US5648965A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for dynamic distributed packet tracing and analysis
Assignee: Sun Microsystems Inc
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Filing: 1995-07-07
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Granted: 1997-07-15
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Expires: 2015-07-07
Abstract
Abstract A packet filter can be programmed by a remote controller to detect packets meeting a particular criterion and to report detection of these packets to the controller. The reports from the packet filter are collected and analyzed by the remote controller. A streams module that incorporates the packet filter is used within a Solaris operating system environment that has been enhanced to support an object framework. The streams module exports a programming interface to the packet filter defined in an interface definition language (IDL). The streams module can be pushed onto a network device in a similar fashion to other streams modules. The streams module responds to requests from one remote controller or to requests from more than one remote controller. These remote controller requests arrive as remote procedure call (RPC) requests on the IDL object references exported by the module. The packet filter within the streams module is fully programmable, and it collects and returns information to the controller through a call back object on the controller. The particular traces collected can be configured dynamically by the controller, by issuing RPC requests to the packet filters through the IDL interfaces. Alternately, a standard Solaris environment can be used. In such a case, a standard (i.e., non-object oriented) RPC approach is employed. Furthermore, the above approach will work with other UNIX systems that support stream modules. Moreover, because other operating systems have streams-like input/output capabilities, the approach can be extended to non-UNIX systems such as DOS, Windows NT, OS/2 Warp or the Macintosh operating system.
Inventors
- 👤 Moti N. Thadani
- 👤 Jose M. Bernabeu-Auban
- 👤 Yousef A. Khalidi
- 👤 Vladimir Matena
- 👤 Kenneth W. Shirriff
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 18:29
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L43/00; H04L43/02; H04L43/022; H04L43/06; H04L43/062; H04L43/14; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S370/00; Y10S370/912
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
69 words
A packet filter comprising: a remotely-programmable packet criterion detector, located in a first node, to detect receipt of a trace packet, the trace packet meeting a criterion programmed by a remote controller located in a second node; and a reporter to report the detection of the trace packet to a packet information collector said packet information collector receiving and storing a report of the detection of the trace packet.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
69 words
A packet filter comprising: a remotely-programmable packet criterion detector, located in a first node, to detect receipt of a trace packet, the trace packet meeting a criterion programmed by a remote controller located in a second node; and a reporter to report the detection of the trace packet to a packet information collector said packet information collector receiving and storing a report of the detection of the trace packet.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The packet filter as set forth in claim 1, wherein the packet information collector is a call back object.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The packet filter as set forth in claim 1, wherein an analyzer is used to analyze packet information reported by the packet filter and collected by the packet information collector.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The packet filter as set forth in claim 1, wherein a programmer is used to program the packet criterion detector and thereby establish the criterion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
The packet filter as set forth in claim 4, wherein the packet filter is located on a first node of a network and the programmer is located on a second node of the network.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
68 words
A packet filter comprising: a remotely-programmable packet criterion detector to detect receipt of a trace packet, the trace packet meeting a criterion programed by a remote controller; and a reporter to report the detection of the trace packet to a packet information collector said packet information collector receiving and storing a report of the detection of the trace packet, said packet information collector being a call back object.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
68 words
A packet filter comprising: a remotely-programmable packet criterion detector to detect receipt of a trace packet, the trace packet meeting a criterion programed by a remote controller; and a reporter to report the detection of the trace packet to a packet information collector said packet information collector receiving and storing a report of the detection of the trace packet, said packet information collector being a call back object.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The packet filter as set forth in claim 6, wherein an analyzer is used to analyze packet information reported by the packet filter and collected by the packet information collector.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
69 words
A packet filter comprising: a remotely-programmable packet criterion detector to detect receipt of a trace packet, the trace packet meeting a criterion; a reporter to report the detection of the trace packet; and wherein a programmer is used to program the packet criterion detector, and the packet filter is located on a first node of a network and the programmer is located on a second node of the network.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
69 words
A packet filter comprising: a remotely-programmable packet criterion detector to detect receipt of a trace packet, the trace packet meeting a criterion; a reporter to report the detection of the trace packet; and wherein a programmer is used to program the packet criterion detector, and the packet filter is located on a first node of a network and the programmer is located on a second node of the network.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
60 words
A packet tracing method comprising the steps of: detecting receipt of a trace packet by a packet filter, the trace packet meeting a criterion; reporting the detection of the trace packet; and using a packet information collector to receive and store the report of the detection of the trace packet, wherein the packet information collector is a call back object.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
60 words
A packet tracing method comprising the steps of: detecting receipt of a trace packet by a packet filter, the trace packet meeting a criterion; reporting the detection of the trace packet; and using a packet information collector to receive and store the report of the detection of the trace packet, wherein the packet information collector is a call back object.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
The packet tracing method as set forth in claim 9, further including the step of: analyzing packet information reported by the packet filter and collected by the packet information collector.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
62 words
A packet tracing method comprising the steps of: detecting receipt of a trace packet by a packet filter, the trace packet meeting a criterion; reporting the detection of the trace packet; and programing the packet criterion detector, wherein the packet filter is located on a first node of a network and the programming is performed from a second node of the network.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
62 words
A packet tracing method comprising the steps of: detecting receipt of a trace packet by a packet filter, the trace packet meeting a criterion; reporting the detection of the trace packet; and programing the packet criterion detector, wherein the packet filter is located on a first node of a network and the programming is performed from a second node of the network.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
68 words
A system comprising: a first packet filter to detect and report receipt of a first trace packet, the first trace packet meeting a first criterion; a second packet filter to detect and report receipt of a second trace packet, the second trace packet meeting a second criterion; and a packet information collector, to receive and store the report of the detection of the first and second trace packets.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
68 words
A system comprising: a first packet filter to detect and report receipt of a first trace packet, the first trace packet meeting a first criterion; a second packet filter to detect and report receipt of a second trace packet, the second trace packet meeting a second criterion; and a packet information collector, to receive and store the report of the detection of the first and second trace packets.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system as set forth in claim 12, further comprising: a programmer to program the first packet filter to thereby establish the first criterion.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system as set forth in claim 13, further comprising: a first node, the first packet filter being located on the first node; and a second node, the programmer being located on the second node.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system as set forth in claim 14, further comprising: an analyzer to analyze the packet information collected by the packet information collector.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
114 words
A system comprising: a first packet filter to detect and report receipt of a first trace packet, the first trace packet meeting a first criterion; a second packet filter to detect and report receipt of a second trace packet, the second trace packet meeting a second criterion; a packet information collector to receive and store the report of the detection of the first trace packet; a first node, the first packet filter being located on the first node; a second node, the second packet filter being located on the second node; and a point-to-point network coupling the first and second nodes and used to send the trace packets between the first and second nodes.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
114 words
A system comprising: a first packet filter to detect and report receipt of a first trace packet, the first trace packet meeting a first criterion; a second packet filter to detect and report receipt of a second trace packet, the second trace packet meeting a second criterion; a packet information collector to receive and store the report of the detection of the first trace packet; a first node, the first packet filter being located on the first node; a second node, the second packet filter being located on the second node; and a point-to-point network coupling the first and second nodes and used to send the trace packets between the first and second nodes.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-07-14 | 2001-01-13 | 2001-07-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-07-14 | 2005-01-13 | 2005-07-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-07-14 | 2009-01-13 | 2009-07-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |