Web Session Recording via Server-Side Packet Duplication
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Solution Overview
Problem
In cloud computing environments, companies often lack access to network switches or taps necessary for recording web sessions using traditional methods like port mirroring or network taps, making it impossible to record web sessions hosted on cloud-provided hardware resources.
Innovation Solution
A web session recording system and method that utilizes a server with network cards and processing units to monitor and record web sessions without external hardware manipulation, using a hash repository to efficiently store and reconstruct session data, allowing for recording even when access to external network devices is restricted.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If port mirroring or network taps are used to record web sessions, then web session recording capability is achieved, but access to network switches or external network devices is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary component (network device with packet duplication capability) that acts as a mediator between the web session traffic and the recording system. This intermediary duplicates packets and forwards them to the recording system without requiring direct access to network switches or taps, thereby enabling recording in environments where such access is restricted while maintaining recording reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The recording system is designed to be self-sufficient by incorporating its own packet duplication capability within the network device. Instead of relying on external network switches or taps to duplicate packets, the system performs packet duplication itself, eliminating the need for access to external network devices and enabling deployment in cloud computing environments
2Productivity
If cloud computing services are used to host web servers, then hardware resource allocation is improved, but access to network switches for session recording is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the packet duplication function and the web session recording function into a single integrated system deployed within the cloud environment. By combining these functions in one system that has access to the virtualized network interfaces, the patent enables web session recording in cloud computing environments where external network device access is not available, while maintaining the hardware resource allocation efficiency of cloud services
3Reliability
If traditional web session recording systems are deployed, then recording functionality is achieved, but deployment requires direct or indirect access to network switches
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal recording system that can operate in multiple deployment scenarios - both traditional environments with network switch access and cloud computing environments without such access. The system achieves this by incorporating embedded packet duplication capability within the network device, making it universally applicable across different infrastructure types and eliminating the need for network switch access in deployment
Data Source
AI summary
A web session recording system comprising at least one server, the server comprising one or more network cards and at least one processing unit configured to: monitor one or more ports of the network cards, the ports being used for conducting a plurality of web sessions; and send web session recording enabling data relating to the web sessions to a data repository, for recording the web sessions; wherein the monitor and the send enable recording the web sessions without access to resources external to the server.