Patent ID: 8239949

Claim:
A device for managing network traffic flow, the device comprising: a first processor, the first processor configured to receive network traffic content into a protocol differentiator, pass a first portion of the network traffic content from the protocol differentiator downstream, and pass a second portion of the network traffic content from the protocol differentiator to: a stack for allowing the second portion to be scanned for content that is desired to be detected; and a packet processing module that performs content filtering on the second portion and awaits an instruction before passing the second portion further downstream; a second processor that is configured to scan the second portion for the content desired to be detected and provide the instruction to the packet processing module to pass the second portion further downstream based on a determination with regard to the scanning of the second portion for the content desired to be detected; and wherein the protocol differentiator passes the first portion of the network traffic content downstream without regard to the scanning by the second processor of the second portion for the content desired to be detected.