Shared Buffer Network Packet Pointering

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for network traffic analysis are inefficient in higher scale environments due to the need for copying network traffic across multiple tools, which reduces performance.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a shared buffer and pointers system that allows multiple processing engines to access the same data packet without copying, using a circular buffer to temporarily store packets and generating unique pointers for each engine to access them simultaneously.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If network traffic is copied across multiple buffers to allow different tools to access the same packet simultaneously, then multiple tools can observe and analyze network traffic, but performance is considerably reduced and the system becomes ineffective in higher scale network environments

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability of multiple tools to access network packetsVSAvoidnetwork traffic analysis performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple packet copies into a single shared buffer, allowing multiple processing engines to access the same network packet simultaneously without duplication. This eliminates the performance penalty of copying while maintaining the ability of multiple tools to analyze traffic.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a shared buffer as an intermediary mechanism between the network interface and multiple processing engines. This mediator enables efficient packet sharing without requiring each tool to have its own dedicated buffer, thus improving overall system performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If a shared buffer is used to store network packets and multiple pointers are generated for different processing engines, then multiple engines can access the same packet simultaneously without copying, but the system complexity increases due to pointer management and connection establishment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork traffic analysis performanceVSAvoidshared buffer and pointer management system

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the packet access mechanism by generating separate pointers for each processing engine while maintaining a single shared buffer. This segmentation allows independent access paths for each engine while avoiding the complexity of full packet copying, achieving a balance between performance and manageability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS11750564B2Systems and methods for monitoring and securing networks using a shared buffer

Publication Date: 2023.09.05 LOOKINGGLASS CYBER SOLUTIONS LLC

AI summary

Disclosed are systems and methods for securing a network including one or more network nodes connecting a plurality of network connected devices of the network. A method may include: receiving and temporarily storing a plurality of data packets in a shared buffer of a network node; receiving requests from a first processing engine and a second processing engine to access a temporarily stored data packet; generating a first pointer and a second pointer to the temporarily stored data packet, the second pointer being different from the first pointer while pointing to the same temporarily stored data packet; and enabling the first processing engine to use the generated first pointer to access the temporarily stored data packet and the second processing engine to use the generated second pointer to access the temporarily stored data packet.