FLOW CACHE BASED MECHANISM OF PACKET REDIRECTION IN MULTIPLE BORDER ROUTERS FOR APPLICATION AWARENESS

摘要

Techniques whereby a LAN-side border router observes all packets of an application flow from both directions so that the application recognition performed on the LAN-side border router functions properly. A border router may implement flags in a flow cache to indicate whether the border router is the LAN-side border router and/or a WAN-side border router for an application flow. As packets are received at a border router at either the LAN interface or WAN interface, the flags associated with packet's application flows are examined to determine if the border router is the LAN-side border router for the application flow. If so, then application recognition and routing control may be performed. If not, the packet may be redirected to another border router that may be the LAN-side border router or the WAN-side border router for the application flow to insure that border router observes the packet.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
classifying a packet received at a first border router as corresponding to a first application flow of a plurality of application flows; determining whether the packet of the first application flow is to be forwarded to a second border router based on an attribute of the first application flow maintained in a flow cache; and in response to determining that the packet of the first application flow is to be forwarded to the second border router: redirecting the packet to the second border router over a first tunnel interface; and sending the packet out of the second border router to a destination.