System and Method to Process a Chain of Network Applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017201418-A1
Application number	US-201614995136-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 13, 2016
Priority date	Jan 13, 2016
Publication date	Jul 13, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Facilitation of processing a chain of network applications by a network controller is provided herein. In some examples, a network controller comprising a fast path module receives a service request data packet from a client side session between a client and the network controller and determines that the service request data packet matches a network application chain order, the network application chain order indicating a configuration to apply a plurality of network applications. The fast path module processes the service request data packet according to the configuration indicated in the network application chain order.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A network controller, comprising:
a fast path module for processing data packets, the fast path module stored in memory at the network controller and executed by at least one processor, wherein the fast path module:
receives a service request data packet from a client side session between a client and the network controller;
determines that the service request data packet matches a network application chain order, the network application chain order indicating a configuration to apply a plurality of network applications;
sends the service request data packet to a first indicated network application for processing;
receives the service request data packet back from the first indicated network application;
sends the service request data packet to a second indicated network application for processing;
receives the service request data packet back from the second indicated network application; and
sends the service request data packet to a server.

2 . The network controller of claim 1 , wherein the fast path module further:
receives a response data packet from a server side session between a server and the network controller; determines that the response data packet matches the network application chain order; sends the response data packet to the second indicated network application; receives the response data packet back from the second indicated network application; sends the response data packet to the first indicated network application; receives the response data packet back from the first indicated network application; and sends the response data packet to the client.

3 . The network controller of claim 1 , wherein the network application chain order indicates:
a first network application is to be applied before a second network application for a service request data packet from a client to a server and the second network application is to be applied before the first network application for a response data packet from the server to the client.

4 . The network controller of claim 1 , wherein the network application chain order indicates a first network application is to be applied before a second network application for a service request data packet from a client to a server and for a response data packet from a server to the client.

5 . The network controller of claim 1 , wherein the service request data packet received back from the first indicated network application is modified by the first indicated network application.

6 . The network controller of claim 1 , wherein the service request data packet received back from the second indicated network application is modified by the second indicated network application.

7 . The network controller of claim 1 , wherein the network application chain order is created implicitly by a user or explicitly by a policy.

8 . The network controller of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of network applications process the service request data packet in conjunction with the fast path module by
determining by the fast path module if the service request data packet matches a session context of a session table and in response to determining the service request data matches a session context, processing by the fast path module the service request data packet according to the session context.

9 . The network controller of claim 8 , wherein the processing by the fast path module the service request data packet according to the session context comprises modifying at least one network address of the service request data packet.

10 . The network controller of claim 8 , wherein the processing by the fast path module the service request data packet according to the session context comprises modifying the payload of service request data packet.

11 . The network controller of claim 8 , further comprising in response to determining the service request data matches a session context, determining by the fast path module if the service request data packet matches a service entry in a service table.

12 . A method for processing a chain of network applications by a network controller implemented by a processor, comprising:
receiving, by a fast path module of the network controller implemented by the processor, a service request data packet from a client side session between a client and the network controller; determining that the service request data packet matches a network application chain order, the network application chain order indicating a configuration to apply a plurality of network applications; sending the service request data packet to a first indicated network application for processing; receiving the service request data packet back from the first indicated network application; sending the service request data packet to a second indicated network application for processing; receiving the service request data packet back from the second indicated network application; and sending the service request data packet to a server.

13 . The method of claim 12 further comprising:
receiving, by a fast path module of the network controller implemented by the processor, a response data packet from a server side session between a server and the network controller;
determining that the response data packet matches the network application chain order;
sending the response data packet to the second indicated network application;
receiving the response data packet back from the second indicated network application;
sending the response data packet to the first indicated network application;
receiving the response data packet back from the first indicated network application; and
sending the response data packet to the client.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the network application chain order indicates:
a first network application is to be applied before a second network application for a service request data packet from a client to a server and the second network application is to be applied before the first network application for a response data packet from the server to the client.

15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the network application chain order indicates a first network application is to be applied before a second network application for a service request data packet from a client to a server and for a response data packet from a server to the client.

16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the service request data packet received back from the first indicated network application is modified by the first indicated network application.

17 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the service request data packet received back from the second indicated network application is modified by the second indicated network application.

18 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the network application chain order is created implicitly by a user or explicitly by a policy.

19 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of network applications process the service request data packet in conjunction with the fast path module by
determining by the fast path module if the service request data packet matches a session context of a session table and in response to determining the service request data matches a session context, processing by the fast path module the service request data packet according to the session context.

20 . The network controller of claim 19 , wherein the processing by the fast path module the service request data packet according to the session context comprises modifying

Assignees

• A10 Networks Inc

Inventors

• Jalan Rajkumar
• Sampat Rishi
• Sankar Swaminathan

Classifications

• G06F8/60

  Software deployment · CPC title

• H04L41/0803 Primary

  Configuration setting · CPC title

• G06F9/00 Primary

  Arrangements for program control, e.g. control units (program control for peripheral devices G06F13/10) · CPC title

• H04L41/5051 Primary

  Service on demand, e.g. definition and deployment of services in real time · CPC title