) and (ii).

41. A computer program product for use on a computer system for monitoring and prioritizing streams of data packets in a computer network between end-point devices to provide quality of service (QoS) routing, each data packet having a packet header containing data port numbers descriptive of the data packet, the computer program product comprising a computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code thereon, the computer readable program code including:

program code for associating dynamically assigned data port numbers with network-reserved data port numbers from a range of data port numbers reserved for use by selected network data streams; and

program code for performing at least one of;

(i) in each packet header having a dynamically assigned data port number associated with a network-reserved data port number, substituting the associated network-reserved data port number for the dynamically assigned data port number; and

(ii) in each packet header having a network-reserved data port number associated with a dynamically assigned data port number, substituting the associated dynamically assigned data port number for the network-reserved data port number.

42. A computer program product according to claim 41, wherein the data port numbers include a packet source data port value and a packet destination data port value.

43. A computer program product according to claim 41, further including:

program code for identifying unauthorized data packet streams that are not selected network data packet streams and that have data packet headers using network-reserved data port numbers.

44. A computer program product according to claim 43, further including:

program code for communicating the identity of such unauthorized data packet streams to a network administrator.

45. A computer program product according to claim 41, wherein the application-related are dynamically assigned data port numbers.

46. A computer program product according to claim 41, wherein the selected network data packet streams include at least one of H.323, H.225.0, H.245, RTP (Real Time Protocol), RTCP (Real Time Control Protocol), and MGCP (Media Gateway Control Protocol) data packets.

47. A computer program product according to claim 41, wherein the selected network data packet streams include at least one of audio data, voice data, and video data.

48. A computer program product according to claim 41, wherein the data port numbers are Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) data port numbers.

49. (amended) A computer program product according to claim 41, wherein the data port numbers are User Datagram Protocol (UDP) data port numbers.

50. A computer program product according to claim 41, wherein in the program code for performing, both (i) and (ii) are performed.