Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer network managing – Computer network monitoring
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-21
2003-09-02
Burgess, Glenton B. (Department: 2153)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer network managing
Computer network monitoring
C709S223000, C370S253000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06615262
ABSTRACT:
This application relates to the following group of applications. Each application in the group relates to, and incorporates by reference, each other application in the group. The invention of each application is assigned to the assignee of this invention. The group of applications includes the following.
Attorney
Serial
Docket
Title
First Inventor
Filing Date
Number
Number
Method and
Limor
Herewith
Not Yet
19623-707
Apparatus for
Schweitzer
Assigned
Session
Reconstruction
Method and
Limor
Herewith
Not Yet
19623-708
Apparatus for
Schweitzer
Assigned
Distributed
Session
Reconstruction
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of network management. In particular, the invention relates to session reconstruction in a network environment.
2. Description of the Related Art
The Internet protocol (IP) that is widely used on the Internet does not provide a committed quality of service. Several protocols have been developed to compliment standard implementations of IP to provide varying degrees of support for committed quality of service networks.
One set of extensions is the Differentiated Services (diffserv) specified by RFC 2474 and RFC 2475, that provides for using portions of the IP header information to store information about the types of service (TOS). Another approach is the resource reservation protocol (RSVP) specified by RFCs 2205-2210. In some instances, where appropriate, the two can be used together to provide a committed quality of service over an IP network.
The provision of a committed quality of service network is distinct from the monitoring the network and billing for usage of the network. Existing network monitoring processes such as RMON2, and RMON, specified by RFC 2074 and RFC 2021 are designed to report statistics based on information available in the packet headers, e.g. source and destination address. With RMON2, this can be broken down on a per port basis. The granularity of the reports depends on the sampling of the RMON trace. The returned statistics are basic measures of number of bytes and number of packets.
Netflow(™), from Cisco Corporation, San Jose, Calif., adds to these abilities by providing measures based on the terms of service, e.g. diffserv style flag, and the IP port used. Similarly, Firewall-1(™) and Floodgate-1(™) from Check Point Software Technologies, Ramat Gan, Israel, offers a similar set of features to Netflow(™). Both Netflow(™) and Firewall-1 (™)/Floodgate-1(™) focus on reporting per flow statistics.
Previous techniques do not support quality of service related evaluation of network usage. Previous systems do not allow for reconstructing sessions, where each session may be comprised of multiple flows. Previous systems do not provide for application specific event monitoring. Previous systems to not handle large volumes of data received over different network devices well. Accordingly, what is needed is a session reconstruction system that supports measuring quality of service, reconstruction of sessions that include multiple flows, application specific event monitoring within flows, and distributed session reconstruction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A system, method and computer program product are provided for gathering statistics associated with a network session. Initially, a plurality of packets is received at a plurality of analyzers. Such packets are analyzed to identify a plurality of flows. Further identified are a session associated with the plurality of flows and at least one application associated with the session. The session is then reconstructed utilizing the identified application for analysis purposes. A plurality of statistics associated with the session is then gathered based on the analysis.
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Reardon
Black Damian
Givoly Tal
Kushnir Ori
Schweitzer Limor
Burgess Glenton B.
Edelman Bradley
Silicon Valley IP Group
Xacct Technologies, Ltd.
Zilka Kevin J.
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