Data flow segment optimized for hot flows

• US 9,338,095 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: F5 Networks, Inc. (F5 Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: F5 Networks, Inc. (F5 Incorporated)
• Inventors: Szabo, Paul Imre, Thornewell, Peter Michael, Michels, Timothy Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Kao, Jutai
• Application Number:
  US13/802,254
• Publication Number:
  US 20130294239A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,154 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/38 Flow based routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/64 using an overlay routing layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/12 Avoiding congestion; Recovering from congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/169 Special adaptations of TCP, UDP or IP for interworking of IP based networks with other networks protocols for interworking, protocol conversion H04L69/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers

Abstract

Embodiments are directed towards improving the performance of network traffic management devices by optimizing the management of hot connection flows. A packet traffic management device (“PTMD”) may employ a data flow segment (“DFS”) and control segment (“CS”). The CS may perform high-level control functions and per-flow policy enforcement for connection flows maintained at the DFS, while the DFS may perform statistics gathering, per-packet policy enforcement (e.g., packet address translations), or the like, on connection flows maintained at the DFS. The DFS may include high-speed flow caches and other high-speed components that may be comprised of high-performance computer memory. Making efficient use of the high speed flow cache capacity may be improved by maximizing the number of hot connection flows and minimizing the number of malicious and/or in-operative connections flows (e.g., non-genuine flows) that may have flow control data stored in the high-speed flow cache.

Claims

1. A method for managing communication over a network with a traffic management device (TMD) that includes a plurality of components and is operative to perform actions, comprising:

employing at least one data flow segment (DFS) component to provide packet level flow handling for a portion of a plurality of connection flows;

employing at least one control segment (CS) component to perform actions, including;

managing the plurality of connection flows and handling a remainder portion of the plurality of connection flows;

generating at least one connection flow metric based on at least one received network packet for at least one of the plurality of managed connection flows;

employing the at least one connection flow metric to determine each hot connection flow in the plurality of managed connection flows;

determining each hot connection flow to be handled by the DFS component wherein identifying each hot connection flow is based at least on a predicted connection flow capacity of the CS component, and wherein a percentile of connection flows are identified as hot connection flows; and

employing the DFS component to handle each determined hot connection flow.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein employing the at least one connection flow metric further comprises determining each hot connection flow handled by the DFS component if the plurality of managed connection flows exceeds a capacity of the DFS component.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein employing the at least one connection flow metric further comprises sorting the plurality of managed connection flows based on at least a total amount of data exchanged over a time interval.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein employing the at least one connection flow metric further comprises:

determining a median bit-rate of data communicated for at least one connection flow being handled by the CS component; and

employing the median bit-rate of data communicated for at least one connection flow and at least a bit-rate capacity of the CS component to estimate the maximum number of connection flows the CS component can handle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining each hot connection flow to be handled by the DFS component further comprises, identifying each hot connection flow to be handled by the DFS component based at least on a total amount of data communicated over a time interval, wherein N number of connection flows having a top total amount of data communicated over the time interval are identified as hot connection flows.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the at least one connection flow metric further comprises, examining contents of the at least one received network packet to identify at least one of a data pattern, or a meta data which indicates that the at least one of the plurality of connection flows is a hot connection flow.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the CS component performs further actions, comprising:

dividing each connection flow into an upload portion and a download portion;

generating separate connection flow metrics for each upload portion and each download portion of each of the plurality of managed connection flows;

employing each connection flow metric to determine each hot download portion and each hot upload portion of the plurality of managed connection flows;

determining each hot upload portion and each download portion of the plurality of managed connection flows to be handled by the DFS component; and

employing the DFS component to handle each determined hot upload portion and each download portion of the plurality of connection flows.

8. A traffic management device (TMD) that includes a plurality of components for managing communication over a network and is operative to perform actions, comprising:

a transceiver that is operative to communicate data over the network;

a memory that is operative to store instructions; and

a processor that is operative to execute instructions that enable actions, including;

employing at least one data flow segment (DFS) component to provide packet level flow handling for a portion of a plurality of connection flows; and

employing at least one control segment (CS) component to perform actions, comprising;

managing the plurality of connection flows and handling a remainder portion of the plurality of connection flows;

generating at least one connection flow metric based on at least one received network packet for at least one of the plurality of managed connection flows;

employing the at least one connection flow metric to determine each hot connection flow in the plurality of managed connection flows;

determining each hot connection flow to be handled by the DFS component, wherein identifying each hot connection flow is based at least on a predicted connection flow capacity of the CS component, and wherein a percentile of connection flows are identified as hot connection flows; and

employing the DFS component to handle each determined hot connection flow.

9. The TMD of claim 8, wherein employing the at least one connection flow metric further comprises determining each hot connection flow handled by the DFS component if the plurality of managed connection flows exceeds a capacity of the DFS component.

10. The TMD of claim 8, wherein employing the at least one connection flow metric further comprises sorting the plurality of managed connection flows based on at least a total amount of data exchanged over a time interval.

11. The TMD of claim 8, wherein employing the at least one connection flow metric further comprises:

determining a median bit-rate of data communicated for at least one connection flow being handled by the CS component; and

employing the median bit-rate of data communicated for at least one connection flow and at least a bit-rate capacity of the CS component to estimate the maximum number of connection flows the CS component can handle.

12. The TMD of claim 8, wherein determining each hot connection flow to be handled by the DFS component further comprises, identifying each hot connection flow to be handled by the DFS component based at least on a total amount of data communicated over a time interval, wherein N number of connection flows having a top total amount of data communicated over the time interval are identified as hot connection flows.

13. The TMD of claim 8, wherein generating the at least one connection flow metric further comprises, examining contents of the at least one received network packet to identify at least one of a data pattern, or a meta data which indicates that the at least one of the plurality of connection flows is a hot connection flow.

14. The TMD of claim 8, wherein the CS component performs further actions, comprising:

dividing each connection flow into an upload portion and a download portion;

generating separate connection flow metrics for each upload portion and each download portion of each of the plurality of managed connection flows;

employing each connection flow metric to determine each hot download portion and each hot upload portion of the plurality of managed connection flows;

determining each hot upload portion and each download portion of the plurality of managed connection flows to be handled by the DFS component; and

employing the DFS component to handle each determined hot upload portion and each download portion of the plurality of connection flows.

15. A processor readable non-transitory storage media that is operative to store processor executable instructions for managing communication over a network with a traffic management device (TMD) having a plurality of components, wherein execution of the instructions by a processor enables the TMD to perform actions, comprising:

employing at least one data flow segment (DFS) component to provide packet level flow handling for a portion of a plurality of connection flows;

employing at least one control segment (CS) component to perform actions, including;

managing the plurality of connection flows and handling a remainder portion of the plurality of connection flows;

generating at least one connection flow metric based on at least one received network packet for at least one of the plurality of managed connection flows;

employing the at least one connection flow metric to determine each hot connection flow in the plurality of managed connection flows;

determining each hot connection flow to be handled by the DFS component wherein identifying each hot connection flow is based at least on a predicted connection flow capacity of the CS component, and wherein a percentile of connection flows are identified as hot connection flows; and

employing the DFS component to handle each determined hot connection flow.

16. The media of claim 15, wherein employing the at least one connection flow metric further comprises determining each hot connection flow handled by the DFS component if the plurality of managed connection flows exceeds a capacity of the DFS component.

17. The media of claim 15, wherein employing the at least one connection flow metric further comprises sorting the plurality of managed connection flows based on at least a total amount of data exchanged over a time interval.

18. The media of claim 15, wherein employing the at least one connection flow metric further comprises:

determining a median bit-rate of data communicated for at least one connection flow being handled by the CS component; and

employing the median bit-rate of data communicated for at least one connection flow and at least a bit-rate capacity of the CS component to estimate the maximum number of connection flows the CS component can handle.

19. The media of claim 15, wherein determining each hot connection flow to be handled by the DFS component further comprises, identifying each hot connection flow to be handled by the DFS component based at least on a total amount of data communicated over a time interval, wherein N number of connection flows having a top total amount of data communicated over the time interval are identified as hot connection flows.

20. The media of claim 15, wherein generating the at least one connection flow metric further comprises, examining contents of the at least one received network packet to identify at least one of a data pattern, or a meta data which indicates that the at least one of the plurality of connection flows is a hot connection flow.

21. The media of claim 15, wherein the CS component performs further actions, comprising:

dividing each connection flow into an upload portion and a download portion;

generating separate connection flow metrics for each upload portion and each download portion of each of the plurality of managed connection flows;

employing each connection flow metric to determine each hot download portion and each hot upload portion of the plurality of managed connection flows;

determining each hot upload portion and each download portion of the plurality of managed connection flows to be handled by the DFS component; and

employing the DFS component to handle each determined hot upload portion and each download portion of the plurality of connection flows.