Method and apparatus for providing multi-protocol, multi-stage, real-time frame classification
First Claim
1. A method for handling packets, comprising:
- performing preliminary multi-protocol frame classification for incoming frames;
processing at least the incoming frame and the preliminary multi-protocol frame classification to provide parsing instructions; and
providing multi-stage parsing of the incoming frame according to the parsing instructions to generate search results presenting information about the incoming frame;
wherein the processing further comprises;
storing an incoming frame in a memory buffer;
generating the parsing instructions for the incoming frame based upon the multi-protocol classification; and
aligning the generated parsing instructions with frame data selected from the incoming frames stored in the memory buffer.
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Abstract
A multi-protocol, multi-stage, real-time frame classifier is disclosed. A preliminary multi-protocol frame composition analyzer is provided for performing preliminary multi-protocol frame classification for incoming frames. A parsing instruction generator is provided for processing at least the incoming frame and the preliminary multi-protocol frame classification to provide parsing instructions. A multi-stage parsing engine provides multi-stage parsing of the incoming frame according to the parsing instructions to generate search results presenting information about the incoming frame. An advanced level of data extraction is provided across various frame protocols without imposing a performance penalty. Longest prefix match searches and/or direct lookup searches are supported. Moreover, conditional extractions, instruction branching, multi-stage processing are all performed in real time.
98 Citations
66 Claims
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1. A method for handling packets, comprising:
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performing preliminary multi-protocol frame classification for incoming frames;
processing at least the incoming frame and the preliminary multi-protocol frame classification to provide parsing instructions; and
providing multi-stage parsing of the incoming frame according to the parsing instructions to generate search results presenting information about the incoming frame;
wherein the processing further comprises;
storing an incoming frame in a memory buffer;
generating the parsing instructions for the incoming frame based upon the multi-protocol classification; and
aligning the generated parsing instructions with frame data selected from the incoming frames stored in the memory buffer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A multi-protocol, multi-stage, real-time frame classifier, comprising:
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a preliminary multi-protocol frame composition analyzer for performing preliminary multi-protocol frame classification for incoming frames;
a parsing instruction generator for processing at least the incoming frame and the preliminary multi-protocol frame classification to provide parsing instructions; and
a multi-stage parsing engine for providing multi-stage parsing of the incoming frame according to the parsing instructions to generate search results presenting information about the incoming frame;
wherein the parsing instruction generator processing further comprises;
a memory buffer for storing an incoming frame;
an instruction generator for creating the parsing instructions for the incoming frame based upon the multi-protocol frame classification; and
a data pipe for aligning the generated parsing instructions with frame data selected from the incoming frames stored in the memory buffer. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium readable by a computer, the medium tangibly embodying one or more programs of instructions executable by the computer to perform a method for parsing frames in a network flow, the method comprising:
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performing preliminary multi-protocol frame classification for incoming frames;
processing at least the incoming frame and the preliminary multi-protocol frame classification to provide parsing instructions; and
providing multi-stage parsing of the incoming frame according to the parsing instructions to generate search results presenting information about the incoming frame ;
wherein the processing further comprises;
storing an incoming frame in a memory buffer;
generating the parsing instructions for the incoming frame based upon the multi-protocol classification; and
aligning the generated parsing instructions with frame data selected from the incoming frames stored in the memory buffer. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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Specification