Anue Systems, Inc.

Keith E Cheney

Gregory S Hilton

Charles Albert Webb, Iii

Ronald A Pleshek

Patricia A Abkowitz

Himanshu Mahendra Thaker

Arun K Thakkar

Stefan Jan Johansson

Shardendu Pandey

Robin Lee O'Connor

Andrew Morton Spooner

Richard G Jeske

Scott A Harper

Franz J Weller

Systems and methods are disclosed for unified systems of network tool optimizers (NTOs). A NTO supervisor device controls switch fabric circuitry to interconnect a plurality of NTO member devices so that packets received at a source port for one NTO member device can be output to a destination port for a different NTO member device. The NTO supervisor device is further configured to analyze filters for the NTO member devices and to generate filter rules for forwarding packets among the various NTO member devices using the switch fabric circuitry. Further, additional secondary NTO supervisor devices can also be included within the unified NTO system to further expand the system. As such, a plurality of NTO member devices are managed and controlled by one or more NTO supervisor devices to form a highly scalable and efficient unified NTO system.

Unified systems of network tool optimizers and related methods

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.

Filtering path view graphical user interfaces and related systems and methods

Systems and methods are disclosed for mobile user identification and tracking for load balancing in packet processing systems. Packet processing systems, such as network tool optimizer (NTO) systems, are configured to receive packets associated with multiple mobile users, to extract user identification information from the packets, to store identity binding information for the mobile users, to track changes in identification information for mobile users within a communication system by analyzing control information within packets for the communication system, and to forward packets to one or more tool ports associated with the packet processing system. The packet processing systems disclosed thereby allow for user packets to be identified and sent to the same load-balanced network tool, even though the user identification information changes over time within the communication system. The disclosed embodiments are useful for a wide variety of mobile and/or non-mobile communication systems and related communication protocols.

Mobile user identification and tracking for load balancing in packet processing systems

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 input ports and output ports. The input ports and output ports are configured to be connected to source devices and destination devices, for example, network sources and destination tools in a network monitoring environment. The network devices and tool optimizers disclosed can use a packet processing system whereby forwarding behavior is governed by matching packets in parallel against multiple user-specified packet filtering criteria, and by performing forwarding actions associated with all such matching filter criteria. The multi-action packet forwarding can be implemented using hardware configured to directly provide multi-action packet forwarding and/or hardware configured to provide single-packet-forwarding that has been subsequently configured using filter engines to provide multi-action packet forwarding.

Automatic filter overlap processing and related systems and methods

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 input ports and output ports. The input ports and output ports are configured to be connected to source devices and destination devices, for example, network sources and destination tools in a network monitoring environment. The network devices and tool optimizers disclosed can use superset packet forwarding, such that ingress filter engines are configured with ingress filter rules so as to forward a superset of packets to output ports associated with overlapping filters. Egress filter engines are configured with egress filter rules to then determine which of the superset packets are actually sent out the output ports.

Superset packet forwarding for overlapping filters and related systems and methods

Systems and methods are disclosed for modifying network packets to use unrecognized headers/fields for packet classification and forwarding in packet processing systems, such as network tool optimizer (NTO) devices. The packet modifications described allow standard switch or routing integrated circuits (ICs) to process, classify, and forward packets based upon data that is not typically recognized by the hardware capabilities of the standard packet routing circuitry for packet processing. Input packets are modified so that unrecognized data becomes recognized data for purposes of packet processing, classification, and forwarding by the packet routing circuitry. These modifications are then removed after packets are processed to reform the original packets. The original packets are then provided to destination devices based upon packet classification and forwarding control information. As such, packet processing, classification, and forwarding is provided in packet processing systems using headers/fields that are not supported for processing by standard switch or routing integrated circuits (ICs).

Growing community of inventors

Austin, TX, United States of America

Keith E Cheney