×

Systems and methods for a protocol gateway

  • US 7,707,401 B2
  • Filed: 06/10/2003
  • Issued: 04/27/2010
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2002
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A method for managing a communication protocol in a network, the method comprising:

  • receiving at a firewall a plurality of messages from a computer network;

    intercepting with an enforcer module executing on a computing device selected messages of the plurality of messages, the selected messages comprising each of the plurality of messages associated with an instant messaging protocol;

    comparing the instant messaging protocol of each of the selected messages with at least one protocol template stored by the enforcer module, the instant messaging protocol of each selected message comprising (i) a screen name of a user originating the selected message and (ii) at least one of a source internet protocol (IP) address and a port number;

    based on said comparing, redirecting to a protocol message gateway within the computer network each selected message having bypassed the protocol message gateway, wherein said redirecting comprises using a content vectoring protocol;

    for each redirected selected message,identifying with an authentication module of the protocol message gateway a unique user name associated with the screen name of the user originating the redirected selected message,based at least in part on the unique user name, selecting a policy rule for restricting the user'"'"'s usage of the instant messaging protocol, andapplying the selected policy rule to the redirected selected message.

View all claims
  • 30 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×