Profile-Based Network Traffic Segmentation for Enterprise Policy Enforcement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional systems struggle to differentiate between personal and work traffic from a single client device in enterprise networks, making it difficult to apply appropriate security and Quality-of-Service (QOS) policies without violating privacy.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a profile-based association method that configures distinct profiles for personal and work traffic on client devices, allowing users to choose which profile to use when connecting to various networks, and enabling the network to apply differentiated policies based on these profiles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If conventional systems treat all traffic from a client device uniformly, then network management is simplified, but the ability to apply differentiated security and QOS policies is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments traffic from a single client device into distinct profiles (e.g., work profile and personal profile) based on application type, destination, or user intent. This allows the network to apply different security and QOS policies to different traffic segments without treating the entire device uniformly, thus resolving the contradiction between simplified management and differentiated policy application.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by assigning different characteristics and policies to different traffic profiles originating from the same client device. Each profile can have customized security levels, bandwidth allocations, and QOS parameters tailored to its specific purpose, enabling differentiated treatment while maintaining overall network manageability.
2Reliability
If the network monitors and differentiates traffic types to apply appropriate policies, then security and QOS are improved, but user privacy may be violated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (such as a profile selection interface or authorized application list) that mediates between the user and the network's traffic monitoring capabilities. Users explicitly authorize which applications or traffic types should be monitored and differentiated, allowing security policies to be applied only to authorized traffic while preserving privacy for unmonitored personal traffic.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables users to self-manage their traffic profiles by selecting which applications and destinations should be associated with specific profiles. This self-service approach gives users control over what data is collected and how it is treated, ensuring that privacy is maintained for traffic types the user chooses not to disclose or monitor.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple profiles are configured for different traffic types, then differentiated policies can be applied, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universality by designing a unified profile management framework that can handle multiple traffic types, applications, and scenarios through a single consistent mechanism. The same profile configuration interface and policy application logic work for all traffic types, reducing the effective complexity despite the ability to create multiple differentiated profiles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring default profiles and automated traffic classification rules that are established before user interaction. Common traffic patterns are pre-categorized into appropriate profiles, reducing the need for users to manually configure complex differentiation rules and thus lowering the perceived device complexity while maintaining versatile policy application capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
Profile-based association method for enterprise networks may be provided. A computing device may configure a first profile and a second profile. Next, the client device may be configured with a set of network profiles associated with a plurality of networks. A user of the client device may be queried for a profile choice for one of the plurality of networks. Then the client device may associate with the one of the plurality of networks according to the profile choice provide by the user.