Routing network traffic packets through a shared inline tool
US9912575B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 18, 2015 |
| Grant date | Mar 6, 2018 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 29, 2036 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L63/1416
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Introduced herein is a technology for a network switch device to route network packets through a inline tool, without introducing additional information to the network packets. The technology records an association between an input network port and a signature (e.g., source MAC address) of the network packet, before forwarding the packet to the inline tool. When receiving the packet back from the inline tool, the network device recognizes that the packet signature is associated with the input network port, and that the input network port is paired with a particular output network port. Thus, the network device identifies the output network port for sending the packet, without modifying contents of the packet.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.