Content processor
Encyclopedia
Content processors are sometimes confused with network processor
s that inspect the packet payload of an IP packet
travelling through a computer network
. These components allow for the design and deployment of next-generation networking systems that can make packet or message processing decisions based on an awareness of the packet or message content. The work of Content Processors is often termed Content Processing or Deep Packet Inspection
, DPI
, though some people feel that the expression DPI is too limiting as many Content Processors can modify and re-write content on the fly - therefore they can do much more than just inspect which implies a sort of monitoring only function.
Unlike knowledge based processors or Ternary Content-addressable memory
(TCAMS), which mainly target the packet header (twenty percent of the packet currently comprises the header), content processors go much further into the packet or message thereby determining the nature of the content in the packet itself (80% of the packet currently is data).
Applications of content processors include: layer 7 application
, application-oriented networks
switches, routers, unified threat management
(UTM) computer appliances, Intrusion Detection
, prevention systems (IDS/IPS), anti-virus, compliance
, [VOIP] and XML
gateways. The various layers of the OSI model
are given in the link that follows with a description of layer 7 where content processing is and will become and integral part of the intelligent network as the next generation networks mature.
Advanced Content Processors can both examine and transform content. For example: Microsoft's new Office 2007 product has the ability to save documents in an open XML
format, instead of .ppt, .xls and .doc applications will save to an encapsulated (actually gzip compressed) file type named .pptx, .xlsx and .docx. So a content processor could be used to examine all of a corporations documents and replace one company name with another, or change an included corporate logo - all because the structured data represented in XML can be manipulated much more easily than a proprietary and undocumented format. XML is often described as a self-describing language.
Some Content Processors support the ability to handle both message-based or packet-by-packet analysis and some can keep track of content across multiple packets so that the signatures they may be searching for can cross packet boundaries and they will still be found.
Network processor
A network processor is an integrated circuit which has a feature set specifically targeted at the networking application domain.Network processors are typically software programmable devices and would have generic characteristics similar to general purpose central processing units that are commonly...
s that inspect the packet payload of an IP packet
Internet protocol suite
The Internet protocol suite is the set of communications protocols used for the Internet and other similar networks. It is commonly known as TCP/IP from its most important protocols: Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol , which were the first networking protocols defined in this...
travelling through a computer network
Computer network
A computer network, often simply referred to as a network, is a collection of hardware components and computers interconnected by communication channels that allow sharing of resources and information....
. These components allow for the design and deployment of next-generation networking systems that can make packet or message processing decisions based on an awareness of the packet or message content. The work of Content Processors is often termed Content Processing or Deep Packet Inspection
Deep packet inspection
Deep Packet Inspection is a form of computer network packet filtering that examines the data part of a packet as it passes an inspection point, searching for protocol non-compliance, viruses, spam, intrusions or predefined criteria to decide if the packet can...
, DPI
DPI
DPI may stand for* Dots per inch, a measure of printing resolution* Dhaka Polytechnic Institute, an educational institution of Bangladesh* Death Pact International, one of the first open source musical concept projects...
, though some people feel that the expression DPI is too limiting as many Content Processors can modify and re-write content on the fly - therefore they can do much more than just inspect which implies a sort of monitoring only function.
Unlike knowledge based processors or Ternary Content-addressable memory
Content-addressable memory
Content-addressable memory is a special type of computer memory used in certain very high speed searching applications. It is also known as associative memory, associative storage, or associative array, although the last term is more often used for a programming data structure...
(TCAMS), which mainly target the packet header (twenty percent of the packet currently comprises the header), content processors go much further into the packet or message thereby determining the nature of the content in the packet itself (80% of the packet currently is data).
Applications of content processors include: layer 7 application
Application layer
The Internet protocol suite and the Open Systems Interconnection model of computer networking each specify a group of protocols and methods identified by the name application layer....
, application-oriented networks
Application-oriented networks
Application-oriented networks are sometimes called "intelligent networks" or "content-based routing networks" and they are generally network technology that can use the content of a network packet or message to take some sort of action. During the rise of the internet many routing decisions were...
switches, routers, unified threat management
Unified threat management
Unified Threat Management is a comprehensive solution that has recently emerged in the network security industry and since 2004, has gained widespread currency as a primary network gateway defense solution for organizations...
(UTM) computer appliances, Intrusion Detection
Intrusion detection
In Information Security, intrusion detection is the act of detecting actions that attempt to compromise the confidentiality, integrity or availability of a resource. When Intrusion detection takes a preventive measure without direct human intervention, then it becomes an Intrusion-prevention...
, prevention systems (IDS/IPS), anti-virus, compliance
Compliance
Compliance can mean:*In mechanical science, the inverse of stiffness*Compliance , a patient's adherence to a recommended course of treatment...
, [VOIP] and XML
XML
Extensible Markup Language is a set of rules for encoding documents in machine-readable form. It is defined in the XML 1.0 Specification produced by the W3C, and several other related specifications, all gratis open standards....
gateways. The various layers of the OSI model
OSI model
The Open Systems Interconnection model is a product of the Open Systems Interconnection effort at the International Organization for Standardization. It is a prescription of characterizing and standardizing the functions of a communications system in terms of abstraction layers. Similar...
are given in the link that follows with a description of layer 7 where content processing is and will become and integral part of the intelligent network as the next generation networks mature.
Advanced Content Processors can both examine and transform content. For example: Microsoft's new Office 2007 product has the ability to save documents in an open XML
XML
Extensible Markup Language is a set of rules for encoding documents in machine-readable form. It is defined in the XML 1.0 Specification produced by the W3C, and several other related specifications, all gratis open standards....
format, instead of .ppt, .xls and .doc applications will save to an encapsulated (actually gzip compressed) file type named .pptx, .xlsx and .docx. So a content processor could be used to examine all of a corporations documents and replace one company name with another, or change an included corporate logo - all because the structured data represented in XML can be manipulated much more easily than a proprietary and undocumented format. XML is often described as a self-describing language.
Some Content Processors support the ability to handle both message-based or packet-by-packet analysis and some can keep track of content across multiple packets so that the signatures they may be searching for can cross packet boundaries and they will still be found.
See also
- Network processorNetwork processorA network processor is an integrated circuit which has a feature set specifically targeted at the networking application domain.Network processors are typically software programmable devices and would have generic characteristics similar to general purpose central processing units that are commonly...
- Multi core ProcessorMulti-core (computing)A multi-core processor is a single computing component with two or more independent actual processors , which are the units that read and execute program instructions...
- Knowledge based processorKnowledge-based processorKnowledge-based processors are used for processing packets in computer networks. Knowledge-based processors are essential for the long term success of the IPv6 . The buildout of the IPv6 network is inevitable as it provides the means to an improved and secure networking system...