Abstract: Handling packet flows in a communications network includes receiving a first packet that is part of a first unidirectional packet flow; determining whether the first packet is from a packet flow that has been assigned to any one of a plurality of security application instances; processing the first packet by one of the plurality of security application instances; determining whether a first flow identifier for the processed first packet is in a first flow database; recording the first flow identifier for the processed first packet in the first flow database upon determining that the first flow identifier for the processed first packet is not in the first flow database; and recording in a second flow database (i) a second flow identifier for a return packet flow of the first unidirectional packet flow, and (ii) a first security application instance identifier that processed the first packet.

Abstract: Handling packet flows in a communications network includes receiving a first packet that is part of a first unidirectional packet flow; determining whether the first packet is from a packet flow that has been assigned to any one of a plurality of security application instances; processing the first packet by one of the plurality of security application instances; determining whether a first flow identifier for the processed first packet is in a first flow database; recording the first flow identifier for the processed first packet in the first flow database upon determining that the first flow identifier for the processed first packet is not in the first flow database; and recording in a second flow database (i) a second flow identifier for a return packet flow of the first unidirectional packet flow, and (ii) a first security application instance identifier that processed the first packet.