Abstract: According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus configured to classifying user traffic flows carried by a network, each user traffic flow being associated with one of a plurality of users. The apparatus comprises a classification unit 7 for classifying each user traffic flow into one of a plurality of traffic classes, a pattern generation unit 13 for generating a user pattern for each user, a grouping unit 14 for grouping the plurality of users into one or more user groups, and for identifying a user pattern within each user group that is representative of all user patterns within the user group, and an optimized classification unit 8 for identifying a user associated with a subsequent user traffic flow, determining the user group to which the user belongs, retrieving the representative user pattern of said user group, and using the traffic classes included in the representative user pattern to classify the subsequent user traffic flow.

Abstract: According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus configured to classifying user traffic flows carried by a network, each user traffic flow being associated with one of a plurality of users. The apparatus comprises a classification unit 7 for classifying each user traffic flow into one of a plurality of traffic classes, a pattern generation unit 13 for generating a user pattern for each user, a grouping unit 14 for grouping the plurality of users into one or more user groups, and for identifying a user pattern within each user group that is representative of all user patterns within the user group, and an optimised classification unit 8 for identifying a user associated with a subsequent user traffic flow, determining the user group to which the user belongs, retrieving the representative user pattern of said user group, and using the traffic classes included in the representative user pattern to classify the subsequent user traffic flow.