Patent ID: 6826698
Filing Date: 2004-11-30
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method for providing network security features, comprising:identifying a plurality of network objects; retrieving rule sets associated with at least one of the identified network objects, the rule sets including a plurality of policy rules that govern actions relating to the identified network objects; reconciling overlapping policy rules of the rule sets amongst the network objects; and executing the reconciled rule sets; wherein the rule sets are combined into a single rule set, and duplicate policy rules of the rule sets are removed; wherein a user is notified of conflicting policy rules of the rule sets; wherein included is a first graphical user interface that allows a user to associate the network objects with the rule sets, a second graphical user interface that allows the user to create associations of the rule sets and the network objects for a firewall, a third graphical user interface that is displayed upon selection of a network object, a fourth graphical user interface for creating and editing the rule sets, a fifth graphical user interface for configuring a new policy rule for being added to one of the rule sets, a sixth graphical user interface for adding a new network object, and a seventh graphical user interface for editing one of the network objects.