Programming a data network device using user defined scripts

• US 9,986,061 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2014
• Issued: 05/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: A10 Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: A10 Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: Jalan, Rajkumar, Sampat, Rishi
• Primary Examiner(s): Bates, Kevin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Siddiqi, Emad
• Application Number:
  US14/295,265
• Publication Number:
  US 20150350379A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,456 Days
• Field of Search: 709203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments for programming a network device using user-defined scripts are disclosed. The systems and methods provide for a servicing node to receive a request for a network session between a client device and a server, receive a user defined class and a user defined object configuration from a node controller, and use the information to instruct an object virtual machine to generate at least one user defined object. The servicing node can then apply the at least one user defined object to a data packet of the network session, where the user defined object allows a user to configure the network device with user-defined instruction scripts.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a servicing node including a network device, the servicing node comprising;

at least one user defined object; and

an object virtual machine;

the servicing node being configured to;

receive a data packet of a network session between a client device and a server;

receive a user defined class and a user defined object configuration, the user defined class including user-defined instruction scripts provided by a user of the network device defined instruction scripts, the user defined object configuration including at least one or more configurations defined by the user of the network device for creating at least one user defined object;

instruct the object virtual machine to generate the at least one user defined object based on the user defined class and the user defined object configuration, the at least one user defined object including one or more parameters to enable the user-defined instruction scripts to be executed by the object virtual machine, the at least one user defined object being stored at the servicing node to configure the servicing node to execute the user-defined instruction scripts; and

apply, using the object virtual machine, the at least one user defined object to the data packet of the network session; and

a hardware node controller configured to provide the user defined class and the user defined object configuration to the servicing node.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the servicing node further comprises a network application.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the servicing node applies the user defined object in conjunction with the network application to process the network session between the client device and the server.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the user defined class includes a template for one or more instruction to create the user defined object.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the servicing node applies the user defined object after receiving the user defined object configuration and user defined class, prior to the processing the network session between the client device and the server.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the servicing node applies the user defined object after receiving the user defined object configuration and the user defined class, while the network session is in progress.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one user defined objects is configured with a different IP address.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the user defined class requires a license to create the at least one user defined object.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the object virtual machine determines if the at least one user defined object is applicable to the data packet of the network session.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the object virtual machine applies a security policy to the data packet of the network session.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the object virtual machine matches the data packet of the network application with a list of permissible network applications.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the object virtual machine provides object variables of the at least one user defined object to the at least one node controller.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the object variables comprise accounting data and statistics data.

14. A method to configure a network device with user-defined instruction scripts, the method comprising:

receiving, by the network device comprising a servicing node, a data packet of a network session between a client device and a server;

receiving a user defined class and a user defined object configuration at the servicing node, the servicing node comprising an object virtual machine, the user defined class including the user-defined instruction scripts provided by a user of the network device, the user defined object configuration including at least one or more configurations defined by the user of the network device for creating at least one user defined object;

instructing, by the servicing node, the object virtual machine to generate the at least one user defined object based on the user defined class and the user defined object configuration, the at least one user defined object including one or more parameters to enable the user-defined instruction scripts to be executed by the object virtual machine, the at least one user defined object being stored at the servicing node to configure the servicing node to execute the user-defined instruction scripts; and

applying, by the servicing node using the object virtual machine, the at least one user defined object to the data packet of the network session.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the user defined class requires a license to create the at least one user defined object.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the object virtual machine determines if the at least one user defined object is applicable to the data packet of the network session.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the object virtual machine applies a security policy to the data packet of the network session.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the object virtual machine provides object variables of the at least one user defined object to the at least one node controller.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the object variables comprise accounting data and statistics data.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions, which when executed by one or more processors of a network controller, perform a method for configuring a network device with user-defined instruction scripts, the method comprising:

receiving, by the network device comprising a servicing node, a data packet of a network session between a client device and a server;

receiving a user defined class and a user defined object configuration at the servicing node, the servicing node comprising an object virtual machine, the user defined class including the user-defined instruction scripts provided by a user of the network device, the user defined object configuration including at least one or more configurations defined by the user of the network device for creating at least one user defined object;

instructing, by the servicing node, the object virtual machine to generate the at least one user defined object based on the user defined class and the user defined object configuration, the at least one user defined object including one or more parameters to enable the user-defined instruction scripts to be executed by the object virtual machine, the at least one user defined object being stored at the servicing node to configure the servicing node to execute the user-defined instruction scripts; and

applying, by the servicing node using the object virtual machine, the at least one user defined object to the data packet of the network session.