Abstract: A system and method for establishing a virtual private network (VPN) between a client and a private data communication network. An encrypted data communication session, such as a—Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) data communication session, is established between a gateway and the client over a public data communication network. The gateway then sends a programming component to the client for automatic installation and execution thereon. The programming component operates to intercept communications from client applications destined for resources on the private data communication network and to send the intercepted communications to the gateway via the encrypted data communication session instead of to the resources on the private data communication network.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a method for establishing via an appliance a transport layer protocol connection initiated by a server on a first network to a client connected from a second network to the first network via a secure socket layer virtual private network (SSL VPN) connection. The method includes the step of receiving, by an appliance, a transport layer connection request from a server on a first network to connect to a client connected to the first network via a SSL VPN connection from a second network. The transport layer connection request identifies a client destination internet protocol address and a client destination port on the first network.

Abstract: A system and method for establishing a virtual private network (VPN) between a client and a private data communication network. An encrypted data communication session, such as a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) data communication session, is established between a gateway and the client over a public data communication network. The gateway then sends a programming component to the client for automatic installation and execution thereon. The programming component operates to intercept communications from client applications destined for resources on the private data communication network and to send the intercepted communications to the gateway via the encrypted data communication session instead of to the resources on the private data communication network.

Abstract: A method and apparatus stores media content in a variety of storage devices, with at least a portion of the storage devices having different performance characteristics. The system can deliver media to a large number of clients while maintaining a high level of viewing experience for each client by automatically adapting the bit rate of a media being delivered to a client using the client's last mile bit rate variation. The system provides clients with smooth viewing of video without buffering stops. The client does not need a custom video content player to communicate with the system.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a method for establishing via an appliance a transport layer protocol connection initiated by a server on a first network to a client connected from a second network to the first network via a secure socket layer virtual private network (SSL VPN) connection. The method includes the step of receiving, by an appliance, a transport layer connection request from a server on a first network to connect to a client connected to the first network via a SSL VPN connection from a second network. The transport layer connection request identifies a client destination internet protocol address and a client destination port on the first network.

Abstract: A method for automatically changing a version of a client agent for a non-administrative user account without rebooting the user's machine uses a service having installation privileges. The service executes on the client and installs a client agent. The client agent communicates with a network appliance. The client agent detects a difference between its version and a version of the client agent identified by the network appliance. The agent signals the service that it has detected the difference and, in response, the service executes an installation program that installs, without rebooting the client, the version of the client agent identified by the appliance. A corresponding system is also described.

Abstract: A method for compressing a stream of application layer network traffic communicated over a transport layer connection of a virtual private network connection between a client and a server using an appliance. The appliance intercepts one or more transport layer packets of a stream of application network traffic communicated via a transport layer connection of a virtual private network connection between a client and a server. The appliance accumulates data from a payload of the intercepted transport layer packets, determines data accumulated for transmission should be compressed based on one or more compression trigger, and compresses the accumulated data into a self-contained compression block for transmission.

Abstract: The intranet IP address management solution of the appliance and/or client described herein provides an environment for efficiently assigning, managing and querying virtual private network addresses, referred to as intranet IP (IIP) addresses of virtual private network users, such as a multitude of SSL VPN users on an enterprise network. The appliance provides techniques and policies for assigning previously assigned virtual private network addresses of a user to subsequent sessions of the user as the user logs in multiple times or roams between access points. This technique is referred to IIP stickiness as the appliance attempts to provide the same IIP address to a roaming VPN user. The appliance also provides a configurable user domain naming policy so that one can ping or query the virtual private network address of a user by an easily referenceable host name identifying the user.

Abstract: An appliance and method for authorizing a level of access of a client to a virtual private network connection, based on a client-side attribute includes the step of establishing, by an appliance, a control connection with a client upon receiving a client request to establish a virtual private network connection with a network. The appliance transmits, via the control connection, a request to the client to evaluate at least one clause of a security string, the at least one clause including an expression associated with a client-side attribute. The client transmits, via the control connection, a response to the appliance comprising a result of evaluating the at least one clause by the client. The appliance assigns the client to an authorization group based on the result of evaluation of the at least one clause.

Abstract: Methods for using a client agent to route client requests among a plurality of appliances using transport layer information include the steps of: establishing, by a client agent executing on a client, a first transport layer connection with a first appliance of a plurality of appliances, the first appliance providing access to one or more servers; establishing, by a client agent executing on the client, a second transport layer connection with a second appliance of a plurality of appliances, the second appliance providing access to one or more servers; intercepting, by the client agent, a packet transmitted by the client; selecting, by the client agent, one of the connections to transmit the intercepted packet based on a characteristic of at least one of: the transport layer connections, the plurality of appliances, or the servers; and transmitting the intercepted packet via the selected connection.

Abstract: Methods for redirecting, on a client, a communication of the client to a server to upon determining the server is not useable to communicate to the client include the steps of: establishing, by an client agent on a client, a transport layer connection between the client and an intermediary appliance, the intermediary appliance providing access to one or more servers; receiving, by the client agent from the intermediary appliance, address information identifying at least one of the one or more servers available to communicate; determining, by the client agent, the transport layer connection is unusable to communicate; establishing, by the client agent, a second transport layer connection between the client and one of the identified available servers to bypass the appliance. Corresponding systems are also described.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for using a client agent operating in a virtual private network environment to intercept HTTP communications. Methods include: intercepting at the network layer, by a client agent executing on a client, an HTTP request from an application executing on the client; modifying the HTTP request; and transmitting, via a transport layer connection, the modified HTTP request to a server. Additional methods may comprise adding, removing, or modifying at least one cookie in the HTTP request. Still other methods may comprise modifying at least one name-value pair contained in the HTTP request. Corresponding systems are also described.

Abstract: A method for allowing or denying, by an appliance, access to a resource by an application on a client via a virtual private network connection includes basing the decision to allow or deny access on identification of the application. The appliance intercepts a request from an application on a client on a first network to access via a virtual private network connection a resource on a second network. The appliance identifies the application and associates with the intercepted request an authorization policy based on the identity of the application. The appliance determines, using the authorization policy and the identity of the application, to either allow or deny access by the application to the resource.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for using a client agent to manage HTTP authentication cookies. One method includes intercepting, by a client agent executing on a client, a connection request from the client; establishing, by the client agent, a transport layer virtual private network connection with a network appliance; transmitting, by the client agent via the established connection, an HTTP request comprising an authentication cookie; and transmitting, by the client agent via the connection, the connection request.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for communicating compressed and uncompressed content over a transport layer connection established by an appliance between a client and a server. One method comprises the steps of: establishing, by an appliance, a transport layer connection between a client and a server, and receiving, by the appliance, a first response from the server to a first client request, and a second response from the server to a second client request The first response and the second response has uncompressed data. The method includes transmitting, by the appliance, the first response to the client. The appliance identifies first type of compression from a plurality of compression types for compressing the second response to the client, compresses the second response based on the identified compression type, and transmits the compressed second response to the client.

Abstract: A method for intercepting, by an agent of a client, communications from the client to be transmitted via a virtual private network connection includes the step of intercepting communications based on identification of an application from which the communication originates. The agent receives information identifying a first application. The agent determines a network communication transmitted by the client originates from the first application and intercepts that communication. The agent transmits the intercepted communication via the virtual private network connection.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for using a client agent to manage HTTP authentication cookies. One method includes intercepting, by a client agent executing on a client, a connection request from the client; establishing, by the client agent, a transport layer virtual private network connection with a network appliance; transmitting, by the client agent via the established connection, an HTTP request comprising an authentication cookie; and transmitting, by the client agent via the connection, the connection request.

Abstract: A method for intercepting communication of a client to a destination on a virtual private network includes an agent executing on the client that intercepts a network communication of the client. The agent provides a virtual private network connection from a first network to a second network. The decision to intercept is based on a network destination description or an identification of an application authorized to be accessed via the virtual private network. In one case, the agent determines that a destination specified by the intercepted communication corresponds to a network identifier and a port of a network destination description of an application on the second network authorized for access via the virtual private network. In response to this determination, the agent transmits the intercepted communication.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for using a client agent executing on a client to send ICMP messages to an appliance connected via a virtual private network Methods include: establishing, via a client agent executing on a client, a transport layer virtual private network connection with an appliance; intercepting, by the client agent at the network layer, an ICMP request originating from the client; and transmitting, by the client agent via a transport layer connection, the ICMP request to the appliance. Addition methods describe determining, by the appliance, the address identified by the ICMP request corresponds to a second client, the second client also connected via a virtual private network to the remote machine; and transmitting, by the appliance to the second client via the virtual private network connection, the ICMP request. Corresponding systems are also described.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for dynamically deploying and executing acceleration functionality on a client to improve the performance and delivery of remotely accessed applications. In one embodiment. The client-side acceleration functionality is provided by an acceleration program that performs a plurality of the following acceleration techniques in an integrated and efficient manner: 1) multi-protocol compression 2) transport control protocol pooling, 3) transport control protocol multiplexing 4) transport control protocol buffering, and 5) caching. The acceleration program establishes a transport layer connection between the client and server, and intercepts network packets at the transport layer.