System and method for controlling distribution of network communications

• US 7,415,504 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2002
• Issued: 08/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CA, Inc. (d/b/a CA Technologies) (Broadcom, Inc.), Truntide, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Symantec Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Inventors: Schiavone, Vincent J., Koenig, James H., Brussin, David I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn; Nathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): JEAN GILLES, JUDE
• Application Number:
  US10/084,038
• Publication Number:
  US 20020120705A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,366 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-207, 709/217, 709/224, 709/202, 715/500, 370/265, 370/392, 370/393, 707/10, 707/500, 707/3, 707/204, 379/265.09
• US Class Current: 709/207
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/226 Delivery according to priorities

Abstract

A method for controlling distribution of network communications (messages). An incoming message either carries priority information, or is assigned priority information based on a shared characteristic with other messages. The priority information is used to determine how and/or when to deliver the message, e.g. by delaying the message for a fixed time. Preferences for receipt of messages by priority level may be communicated to upstream hosts along a network path. Accordingly, an intermediary host may reject and/or delay messages that the intended recipient does not wish to receive. This pushes the burden of low-priority messages back to the sender, thereby reducing or eliminating burdens on network/system resources of the recipient and/or intermediaries between the recipient and the sender. Accordingly, it can “squelch” spam messages at or close to their source. Trusted senders complying with prescribed practices may include priority information allowing for delivery of their messages with higher priority.

Claims

1. A method for controlling distribution of network communications via a communications network, the method comprising:

sampling and classifying a subset of network communications according to sender in order to determine, for every sender, a level of network communications having a certain characteristic;

identifying a plurality of subsequent network communications, each being intended for delivery to a respective recipient and each having a respective sender;

determining a priority value for each of the plurality of subsequent network communications as a function of the level previously determined for the communication'"'"'s sender; and

causing delivery of the plurality of subsequent network communications to the respective recipients in an order corresponding to the respective priority values by allocating a network connection for delivery of a relatively high priority network communication before allocating the network connection for delivery of a relatively low priority network communication.

2. A method for controlling distribution of network communications via a communications network, the method comprising:

sampling and classifying a subset of network communications according to network paths over which the communications travel in order to determine, for every network path, a level of network communications having a certain characteristic;

identifying a plurality of subsequent network communications, each having a respective network path;

determining a priority value for each of the plurality of subsequent network communications as a function of the level previously determined for its respective network path; and

delaying allocation of a network connection for delivery of a first network communication having a first priority, and allocation of the network connection for delivery of a second network communication having a second priority higher than the first priority, allocation of the network connection for delivery of the second network communication being performed before allocation of the network communication for delivery of the first network communication.

3. A method for controlling distribution of network communications via a communications network, the method comprising:

sampling network communications received from a certain sender to determine a level of network communications having a certain characteristic;

determining a priority level as a function of the level; and

assigning the priority level to subsequent network communications received from the certain sender; and

selectively allocating network connections for each of a plurality of subsequent network communications in order to receive a prioritization effect according to the assigned priority level of the incoming network communication, the prioritization effect comprising allocating a network connection for delivery of a relatively high priority network communication before allocating the network connection for delivery of a relatively low priority network communication.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the characteristic comprises containing of a virus.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the characteristic comprises undeliverability of network communication to a respective receiver.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the characteristic comprises characterization of network communication as spam.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein characterization of the network communication as spam is determined according to a pattern matching technique.

8. An apparatus for controlling distribution of network communications via a communications network, the apparatus comprising:

means for identifying a respective priority for each of a plurality of network communications by initially sampling, and classifying according to communication sender, a subset of all network communications on the communications network to determine, for every communication sender, a level of network communications having a given characteristic, wherein each of the plurality of network communications from a communications sender is assigned a priority based upon the level; and

means for allocating network connections for delivery of network communications, the means being configured to provide a prioritization effect whereby connections are allocated for delivery of the plurality of network communications in an order corresponding to respective priorities of the plurality of network communications, a network communication having a relatively high priority being allocated a network connection before another network communication having a relatively low priority;

whereby said means for allocating network connections provides unnecessary delay for allocation of a network connection for a network communication having a relatively low priority to permit allocation of said network connection for delivery of a network communication having a relatively high priority.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said delay is provided for any network communications having a certain priority.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said delay is provided for any network communication received along a certain network path.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said delay is provided for any network communication originating from a certain sender.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said delay is provided for any network communication when utilization of network resources exceeds a predetermined threshold.

13. A network appliance for controlling distribution of network communications via a communications network, the network appliance comprising:

a heuristic engine for identifying a network path for each of a plurality of network communications received by the network appliance, and for sampling a subset of the plurality of network communications, each network communication of the subset having a common network path;

a scanner for scanning each network communication of the subset and for determining a value for a sender metric for the network communications of the subset;

a rules database storing rules for delivering network communications, at least one of the rules correlating the value to a priority level; and

a connection processor for allocating network connections for delivery of network communications, the connection processor being configured to allocate network connections for certain network communications in an order of priority corresponding to the certain network communications'"'"' respective priority levels, wherein each network communication'"'"'s respective priority level is assigned according to its respective network path, and the priority level assigned to the subset of network communications having an identical network path, and wherein the order of priority is achieved by allocating a network connection for delivery of a relatively high priority network communication before allocating the network connection for delivery of a relatively low priority network communication.

14. The network appliance of claim 13, further comprising a notification module, the notification module being capable of communicating to another network appliance.

15. The network appliance of claim 13, wherein the notification module is configured to communicate via the communications network.

16. The network appliance of claim 14, wherein the notification module is configured to communicate priority level information for a corresponding network path.

17. The network appliance of claim 14, wherein the notification module is configured to communicate a preference to delay network communications from a certain network path.

18. The network appliance of claim 14, wherein the notification module is configured to communicate a request to reduce a volume of network communications directed to the network appliance.

19. The network appliance of claim 13, wherein the sampling is performed according to a predetermined sampling rate.

20. The network appliance of claim 19, wherein the predetermined sampling rate is stored in the rules database.

21. The network appliance of claim 13, wherein the sampling rate is varied over time.

22. The network appliance of claim 13, wherein the sender metric comprises a virus rate indicating a percentage of the network communications of the subset that carry a virus.

23. The network appliance of claim 13, wherein the sender metric comprises a delivery success rate indicating the percentage of the network communications of the subset that are delivered.

24. The network appliance of claim 13, wherein the sender metric comprises a spam rate indicating a percentage of the network communications of the subset that are determined to be unwanted.

25. The network appliance of claim 24, wherein the determination of whether a certain network communication is unwanted is determined by content-based analysis.

26. The network appliance of claim 24, wherein the determination of whether a certain network communication is unwanted is determined by pattern matching.

27. The network appliance of claim 13, wherein the rules database further comprises a prescribed delay corresponding to the priority level.

28. The network appliance of claim 27, wherein the prescribed delay comprises a fixed period of time.

29. The network appliance of claim 27, wherein the prescribed delay comprises delay until network resource availability reaches a certain level.

30. A system for controlling distribution of network communications via a communications network, the system comprising:

a mail server operating within an internal communications network for distribution of incoming network communications received via an external communications network; and

a network appliance logically positioned between the mail server and the external communications network, the network appliance being specially configured to selectively allocate network connections of the internal communications network for delivery of the incoming network communications to the mail server, the network appliance being further configured to allocate network connections to the incoming network communications in a prioritized manner determined according to an incoming network communication priority value corresponding to the communication'"'"'s sender, wherein the priority value is determined based on having previously sampled and classified an initial subset of network communications according to sender in order to determine, for every sender, a level of network communications having a certain characteristic, and wherein the prioritized manner of allocating network connections comprises allocating a network connection for delivery of a relatively high priority network communication before allocating the network connection for delivery of a relatively low priority network communication.

31. A network appliance for controlling distribution of network communications via a communications network, the network appliance receiving incoming network communication connections, the network appliance being capable of allocating network connections for delivering network communications, the network appliance selectively allocating network connections for each of a plurality of network communications in order to receive a prioritization effect according to an incoming network communication priority value corresponding to the communication'"'"'s sender, wherein the priority value is determined based on having previously sampled and classified an initial subset of network communications according to sender in order to determine, for every sender, a level of network communications having a certain characteristic, and wherein the prioritization effect comprises delaying allocation of a network connection for delivery of a first network communication having a first priority, and allocation of the network connection for delivery of a second network communication having a second priority higher than the first priority, allocation of the network connection for delivery of the second network communication being performed before allocation of the network communication for delivery of the first network communication.

32. A network appliance for controlling distribution of network communications via a communications network, the network appliance receiving incoming network communication connections, the network appliance being capable of allocating network connections for delivering network communications, the network appliance selectively allocating network connections for each of a plurality of network communications in order to receive a prioritization effect according to an incoming network communication priority value corresponding to the communication'"'"'s sender, wherein the priority value is determined based on having previously sampled and classified an initial subset of network communications according to sender in order to determine, for every sender, a level of network communications having a certain characteristic, and wherein the prioritization effect comprises allocating a network connection for delivery of a relatively high priority network communication before allocating the network connection for delivery of a relatively low priority network communication.

33. A method for controlling distribution of network communications via a communications network, the method comprising:

identifying a plurality of network communications, each having a respective priority level corresponding to the communication'"'"'s sender, wherein the respective priority level is determined based on having previously sampled and classified an initial subset of network communications according to sender in order to determine, for every sender, a level of network communications having a certain characteristic;

allocating network connections for delivery of network communications to allocate network connections as a function of a respective priority level of each of the plurality of network communications, wherein said allocating comprises allocating a network connection to a certain network communication having a first priority level before allocating the network connection to another network communication having a second priority level lower than the first priority level.

34. A method for controlling distribution of network communications via a communications network, the method comprising:

identifying a plurality of network communications, each having a respective priority level corresponding to the communication'"'"'s sender, wherein the respective priority level is determined based on having previously sampled and classified an initial subset of network communications according to sender in order to determine, for every sender, a level of network communications having a certain characteristic;

allocating network connections for delivery of network communications to allocate network connections as a function of a respective priority level of each of the plurality of network communications, wherein said allocating comprises causing delivery of a certain network communication having a first priority level to occur after delivery of another network communication having a second priority level higher than the first priority level.