CLOUD COMPUTING ENHANCED GATEWAY FOR COMMUNICATION NETWORKS

• US 20130103827A1
• Filed: 10/18/2012
• Published: 04/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Dunlap, Wayne G., Menchaca, Benjamin M., Nowakowski, Ryan A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,148,381 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/13 in a LAN segment, e.g. ring or bus
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/19 at layers above the network layer network arrangements for networked applications for scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/20 Traffic policing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2441 relying on flow classification, e.g. using integrated services [IntServ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2475 for supporting traffic characterised by the type of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2483 involving identification of individual flows

Abstract

A network traffic managing node of a local area network, such as a router or gateway, can monitor network traffic of the local area network. A network event associated with the local area network is detected using the network traffic managing node. The network event is reported from the network traffic managing node to one or more servers of a cloud-based computing network. A network policy update for the network traffic managing node is received from the cloud-based computing network. The network policy update is based, at least in part, on a type of network event reported to the cloud-based computing network. The network policy update is implemented at the network traffic managing node to process and/or resolve the network event.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

monitoring network traffic of a local area network (LAN);

detecting a network event associated with the LAN;

reporting the network event to one or more servers of a cloud-based computing network;

receiving a network policy update for the LAN from the one or more servers of the cloud-based computing network, wherein the network policy update is based, at least in part, on a type of network event reported to the one or more servers of the cloud-based computing network; and

implementing the network policy update at the LAN.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said monitoring, detecting, reporting, receiving, and implementing are performed by a network traffic managing node of the LAN.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the network traffic managing node comprises a router of the LAN.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the network traffic managing node comprises a computer system including one or more of a router, an access point, a cable modem, and a network switch of the LAN.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said detecting the network event associated with the LAN comprises at least one of detecting an oversubscription event at the LAN, detecting an unknown packet stream at the LAN, and detecting a network failure event at the LAN.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said implementing the network policy update comprises implementing the network policy update after configuration of a network traffic managing node of the LAN to process and resolve the network event.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said monitoring network traffic of the LAN comprises monitoring network traffic sent from one or more of a plurality of network devices of the LAN to a wide area network and monitoring network traffic sent from a remote network node of the wide area network to one or more of the plurality of network devices of the LAN.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the network policy update received from the one or more servers of the cloud-based computing network is based on the type of network event reported to the one or more servers of the cloud-based computing network and based on an analysis of aggregate data associated with the type of network event that is collected at the cloud-based computing network from a plurality of additional local area networks.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting network activity associated with the LAN;

reporting the network activity associated with the LAN to one or more servers of a cloud-based computing network; and

receiving network alerts at the LAN from the cloud-based computing network.

10. A method comprising:

classifying a plurality of packet streams detected at a network traffic managing node of a local area network (LAN);

detecting an unknown packet stream at the network traffic managing node;

selecting a default classification for the unknown packet stream;

reporting information associated with the unknown packet stream from the network traffic managing node to one or more servers of a cloud-based computing network;

receiving, at the network traffic managing node, a packet stream detection policy update for the unknown packet stream from the cloud-based computing network; and

implementing the packet stream detection policy update at the network traffic managing node for subsequently detecting and classifying the unknown packet stream.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said classifying the plurality of packet streams detected at the network traffic managing node comprises:

detecting packet stream characteristics associated with the plurality of packet streams;

determining an application associated with each of the plurality of packet streams based, at least in part, on the corresponding packet stream characteristics; and

classifying each of the plurality of packet streams based, at least in part, on the application associated with each of the packet streams.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said classifying the plurality of packet streams detected at the network traffic managing node comprises classifying the plurality of packet streams based on at least one of an application associated with each of the plurality of packet streams and an application type associated with each of the plurality of packet streams.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said detecting the unknown packet stream at the network traffic managing node and selecting the default classification for the unknown packet stream comprises:

determining that an application associated with a packet stream received at the network traffic managing node is unknown; and

selecting the default classification for the unknown packet stream in response to determining the application is unknown.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein said detecting the unknown packet stream at the network traffic managing node and selecting the default classification for the unknown packet stream comprises:

determining that an application associated with a packet stream received at the network traffic managing node is unknown;

determining an application type associated with the unknown packet stream; and

selecting the default classification for the unknown packet stream based on the application type associated with the unknown packet stream.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein said reporting information associated with the unknown packet stream from the network traffic managing node to one or more servers of a cloud-based computing network comprises reporting packet stream characteristics associated with the unknown packet stream.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising, in addition to receiving the packet stream detection policy update, receiving information indicating an application associated with the unknown packet stream and a classification for the unknown packet stream.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein said implementing the packet stream detection policy update at the network traffic managing node for subsequently detecting and classifying the unknown packet stream comprises:

detecting, at the network traffic managing node, packet stream characteristic associated with a previously unknown packet stream according to the packet stream detection policy update;

determining an application associated with the packet stream characteristics according to the packet stream detection policy update; and

selecting a classification for the previously unknown packet stream based on the application associated with the packet stream characteristics.

18. A method comprising:

receiving, at one or more servers of a cloud-based computing network, a report message from a router of a local area network (LAN) indicating a network event that was detected at the router;

determining a type of network event that was detected by the router at the LAN;

aggregating data associated with the type of network event reported by the router with data previously received from other routers that also detected the type of network event;

analyzing the aggregate data associated with the type of network event;

determining network policy updates associated with the type of network event based on results of the analysis of the aggregate data associated with the type of network event; and

sending the network policy updates to the router of the LAN to configure the router with the network policy updates associated with the type of network event.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said determining the type of network event that was detected by the router at the LAN comprises determining that the type of network event is one of an oversubscription event at the LAN, a detection of an unknown packet stream at the router, a receipt of a network analysis report from the router, and a detection of a network failure event at the LAN.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising sending commands to the router of the LAN based on results of the analysis of the aggregate data associated with the type of network event to request a temporary storage of content at the router.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein said determining network policy updates associated with the type of network event based on results of the analysis of the aggregate data associated with the type of network event comprises determining network policy updates for processing and resolving the type of network event detected at the router.

22. A network router comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memory units configured to store one or more instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the network router to perform operations that comprise;

monitoring network traffic of a local area network (LAN);

detecting a network event associated with the LAN;

reporting the network event to one or more servers of a cloud-based computing network;

receiving a network policy update for the network router from the one or more servers of the cloud-based computing network, wherein the network policy update is based, at least in part, on a type of network event reported to the one or more servers of the cloud-based computing network; and

implementing the network policy update at the network router.

23. The network router of claim 22, wherein the network event associated with the LAN comprises one of an oversubscription event at the LAN, an unknown packet stream received at the network router, and a network failure event at the LAN.

24. The network router of claim 22, wherein the one or more instructions executed by the one or more processors causes the network router to perform operations that further comprise processing and resolving the network event by implementing the network policy update after configuration of the network router.

25. The network router of claim 22, wherein the one or more instructions executed by the one or more processors causes the network router to perform operations that further comprise:

detecting network activity associated with the LAN;

reporting the network activity associated with the LAN to one or more servers of a cloud-based computing network; and

receiving network alerts at the network router from the cloud-based computing network.

26. A network router comprising:

a processor; and

a network monitoring unit coupled with the processor and configured to;

classify a plurality of packet streams detected at the network router of a local area network (LAN);

detect an unknown packet stream received at the network router;

select a default classification for the unknown packet stream;

report information associated with the unknown packet stream to one or more servers of a cloud-based computing network;

receive, from the cloud-based computing network, a packet stream detection policy update for the unknown packet stream; and

implement the packet stream detection policy update at the network router for subsequently detecting and classifying the unknown packet stream.

27. The network router of claim 26, wherein the network monitoring unit configured to classify the plurality of packet streams detected at the network router comprises the network monitoring unit configured to:

detect packet stream characteristics associated with the plurality of packet streams;

determine an application associated with each of the plurality of packet streams based, at least in part, on the corresponding packet stream characteristics; and

classify each of the plurality of packet streams based, at least in part, on the application associated with each of the packet streams.

28. The network router of claim 26, wherein the network monitoring unit configured to classify the plurality of packet streams detected at the network router comprises the network monitoring unit configured to classify the plurality of packet streams based on at least one of an application associated with each of the plurality of packet streams and an application type associated with each of the plurality of packet streams.

29. The network router of claim 26, wherein the network monitoring unit configured to detect the unknown packet stream at the network traffic managing node and select the default classification for the unknown packet stream comprises the network monitoring unit configured to:

determine that an application associated with a packet stream received at the network router is unknown; and

select the default classification for the unknown packet stream in response to determining the application is unknown.

30. The network router of claim 26, wherein the network monitoring unit configured to detect the unknown packet stream at the network router and select the default classification for the unknown packet stream comprises the network monitoring unit configured to:

determine that an application associated with a packet stream received at the network router is unknown;

determine an application type associated with the unknown packet stream; and

select the default classification for the unknown packet stream based on the application type associated with the unknown packet stream.

31. The network router of claim 26, wherein the network monitoring unit configured to report information associated with the unknown packet stream to one or more servers of a cloud-based computing network comprises the network monitoring unit configured to report packet stream characteristics associated with the unknown packet stream.

32. The network router of claim 26, wherein the network monitoring unit configured to implement the packet stream detection policy update at the network router for subsequent detection and classification of the unknown packet stream comprises the network monitoring unit configured to:

detect packet stream characteristic associated with a previously unknown packet stream according to the packet stream detection policy update;

determine an application associated with the packet stream characteristics according to the packet stream detection policy update; and

select a classification for the previously unknown packet stream based on the application associated with the packet stream characteristics.

33. One or more machine-readable storage media having stored therein instructions, which when executed by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform operations that comprise:

classifying a plurality of packet streams detected at a local area network (LAN);

detecting an unknown packet stream at the LAN;

selecting a default classification for the unknown packet stream;

reporting information associated with the unknown packet stream to one or more servers of a cloud-based computing network;

receiving a packet stream detection policy update for the unknown packet stream from the cloud-based computing network; and

implementing the packet stream detection policy update for subsequently detecting and classifying the unknown packet stream.

34. The machine-readable storage media of claim 33, wherein said operation of classifying the plurality of packet streams detected at the LAN comprises classifying the plurality of packet streams based on at least one of an application associated with each of the plurality of packet streams and an application type associated with each of the plurality of packet streams.

35. The machine-readable storage media of claim 33, wherein said operations of detecting the unknown packet stream and selecting the default classification for the unknown packet stream comprises:

determining that an application associated with a packet stream received at LAN is unknown; and

selecting the default classification for the unknown packet stream in response to determining the application is unknown.

36. The machine-readable storage media of claim 33, wherein said operations of detecting the unknown packet stream and selecting the default classification for the unknown packet stream comprises:

determining that an application associated with a packet stream received at the LAN is unknown;

determining an application type associated with the unknown packet stream; and

selecting the default classification for the unknown packet stream based on the application type associated with the unknown packet stream.