Abstract:
A method and system for controlling the bandwidths of data traffic over virtual private networks are provided. The method includes classifying the data traffic for the virtual private network into different flows, monitoring a current bandwidth usage by at least one of the flows, comparing the current bandwidth usage with a predetermined threshold for the flow, and performing a bandwidth control operation for the flow if the current bandwidth usage exceeds the predetermined threshold for that flow.
Abstract:
A wireless local area network (LAN), and a method of operating the same, prevents unauthorized users from accessing the wireless LAN. A signal strength of a station attempting to access the wireless LAN is measured. If the signal strength is less than a predetermined threshold value, the system concludes that the station is outside of an authorized geographical area. Such a station attempting to establish a connection is characterized as an unauthorized station, and access to the wireless LAN is denied. The system may also periodically verify that authorized stations remain within the authorized geographical area. A station that has moved outside of the authorized geographical area can be notified or denied further access to the wireless LAN.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus are disclosed for assessing the available resources in a network and using the assessment for admission control. A VoIP call can be established with a device only if the network has sufficient resources to accommodate the call or it is possible to make such resources available by curtailing ongoing data connections. A network utilization characteristic (NUC) provides a measure of network capacity. The network utilization characteristic of a flow is the fraction of time the network is busy transmitting data for that flow. The sum of the network utilization characteristics of all flows yields the fraction of time the network is busy transmitting data. The difference between one and the sum of all flows indicates the time that the network is idle in the measured time interval. A new flow can be accommodated if the NUC of the new flow is smaller than this difference value.
Abstract:
A technique for lessening the likelihood of congestion in a congestible node is disclosed. In the illustrative embodiment, the proxy node resides in the path of the protocol data units en route to a congestible node and the proxy node decides whether to drop protocol data units en route to the congestible node. In some embodiments of the present invention, the proxy node comprises a larger queue for the protocol data units than does the congestible node. The illustrative embodiment of the present invention is useful because it enables the manufacture of “lightweight” nodes without large queues and without the horsepower needed to run an algorithm, such as the Random Early Detection algorithm, for deciding which protocol data units to drop. Furthermore, the illustrative embodiment is useful because it can lessen the likelihood of congestion in legacy nodes.
Abstract:
A technique for lessening the likelihood of congestion in a congestible node is disclosed. In accordance with the illustrative embodiments of the present invention, one node—a proxy node—drops protocol data units to lessen the likelihood of congestion in the congestible node. In some embodiments of the present invention, the proxy node receives a metric of a queue at a congestible node and, based on the metric, decides whether to drop protocol data units en route to the congestible node. In some other embodiments of the present invention, the proxy node estimates a metric of a queue at a congestible node and, based on the metric, decides whether to drop protocol data units en route to the congestible node.
Abstract:
A technique for lessening the likelihood of congestion in a congestible node is disclosed. In accordance with the illustrative embodiments of the present invention, one node—a proxy node—drops protocol data units to lessen the likelihood of congestion in the congestible node. In some embodiments of the present invention, the proxy node receives a metric of a queue at a congestible node and, based on the metric, decides whether to drop protocol data units en route to the congestible node. In some other embodiments of the present invention, the proxy node estimates a metric of a queue at a congestible node and, based on the metric, decides whether to drop protocol data units en route to the congestible node.
Abstract:
Methods and systems are disclosed in which a guaranteed delivery advertisement may be appended with a non-guaranteed delivery advertisement. The guaranteed delivery advertisement may be, for example, a manufacturer or brand advertisement, and the non-guaranteed delivery advertisement may be, for example, a retailer advertisement. The guaranteed delivery advertisement may relate to a particular brand and/or product and the non-guaranteed delivery advertisement may relate to a purchasing opportunity for that particular brand and/or product. The guaranteed delivery advertisement may be selected based on targeting information and the non-guaranteed delivery advertisement may be selected based on factors such as, for example, the manufacturer name, the product name, the product type, a related product, price, availability of the product, discount, location of the retailer, etc.
Abstract:
A method is disclosed that enables mitigating at least some of the problems caused by a packet attack. When a first Internet Protocol (IP)-capable device is subjected to a packet attack, it indicates periodically to a second IP-capable device that certain communications with the first device are to be suspended. The periodic transmitting of the indication is performed at a slower rate than the keep-alive mechanism that is normally used to detect loss of connectivity. When the second device receives the transmitted indication, it refrains from transmitting keep-alive messages to the first device for a predetermined interval. Meanwhile, the first device also refrains from transmitting keep-alive messages to the second device for a similar interval. In transmitting the suspend indication, the illustrative embodiment seeks to prevent pairs of communicating devices that are experiencing packet attacks from continuing their operation under the erroneous assumption that each device is unavailable.
Abstract:
A method for detecting intrusions that employ messages of two or more protocols is disclosed. Such intrusions might occur in Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) systems, as well as in systems in which two or more protocols support some service other than VoIP. In the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a stateful intrusion-detection system is capable of employing rules that have cross-protocol pre-conditions. The illustrative embodiment can use such rules to recognize a variety of VoIP-based intrusion attempts, such as call hijacking, BYE attacks, etc. In addition, the illustrative embodiment is capable of using such rules to recognize other kinds of intrusion attempts in which two or more protocols support a service other than VoIP. The illustrative embodiment also comprises a stateful firewall that is capable of employing rules with cross-protocol pre-conditions.
Abstract:
A system and method to distribute computation for an exchange in which advertisers buy online advertising space from publishers. The exchange maintains submarkets, each containing a subset of the ad calls supplied by publishers and a subset of the offers and budgets representing demand from advertisers. Portfolio optimization techniques allocate the supply of ad calls from publishers over the submarkets, with the goal of maximizing profits for publishers while limiting the volatility of those profits. Portfolio optimization techniques allocate the demand from advertisers over the submarkets, with the goal of maximizing return on investment for advertisers. The exchange re-allocates supply and demand over submarkets periodically. Also, periodically, the most effective submarkets are replicated and the least effective submarkets are eliminated.