Architecture and run-time environment for network filter drivers

Abstract

Filtering data packets in a manner that promotes efficient flow of data through a communication path. A filter stack includes one or more filter instances that may filter data packets that pass through the filter stack. The filter stack is associated with one or more protocol stacks that function in communication paths between a computing device and a network. When filtering instances are inserted to or removed from a filter stack, associated protocol stacks may remain capable of transferring data. An abstract interface facilitates inserting and removing filter instances by passing data to filter drivers that create filter instances. A filter driver may create multiple filter instances. Filtering operations associated with filter instances may be bypassed based on the direction of data flow, control flow, and characteristics of packets.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 020,286, filed Dec. 11, 2001 and entitled “ARCHITECURE AND RUN-TIME ENVIRONMENT FOR NETWORK FILTER DRIVERS” and which is incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. The Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to filtering data packets. More specifically, the present invention relates to systems, methods, and computer program products for an abstract interface to manage insertion of filter instances into a filter stack, removal of filter instances from a filter stack, and bypassing the functionality of a filter instance without disrupting associated protocol stack operations. [0004] 2. Background and Relevant Art [0005] In today's world, a large number of computers are coupled to one another through computer networks, such as the Internet, which allow the computers to exchange data. However, the majority of these compute...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0017] The principles of the present invention provide for efficiently filtering data packets and changing filtering operations. Protocol stacks included in a computing device are associated with a filter stack than may include one or more filter instances. Data packets associated with the protocol stacks pass through the filter instances that may perform filtering operations on the data packets. Filter instances may be inserted into or removed from a filter stack in a manner that reduces the chance of disrupting associated protocol stacks.

Problems solved by technology

This reduces the chance that a filter stack will be configured with redundant logic and thus also reduces the operational complexity associated with filtering data packets.

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