Filtering path view graphical user interfaces and related systems and methods
First Claim
1. A network packet forwarding device having a graphical user interface (GUI), comprising:
- one or more input ports configured to receive packets from one or more source devices;
one or more output ports configured to send the packets to one or more destination devices;
a graphical user interface (GUI) configured to display to a user a path view including one or more forwarding paths for the packets from the input ports to the output ports through one or more filters using graphical representations of the input ports, the filters, the output ports and the forwarding paths, the GUI being further configured to allow the user to define filter parameters for the one or more filters to form one or more user-defined filters within the one or more forwarding paths, the one or more user-defined filters determining whether or not packets in a forwarding path from a source port to an output port are passed to the output port, and the GUI being further configured to allow the user to define one or more user-defined forwarding paths for the packets from the input ports to the user-defined filters and from the user-defined filters to the output ports using the graphical representations of the input ports, the filters, the output ports and the forwarding paths;
packet forwarding circuitry coupled between the input ports and the output ports and configured to forward packets from the input ports to the output ports;
at least one filter engine coupled to the packet forwarding circuitry and configured to use filter rules to control at least in part how packets are forwarded by the packet forwarding circuitry from the input ports to the output ports, the filter rules being configured to forward packets according to the one or more forwarding paths and according to the filter parameters defined for the one or more user-defined filters; and
a dynamic filter processor configured to automatically generate the filter rules for the filter engine from the filter parameters and to automatically apply the filter rules to the filter engine so that the filter engine is configured to cause packets to be forwarded according to the user-defined filters and the forwarding paths.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods are disclosed that allow for improved management and control of packet forwarding in network systems. Network devices and tool optimizers and a related systems and methods are disclosed for improved packet forwarding between network sources and destination tools in a network monitoring environment. The network devices and tool optimizers disclosed can include a graphical user interfaces (GUIs) through which a user can create and modify filters and select associated filter criteria for forwarding packets from input ports to output ports. The network devices and tool optimizers can also automatically generate filter rules and apply them to the appropriate filter engines so that packets are forwarded as desired by the user. The GUI can be configured to provide other features as well.
104 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A network packet forwarding device having a graphical user interface (GUI), comprising:
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one or more input ports configured to receive packets from one or more source devices; one or more output ports configured to send the packets to one or more destination devices; a graphical user interface (GUI) configured to display to a user a path view including one or more forwarding paths for the packets from the input ports to the output ports through one or more filters using graphical representations of the input ports, the filters, the output ports and the forwarding paths, the GUI being further configured to allow the user to define filter parameters for the one or more filters to form one or more user-defined filters within the one or more forwarding paths, the one or more user-defined filters determining whether or not packets in a forwarding path from a source port to an output port are passed to the output port, and the GUI being further configured to allow the user to define one or more user-defined forwarding paths for the packets from the input ports to the user-defined filters and from the user-defined filters to the output ports using the graphical representations of the input ports, the filters, the output ports and the forwarding paths; packet forwarding circuitry coupled between the input ports and the output ports and configured to forward packets from the input ports to the output ports; at least one filter engine coupled to the packet forwarding circuitry and configured to use filter rules to control at least in part how packets are forwarded by the packet forwarding circuitry from the input ports to the output ports, the filter rules being configured to forward packets according to the one or more forwarding paths and according to the filter parameters defined for the one or more user-defined filters; and a dynamic filter processor configured to automatically generate the filter rules for the filter engine from the filter parameters and to automatically apply the filter rules to the filter engine so that the filter engine is configured to cause packets to be forwarded according to the user-defined filters and the forwarding paths. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for managing packet forwarding using a graphical user interface (GUI), comprising:
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providing one or more input ports configured to receive packets from one or more source devices; providing one or more output ports configured to send the packets to one or more destination devices; displaying to a user a graphical user interface (GUI) having a path view including one or more forwarding paths for the packets from the input ports to the output ports through one or more filters using graphical representations of the input ports, the filters, the output ports and the forwarding paths; allowing the user to define through the GUI filter parameters for the one or more filters to form one or more user-defined filters within the one or more forwarding paths, the one or more user-defined filters determining whether or not packets in a forwarding path from a source port to an output port are passed to the output port; allowing the user to define through the GUI one or more user-defined forwarding paths for the packets from the input ports to the user-defined filters and from the user-defined filters to the output ports using the graphical representations of the input ports, the filters, the output ports and the forwarding paths; forwarding the packets between the input ports and the output ports using packet forwarding circuitry; controlling the packet forwarding circuitry using at least one filter engine configured to use filter rules to control at least in part how the packets are forwarded by the packet forwarding circuitry from the input ports to the output ports, the filter rules being configured to forward the packets according to the one or more forwarding paths and according to the filter parameters defined for the one or more user-defined filters; automatically generating the filter rules for the filter engine from the filter parameters; and automatically applying the filter rules to the filter engine so that the filter engine causes the packets to be forwarded according to the user-defined filters and the forwarding paths. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification