Patent ID: 7506372

Claim:
A method for controlling outgoing data connections of at least one host device in a network having a plurality of host devices and at least one connection device for enabling connections of the plurality of host devices to a plurality of destinations, said method comprising: creating a record of a number of attempted data connections from a select host device through the connection device and a time of most recent data connection attempt from said select host device through the connection device; determining a time difference between a current time that current data from said select host device is received by the connection device and the recorded time of the most recent data connection attempt by said select host device; forwarding the current data to a destination address of the current data if said time difference between the current time and the recorded time is greater than a predetermined threshold time; determining whether said number of attempted data connections from said select host device through the connection device is greater than a predetermined threshold value if said time difference is equal to or less than said predetermined threshold time; and forwarding the current data to the destination address when said number of attempted data connections is less than said predetermined threshold value, and withholding the current data from the destination address when said number of attempted data connections is greater than or equal to said predetermined threshold value.