Patent ID: 7434045
Filing Date: 2008-10-07
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for locating a security association in an inbound Security Association Database (SAD), the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of: receiving a packet; wherein the packet comprises a Security Parameter Index (SPI) field comprising a concatenation of a verification value and an index value that is not based on a destination address or protocol value of the packet, wherein the index value uniquely identifies an entry in the inbound SAD; wherein the packet is received at an Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) accelerator that is configured to support one or more of transmission, reception, passing or switching of secure data packets in a packet switched network between the network and one or more end devices thereof or within a local area network (LAN) infrastructure, wherein the IPsec accelerator comprises an interface between the network and one or more of a private network or a LAN at which one or more of secure data packets or tunnels of the network terminate and wherein the IPsec accelerator is communicatively coupled with a switching device of the network; parsing the packet to identify a Security Parameter Index (SPI); determining, based only on the SPI, the index value that uniquely identifies an entry in the inbound SAD; identifying a security association in the entry of the inbound SAD based only on the index value and not based on a destination address or protocol value of the packet; and decrypting a payload associated with the packet based on information from the identified security association.