Patent ID: 7420992

Claim:
A data compression device, comprising at least one network interface; a network traffic compression module comprising a plurality of compression algorithm sub-modules each implementing a compression algorithm, wherein the network traffic compression module is operably coupled to the at least one network interface, and operative, in an active compression mode, to establish compression tunnels with a remote network device in the communications path to one or more destination hosts; intercept outgoing data packets to the one or more destination hosts; compress the outgoing data packets using a first compression algorithm; maintain compression statistics characterizing the operation of the first compression algorithm; and, wherein the network traffic compression module is further operative, in a passive compression mode, to copy the outgoing data packets; compress the copied outgoing data packets using a second compression algorithm; maintain compression statistics characterizing the operation of the second compression algorithm; discard the packets resulting from the second compression algorithm; and wherein data compression device is operative to compare the compression statistics associated with the first and second compression algorithms; select a compression algorithm for the active compression mode based on a comparison of the compression statistics; and select a new compression algorithm for the passive compression mode after the comparison of the compression statistics.