Abstract: A monitor for and a method of examining packets passing through a connection point on a computer network. Each packets conforms to one or more protocols. The method includes receiving a packet from a packet acquisition device and performing one or more parsing/extraction operations on the packet to create a parser record comprising a function of selected portions of the packet. The parsing/extraction operations depend on one or more of the protocols to which the packet conforms. The method further includes looking up a flow-entry database containing flow-entries for previously encountered conversational flows. The lookup uses the selected packet portions and determining if the packet is of an existing flow.

Abstract: A method of performing protocol specific operations on a packet passing through a connection point on a computer network. The packet contents conform to protocols of a layered model wherein the protocol at a at a particular layer level may include one or a set of child protocols defined for that level. The method includes receiving the packet and receiving a set of protocol descriptions for protocols may be used in the packet. A protocol description for a particular protocol at a particular layer level includes any child protocols of the particular protocol, and for any child protocol, where in the packet information related to the particular child protocol may be found. A protocol description also includes any protocol specific operations to be performed on the packet for the particular protocol at the particular layer level.

Abstract: A monitor for and a method of examining packets passing through a connection point on a computer network. Each packets conforms to one or more protocols. The method includes receiving a packet from a packet acquisition device and performing one or more parsing/extraction operations on the packet to create a parser record comprising a function of selected portions of the packet. The parsing/extraction operations depend on one or more of the protocols to which the packet conforms. The method further includes looking up a flow-entry database containing flow-entries for previously encountered conversational flows. The lookup uses the selected packet portions and determining if the packet is of an existing flow.