Application based routing arrangements and method thereof

• US 8,874,789 B1
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trend Micro Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trend Micro Inc.
• Inventors: Zhu, Jialai
• Primary Examiner(s): Dharia, Rupal
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ahmed, Mohammed
• Application Number:
  US11/864,379
• Time in Patent Office: 2,587 Days
• Field of Search: 709/242, 709/238, 709/239, 709/240
• US Class Current: 709/242
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00

Abstract

An application-based routing arrangement for routing a plurality of data packets associated with a set of applications partially through a network is provided. The application based policy includes the first set of rules associated with the first application of the set of applications, which includes the first routing specification for routing the first set of data packets. The application routing table is configured to dynamically update the first set of parameters when the first application is connected to the network. The application routing table also includes a hook module to configure the matching of the first data packet associated with the first application against the application routing table to determine the first routing specification using the first routing specification if a match is found.

Claims

1. An application-based routing arrangement for routing a plurality of data packets associated with a set of applications at least partially through a network, said set of applications including at least a first application, said plurality of data packets including at least a first set of data packets associated with said first application, said application-based routing arrangement comprising:

an application based policy, said application based policy including at least a first set of rules associated with said first application, said first set or rules including at least a first routing specification for routing said first set of data packets;

an application routing table separate from said application based policy;

a hook module, said hook module being configured to query said application based policy to obtain said first set of rules, said hook module being further configured to update said application routing table with a first set of routing parameters according to said first set of rules to make said first set of routing parameters exist in said application routing table, said first set of routing parameters including at least a first destination address, said hook module being further configured at least for updating, responsive to said first application establishing a connection, said application routing table with a second set of routing parameters, said hook module being further configured at least for deleting at least one of said first set of routing parameters and said second set of routing parameters from said application routing table said deleting being responsive to said first application being disconnected from said network;

a routing module configured to route said first set of data packets to said first destination address according to said first set of routing parameters in said application routing table;

said hook module is further configured to remove said second set of routing parameters from said application routing table, said second set of routing parameters being associated with a second application of said set of applications,

said routing module is further configured to determine whether said second set of routing parameters exists in said application routing table, and

said hook module is further configured to remove said second set of routing parameters from said application routing table, said second set of routing parameters being associated with a second application of said set of applications,

said routing module is further configured to determine whether said second set of routing parameters exists in said application routing table, and

said routing module is further configured to route a second set of data packets to a second destination address after said routing module has determined that second set of routing parameters does not exist in said application routing table, said second set of data packets being generated by said second application of said set of applications, said second destination address being stored in said second set of data packets; and

circuits for performing tasks associated with one or more of said application based policy, said application routing table, said hook module, and said routing module;

matching, using said programmed computing device, said first set of data packets against said application routing table;

if a match between said first set of data packets and said application routing table is found, sending, using said programmed computing device, said first set of data packets using a routing specification included in said first set of rules, and

if no match between said first set of data packets and said application routing table is found, sending, using said programmed computing device, said first data packet according to a standard routing table.

2. The application-based routing arrangement of claim 1 wherein said hook module is configured for at least checking said application based policy to determine if said first set of rules has been established for said first application, said checking is being responsive to said first application being connected to said network.

3. The application-based routing arrangement of claim 1 wherein said hook module is a socket application programming interface (API) hook configured to extract API parameters from an API when said first application is trying to interact with another application via the Internet.

4. The application-based routing arrangement of claim 1 wherein said first set of parameters including at least said first destination address, a source address, a destination port, a source port, a control protocol, and said first routing specification, said first destination address being different from a second destination address, said second destination address being stored in said first set of data packets.

5. The application-based routing arrangement of claim 1 wherein a second routing specification for routing said first data packet is determined by a standard routing table when a match between said first application and said application routing table is not found.

11. The application based routing arrangement of claim 1 wherein said hook module is coupled between said application based policy and said application routing table.

12. The application-based roaming arrangement of claim 1 wherein said routing module includes at least both said application routing table and a standard routing table, said routing module set sending a second set of data packets according to said standard routing table when no routing parameters associated with a second application exist in said application routing table, said second set of data packets being associated with said second application.

6. A method for routing a plurality of data packets associated with a set of applications at least partially through a network, said set of applications including at least a first application, said plurality of data packets including at least a first set of data packets associated with said first application, said method comprising:

checking, using a programmed computing device, an application based policy to determine whether a first set of rules has been established for routing packets associated with said first application, said application based policy being configured to include a set of rules for routing data packets associated with said set of applications;

if said first set of rules exists updating, using said programmed computing device, an application routing table with a first set of routing parameters according to said first set of rules to make said first set of routing parameters exist in said application routing table, said first set of routing parameters including at least a first destination address, said first set of routing parameters being associated with said first application, said updating being responsive to said first application being connected to said network;

rotating, using said programmed computing device, said first set of data packets to said first destination address according to said first set of routing parameters;

updating, using said programmed computing device, said application routing table with a second set of routing parameters, responsive to said first application establishing a connection with a second destination address, said second set of routing parameters including at least said second destination address and said routing specification, said routing specification being defined based on said first set of rules stored on said application based policy;

deleting, using said programmed computing device, at least one of said first set of routing parameters and said second set of routing parameters from said application routing table, said deleting being responsive to said first application being disconnected from said network;

removing, using said programmed computing device, said second set of routing parameters from said application routing table, said second set of routing parameters being associated with a second application of said set of applications;

determining, using said programmed computing device, whether said second set of routing, parameters exists in said application routing table; and

routing using said programmed computing device, a second set of data packets to a second destination address after ascertaining that said second set of routing parameters does not exist in said application routing table, said second set of data packets being generated by said second application of said set of applications, said second destination address being stored in said second set of data packets;

matching, using said programmed computing device, said first set of data packets against said application routing table;

if a match between said first set of data packets and said application routing table is found, sending, using said programmed computing device, said first set of data packets using a routing specification included in said first set of rules, and

if no match between said first set of data packets and said application routing table is found, sending, using said programmed computing device, said first data packet according to a standard routing table.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein a hook module is employed to perform said checking, said checking being responsive to said first application being initially connected to said network.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said hook module is employed to perform said updating on said application routing table, and wherein said hook module is a socket application programming interface (API) hook configured to extract API parameters from an API when said first application is trying to interact with another application via the Internet.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein said first set of parameters including at least said first destination address, a source address, a destination port, a source port, a control protocol, and said routing specification, said first destination address being different from a second destination address, said second desalination address being stored in said first set of data packets.

13. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

receiving, using said programmed computing device, said first set of rules, set first set of rules being defined by a user of said programmed computing device; and

including, using said programmed computing device, said first set of rules in said application based policy.

14. The method of claim 6 wherein said first set of rules requires that said first set of data packets be routed through a virtual private network.

10. A method for routing a plurality of data packets associated with a set of applications at least partially through a network, said set of applications including at least a first application, said plurality of data packets including at least a first set of data packets associated with said first application, said method comprising:

checking using a programmed computing device, an application based policy to determine whether a first set of rules has been established for routing packets associated with said first application, said application based policy being configured to include a set of rules for routing data packets associated with said set of applications;

if said first set of rules exists, updating, using said programmed computing device, an application routing table with a first set of routing parameters according to said first set of rules to make said first set of routing parameters exist in said application routing table, said first set of routing parameters including at least a first destination address, said first set of routing parameters being associated with said first application, said updating being responsive to said first application being connected to said network;

routing, using said programmed computing device, said first set of data packets to said first destination address according to said first set of routing parameters;

updating, using said programmed computing device, said application routing table with a second set of routing parameters, responsive to said first application establishing a connection with a second destination address, said second set of routing parameters including at least said second destination address and said routing specification, said routing specification being defined based on said first set of rules stored on said application based policy;

deleting, using said programmed computing device, at least one of said first set of routing parameters and said second set of routing parameters from said application routing table, said deleting being responsive to said first application being disconnected from said network;

removing, using said programmed computing device, said second set of routing parameters from said application routing table, said second set of routing parameters being associated with a second application of said set of applications;

determining, using said programmed computing device, whether said second set of routing, parameters exists in said application routing table; and

routing using said programmed computing device, a second set of data packets to a second destination address after ascertaining that said second set of routing parameters does not exist in said application routing table, said second set of data packets being generated by said second application of said set of applications, said second destination address being stored in said second set of data packets;

matching, using said programmed computing device, said first set of data packets against said application routing table;

if a match between said first set of data packets and said application routing table is found, sending, using said programmed computing device, said first set of data packets using a routing specification included in said first set of rules, and

if no match between said first set of data packets and said application routing table is found, sending, using said programmed computing device, said first data packet according to a standard routing table.