Systems/Enterprise:
NETWORK ASSOCIATES GRANTED NEW
U.S. PATENT FOR GRID PROXY SERVERS
Newly patented technology
improves
efficiency in context switching and enables
higher throughput of data on
servers.
Network Associates Inc, a leading provider of network
security and
availability solutions, today announced that the United States
Patent and
Trademark Office has granted the company U.S. Patent number
6,510,448 for its
technology invention in the field of proxy servers and
context switching.
The technology described in the granted patent,
entitled "System, Method And
Computer Program Product For Increasing The
Performance Of A Proxy Server,"
improves the performance of proxy servers or
application-level gateways by
enabling improved context switching. This is
accomplished by utilizing a
software 'virtual machine', a self-contained
operating environment that runs
separately from the operating system, or other
mechanism or module.
The granted patent covers multiple systems and
methods that increase
efficiencies in proxy server traffic. For example, when
a process or thread
is blocked, the proxy server can switch to a different
process or thread,
also known as a context switch.
The frequent
blocking of network read/write operations can result in frequent
context
switching, which ultimately reduces the input/output that occurs on a
network.
As disclosed in the granted patent, a software virtual machine or
other
mechanism or module can increase the efficiency of that context
switching, and
in an application to a networking environment, can improve the
efficiency of
handling input/output operations through improved control of
switching between
contexts.
The performance of context switching in process and
thread-based proxies is an
important field of research and development in the
security industry because
it helps to reduce cost associated with switching
between contexts while
increasing efficiencies in data input/output. The
technology in the granted
patent is useful in improving the performance of
anti-virus software,
firewalls, intrusion protection or detection, networking
software or other
technologies where optimizing speed and minimizing resource
demands are
important.
Furthermore, this newly granted patent is
applicable to a variety of computer
systems or networks including, but not
limited to, firewall systems such as
application-level gateways or proxy
servers. "As part of Network Associates
comprehensive technology portfolio, we
are dedicated to the development of
cutting-edge technology that monitors
network perimeters, devices and traffic
for potential threats, and protects
against attacks or misuse which can damage
critical information resources,"
said Ryan McGee, director of product
marketing for McAfee Security at Network
Associates.
"We remain committed to rapidly identifying potential
threats and responding
quickly to those threats by incorporating the most
innovative technologies
into our comprehensive line of security solutions.
This newly granted patent
is another example of this advanced technology that
enables us to provide
customers with comprehensive security and increased
efficiency on their
networks."
The software virtual machine can
support restartable instructions on the proxy
server to ensure that, when
resumed, a previously blocked context will
continue with the instruction that
had previously been blocked or suspended.
This increased efficiency reduces
the overhead expense and delays associated
with traditional context switching,
and increases the number of transactions
per second that the proxy server can
handle.
With headquarters in Santa Clara, Calif, Network Associates
Inc is a leading
supplier of network security and availability solutions.
Network Associates is
comprised of three product groups: McAfee Security,
delivering world-class
anti-virus and security products; Sniffer Technologies,
a leader in network
availability and system security; and Magic Solutions, a
leader in innovative
service management solutions.
http://www.networkassociates.com
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