Patent ID: 7441262
Filing Date: 2008-10-21
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of verifying data transmission units (DTUs) being received by a device, the method comprising the steps of: a) receiving an incoming DTU; b) determining if said incoming DTU has characteristics which match an entry in at least one flow table containing characteristics of DTUs associated with established network connections; c) in the event said characteristics of said incoming DTU match said entry in said at least one flow table, forwarding said incoming DTU to a flow engine module of the device for forwarding to a destination of said incoming DTU without passing through a policy engine module of said device and without any further security policy processing; d) in the event said characteristics of said incoming DTU does not match an entry in said at least one flow table, determining if said incoming DTU has characteristics which match an entry in at least one listening table containing characteristics of DTUs associated with network connections to be established; e) in the event said characteristics of said incoming DTU match an entry in said at least one listening table, forwarding said incoming DTU to a policy engine module to establish a network connection; f) in the event said characteristics of said incoming DTU does not match an entry in said at least one listening table, forwarding said incoming DTU to a policy engine module for checking against predetermined security policies; g) in the event said incoming DTU passes said checking by said policy engine module against predetermined security policies, at least one flow table or at least one listening table is updated to list characteristics of DTUs associated with a network connection for said incoming DTU, wherein said method is executed by a system comprising: