Intercept device for providing content

• US 8,359,402 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2009
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SeaChange International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SeaChange International Incorporated
• Inventors: Cross, Matthew E., Mann, Bruce E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Backer, Firmin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chambers, Michael A
• Application Number:
  US12/621,995
• Publication Number:
  US 20100268814A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,160 Days
• Field of Search: 709/233
• US Class Current: 709/233
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/58 Caching of addresses or names
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/101 based on network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

Described are computerized methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, for network virtualization. An intercept device receives a DNS response message from a DNS server. The DNS response includes a domain name, a network address associated with the domain name, and a destination address of a first network device. The intercept device determines whether the domain name satisfies a DNS intercept criterion. If the domain name satisfies the DNS intercept criterion, then a request intercept criterion is updated to include the network address associated with the domain name. The DNS response message is transmitted on to the first network device by the intercept server.

Claims

1. A computerized method for network virtualization, the computerized method comprising:

receiving, via a first physical port of an intercept device coupled to a first communications network, a DNS response message from a DNS server on the first communications network, the DNS response including a domain name, a network address associated with the domain name, and a destination address of a first network device on a second communications network;

determining whether the domain name satisfies a DNS intercept criterion;

if the domain name satisfies the DNS intercept criterion, then updating a request intercept criterion to include the network address associated with the domain name;

transmitting, via a second physical port of the intercept device that is coupled to the second communications network, the DNS response message to the first network device;

determining whether the intercept device is in a bypass mode;

if the intercept device is in a bypass mode, then allowing one or more requests for service from the first network device that is addressed to a second network device on a third communications network to pass through to the second network device via a third physical port coupled to the third communications network;

if the intercept device is not in a bypass mode, then;

receiving, via the second physical port, a request for service from the first network device that is addressed to a second network device on a third communications network;

determining whether the request for service satisfies the request intercept criterion;

if the request for service satisfies the request intercept criterion, then;

(1) generating a response to the request for service, the generated response including data indicating that the generated response originated from the second network device; and

(2) transmitting the generated response to the first network device; and

if the request for service does not satisfy the request intercept criterion, then transmitting the request for service to the second network device via a third physical port coupled to the third communications network.

2. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein the domain name satisfies the DNS intercept criterion if the domain name is included in an intercept table of one or more domain names, the intercept table stored on a machine-readable storage medium of the intercept device.

3. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein the request intercept criterion is based on an intercept list of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses stored on a machine-readable storage medium of the intercept device.

4. The computerized method of claim 3 wherein updating the request intercept criterion to include the network address associated with the domain name comprises adding the network address to the intercept list of IP addresses.

5. The computerized method of claim 3 wherein updating the request intercept criterion to include the network address associated with the domain name comprises adding the network address to the intercept list of IP addresses.

6. The computerized method of claim 3 wherein the request for service satisfies the request intercept criterion if the destination address associated with the request for service is included in the intercept list of IP addresses.

7. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein the request for service comprises a request to retrieve content.

8. The computerized method of claim 7 wherein the content comprises graphical content, video content, audio content, or any combination thereof.

9. The computerized method of claim 7 wherein the request to retrieve content comprises an HTTP GET request.

10. The computerized method of claim 7 wherein the generated response comprises the content.

11. The computerized method of claim 7 further comprising retrieving the content from a machine-readable content database locally connected to the intercept device.

12. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein the request for service comprises a request to setup a TCP connection between the first network device and the second network device.

13. The computerized method of claim 12 wherein the generated response comprises a TCP handshake message.

14. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein the generated response comprises two or more response messages including the requested service.

15. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein one or more intermediate communications networks separate the first communications network from the first physical port, the second communications network from the second physical port, or the third communications network from the third physical port.

16. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein the first and third communications networks are the same.

17. The computerized method of claim 16 wherein the first and third physical ports are the same.

18. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein the second communications network comprises an access network for one or more user devices and the third communications network comprises a core network.

21. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein one or more intermediate communications networks separate the first communications network from the first physical port, the second communications network from the second physical port, and the third communications network from the third physical port.

19. A system for virtualizing a network, the system comprising:

a first physical port coupled to a first communications network;

a second physical port coupled to a second communications network;

a third physical port coupled to a third communications network;

a control processor having;

a computing means for receiving, via the first physical port, a DNS response message from a DNS server on the first communications network, the DNS response including a domain name, a network address associated with the domain name, and a destination address of a first network device on a second communications network;

a computing means for determining whether the domain name satisfies a DNS intercept criterion;

a computing means for updating a request intercept criterion to include the network address associated with the domain name, if the domain name satisfies the DNS intercept criterion;

a computing means for transmitting, via the second physical port, the DNS response message to the first network device;

a computing means for determining whether the intercept device is in a bypass mode;

if the intercept device is in a bypass mode, then a computing means for allowing one or more requests for service from the first network device that is addressed to a second network device on a third communications network to pass through to the second network device via a third physical port coupled to the third communications network;

if the intercept device is not in a bypass mode, then;

a computing means for receiving, via the second physical port, a request for service from the first network device that is addressed to a second network device on a third communications network;

a computing means for determining whether the request for service satisfies the request intercept criterion;

a computing means for, if the request for service satisfies the request intercept criterion;

(1) generating a response to the request for service, the generated response including data indicating that the generated response originated from the second network device; and

(2) transmitting the generated response to the first network device; and

a computing means for transmitting, via the third physical port, the request for service to the second network device, if the request for service does not satisfy the request intercept criterion.

20. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in a machine-readable storage device, the computer program product including instructions being operable to cause a data processing apparatus to:

receive, via a first physical port of an intercept device coupled to a first communications network, a DNS response message from a DNS server on the first communications network, the DNS response including a domain name, a network address associated with the domain name, and a destination address of a first network device on a second communications network;

determine whether the domain name satisfies a DNS intercept criterion;

if the domain name satisfies the DNS intercept criterion, then update a request intercept criterion to include the network address associated with the domain name;

transmit, via a second physical port of the intercept device that is coupled to the second communications network, the DNS response message to the first network device;

determine whether the intercept device is in a bypass mode;

if the intercept device is in a bypass mode, then allow one or more requests for service from the first network device that is addressed to a second network device on a third communications network to pass through to the second network device via a third physical port coupled to the third communications network;

if the intercept device is not in a bypass mode, then;

receive, via the second physical port, a request for service from the first network device that is addressed to a second network device on a third communications network;

determine whether the request for service satisfies the request intercept criterion;

if the request for service satisfies the request intercept criterion, then;

(1) generate a response to the request for service, the generated response including data indicating that the generated response originated from the second network device; and

(2) transmit the generated response to the first network device; and

if the request for service does not satisfy the request intercept criterion, then transmit the request for service to the second network device via a third physical port coupled to the third communications network.