Patent ID: 7774832

Claim:
A protocol management system coupled with a local network, the local network interfaced with an external network, the protocol management system comprising: a computing device comprising a protocol enforcer configured to identify a protocol of each of a plurality of messages exiting an enterprise network, the protocol enforcer comprising: a plurality of protocol inspectors each configured to inspect packets of the plurality of messages exiting the enterprise network, each of the plurality of protocol inspectors including a state machine configured to execute a plurality of inspection primitives, each of the plurality of inspection primitives configured to analyze a particular packet for one type of signature or pattern; and a protocol inspection manager configured to merge the state machines for each of the plurality of protocol inspectors into a composite state machine to identify the protocol of each of the plurality of messages; and a protocol state machine configured to maintain the state of all connections of interest; and a protocol gateway, wherein the protocol enforcer is configured to forward to the protocol gateway selected ones of the plurality of messages having a select protocol that matches one of a plurality of predetermined protocols, and wherein the protocol gateway is configured to apply at least one policy rule which restricts usage of the select protocol based on an identity of a particular user.