Programming a data network device using user defined scripts with licenses

• US 9,992,229 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2014
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• 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 H
• Application Number:
  US14/492,465
• Publication Number:
  US 20160057252A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,352 Days
• Field of Search: 709203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1416 Event detection, e.g. attack signature detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• 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 for configuring a network device with user-defined instruction scripts, the system comprising:

a servicing node, comprising;

at least one user-defined object;

a first processor; and

a first memory coupled to the first processor, the first memory storing instructions executable by the first processor; and

an object virtual machine;

the servicing node being configured to;

receive a request for a network session between a client device and a server;

receive a user-defined class with a license and a user-defined object configuration, wherein the user-defined class with the license and the user-defined object configuration includes the user-defined instruction scripts provided by a user of the network device to the servicing node;

instruct the object virtual machine to generate 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; and

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

the object virtual machine being configured to;

determine, based on the license, whether the servicing node is licensed to use the user-defined class; and

based on the determining that the servicing node is licensed to use the user-defined class with the license, generate, on the servicing node, the at least one user-defined object in response to the instructing, the at least one user defined object being executed and stored at the servicing node to configure the servicing node to execute the user-defined instruction scripts; and

at least one node controller comprising;

a second processor; and

a second memory coupled to the second processor, the second memory storing instructions executable by the first processor to send the user-defined class with the license 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 the user-defined class, prior to 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 user-defined class, while the network session is in progress.

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

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the license for the user-defined class is enabled as directed by the user.

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 a servicing node, a request for a network session between a client device and a server;

receiving a user-defined class with a license and a user-defined object configuration at the servicing node, the servicing node comprising an object virtual machine, wherein the user-defined class with the license and the user-defined object configuration includes the user-defined instruction scripts provided by a user of the network device to the servicing node;

instructing, by the servicing node, the object virtual machine to generate 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;

determining, by the object virtual machine, based on the license, whether the servicing node is licensed to use the user-defined class;

based on the determining that the servicing node is licensed to use the user-defined class with the license, generating, by the object virtual machine on the servicing node, the at least one user-defined object in response to the instructing, the at least one user defined object being executed and 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 a data packet of the network session.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the license for the user-defined class is enabled as directed by the user.

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 a servicing node, a request for a network session between a client device and a server;

receiving a user-defined class with a license and a user-defined object configuration at the servicing node, the servicing node comprising an object virtual machine, wherein the user-defined class with the license and the user-defined object configuration includes the user-defined instruction scripts provided by a user of the network device to the servicing node;

instructing, by the servicing node, the object virtual machine to generate 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;

determining, by the object virtual machine, based on the license, whether the servicing node is licensed to use the user-defined class;

based on the determining that the servicing node is licensed to use the user-defined class with the license, generating, by the object virtual machine on the servicing node, the at least one user-defined object in response to the instructing, the at least one user defined object being executed and 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 a data packet of the network session.