Patent ID: 7707295
Filing Date: 2010-04-27
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A computer implemented method for firewall load balancing connection rate limiting, the method comprising: incrementing, by a counter incrementer module of a network switch, a counter each time a new connection request for a destination firewall load balancing service is received and a firewall is selected from a plurality of firewalls of the firewall load balancing service to handle the new connection request, the request identifying a source of the request, the request further identifying the destination firewall load balancing service, the counter indicating a total number of times the destination firewall load balancing service has been requested by all sources within a predetermined time interval by examining a destination address of the request; dropping, by a connection request dropper module of the network switch, the new connection requests for the firewall load balancing service if the counter increases at a rate exceeding a predetermined connection rate limit for the firewall load balancing service, the dropping further comprising sending, by a source address reset sender module, a reset feedback message to a source address contained in the new connection request; and directing, by a connection granting module of the network switch, the new destination firewall load balancing service connection request to a particular one of the plurality of firewalls of the destination firewall load balancing service, if the counter has not increased at a rate exceeding the predetermined connection rate limit.