Network intelligence (NI) is a technology that builds on the concepts and capabilities of

deep packet inspection Deep packet inspection (DPI) is a type of data processing that inspects in detail the data (Network packet, packets) being sent over a computer network, and may take actions such as alerting, blocking, re-routing, or logging it accordingly. Deep ...

(DPI), packet capture and

business intelligence Business intelligence (BI) consists of strategies, methodologies, and technologies used by enterprises for data analysis and management of business information. Common functions of BI technologies include Financial reporting, reporting, online an ...

(BI). It examines, in real time, IP data packets that cross communications networks by identifying the

protocols Protocol may refer to: Sociology and politics * Protocol (politics), a formal agreement between nation states * Protocol (diplomacy), the etiquette of diplomacy and affairs of state * Etiquette, a code of personal behavior Science and technology ...

used and extracting packet content and

metadata Metadata (or metainformation) is "data that provides information about other data", but not the content of the data itself, such as the text of a message or the image itself. There are many distinct types of metadata, including: * Descriptive ...

for rapid analysis of data relationships and communications patterns. Also, sometimes referred to as Network Acceleration or piracy. NI is used as a middleware to capture and feed information to network operator applications for

bandwidth management Bandwidth management is the process of measuring and controlling the communications (traffic, packets) on a network link, to avoid filling the link to capacity or overfilling the link,https://www.internetsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/BWro ...

, traffic shaping, policy management, charging and billing (including usage-based and content billing), service assurance, revenue assurance, market research mega panel analytics, lawful interception and cyber security. It is currently being incorporated into a wide range of applications by vendors who provide technology solutions to Communications Service Providers (CSPs), governments and large enterprises. NI extends network controls, business capabilities, security functions and data mining for new products and services needed since the emergence of Web 2.0 and wireless 3G and 4G technologies.

Background

The evolution and growth of

Internet The Internet (or internet) is the Global network, global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a internetworking, network of networks ...

and

wireless Wireless communication (or just wireless, when the context allows) is the transfer of information (''telecommunication'') between two or more points without the use of an electrical conductor, optical fiber or other continuous guided transm ...

technologies offer possibilities for new types of products and services, as well as opportunities for hackers and criminal organizations to exploit weaknesses and perpetrate cyber crime. Network optimization and security solutions therefore need to address the exponential increases in IP traffic, methods of access, types of activity and volume of content generated. Traditional DPI tools from established vendors have historically addressed specific network infrastructure applications such as

, performance optimization and

quality of service Quality of service (QoS) is the description or measurement of the overall performance of a service, such as a telephony or computer network, or a cloud computing service, particularly the performance seen by the users of the network. To quantitat ...

(QoS). DPI focuses on recognizing different types of IP traffic as part of a CSP's infrastructure. NI provides more granular analysis. It enables vendors to create an information layer with metadata from IP traffic to feed multiple applications for more detailed and expansive visibility into network-based activity. NI technology goes beyond traditional DPI, since it not only recognizes protocols but also extracts a wide range of valuable metadata. NI's value-add to solutions traditionally based on DPI has attracted the attention of industry analysts who specialize in DPI market research. For example
Heavy Reading
now includes NI companies on its Deep Packet Inspection Semi-Annual Market Tracker.

Business Intelligence for data networks

In much the same way that BI technology synthesizes business application data from a variety of sources for business visibility and better decision-making, NI technology correlates network traffic data from a variety of data communication vehicles for network visibility, enabling better cyber security and IP services. With ongoing changes in communications networks and how information can be exchanged, people are no longer linked exclusively to physical subscriber lines. The same person can communicate in multiple ways –

FTP The File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a standard communication protocol used for the transfer of computer files from a server to a client on a computer network. FTP is built on a client–server model architecture using separate control and dat ...

Webmail Webmail (or web-based email) is an email service that can be accessed using a standard web browser. It contrasts with email service accessible through a specialised email client software. Additionally, many internet service providers (ISP) prov ...

VoIP Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), also known as IP telephony, is a set of technologies used primarily for voice communication sessions over Internet Protocol (IP) networks, such as the Internet. VoIP enables voice calls to be transmitted as ...

instant messaging Instant messaging (IM) technology is a type of synchronous computer-mediated communication involving the immediate ( real-time) transmission of messages between two or more parties over the Internet or another computer network. Originally involv ...

online chat Online chat is any direct text-, audio- or video-based (webcams), one-on-one or one-to-many ( group) chat (formally also known as synchronous conferencing), using tools such as instant messengers, Internet Relay Chat (IRC), talkers and possi ...

blogs A blog (a Clipping (morphology), truncation of "weblog") is an informational website consisting of discrete, often informal diary-style text entries also known as posts. Posts are typically displayed in Reverse chronology, reverse chronologic ...

social networks A social network is a social structure consisting of a set of social actors (such as individuals or organizations), networks of dyadic ties, and other social interactions between actors. The social network perspective provides a set of meth ...

– and from different access points via desktops, laptops and mobile devices. NI provides the means to quickly identify, examine and correlate interactions involving Internet users, applications, and protocols whether or not the protocols are tunneled or follow the

OSI model The Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model is a reference model developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) that "provides a common basis for the coordination of standards development for the purpose of systems inter ...

. The technology enables a global understanding of network traffic for applications that need to correlate information such as who contacts whom, when, where and how, or who accesses what database, when, and the information viewed. When combined with traditional BI tools that examine service quality and customer care, NI creates a powerful nexus of subscriber and network data.

Use in telecommunications

Telcos, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) are under increasing competitive pressures to move to smart pipe business models. The cost savings and revenue opportunities driving smart pipe strategies also apply to Network Equipment Providers, Software Vendors and Systems Integrators that serve the industry. Because NI captures detailed information from the hundreds of IP applications that cross mobile networks, it provides the required visibility and analysis of user demand to create and deliver differentiating services, as well as manage usage once deployed. NI as enabling technology for smart pipe applications Customer metrics are especially important for telecom companies to understand consumer behaviors and create personalized IP services. NI enables faster and more sophisticated

audience measurement Audience measurement calculates how many people are in an audience, usually in relation to radio listenership and television viewership, but also in relation to newspaper and magazine readership and, increasingly, web traffic. The term is someti ...

, user behavior analysis, customer segmentation, and personalized services. Real-time network metrics are equally important for companies to deliver and manage services. NI classifies protocols and applications from layers 2 through 7, generates metadata for communication sessions, and correlates activity between all layers, applicable for bandwidth & resource optimization, QoS, Content-Based Billing, quality of experience, VoIP Fraud Monitoring and

regulatory compliance In general, compliance means conforming to a rule, such as a specification, policy, standard or law. Compliance has traditionally been explained by reference to deterrence theory, according to which punishing a behavior will decrease the viol ...

Use in cloud computing

The economics and deployment speed of

cloud computing Cloud computing is "a paradigm for enabling network access to a scalable and elastic pool of shareable physical or virtual resources with self-service provisioning and administration on-demand," according to International Organization for ...

is fueling rapid adoption by companies and government agencies. Among concerns, however, are risks of

information security Information security is the practice of protecting information by mitigating information risks. It is part of information risk management. It typically involves preventing or reducing the probability of unauthorized or inappropriate access to data ...

, e-discovery, regulatory compliance and

auditing An audit is an "independent examination of financial information of any entity, whether profit oriented or not, irrespective of its size or legal form when such an examination is conducted with a view to express an opinion thereon." Auditing al ...

. NI mitigates the risks by providing Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS) vendors with real-time

situational awareness Situational awareness or situation awareness, often abbreviated as SA is the understanding of an environment, its elements, and how it changes with respect to time or other factors. It is also defined as the perception of the elements in the envi ...

of network activity, and critical transparency to allay fears of potential customers. A vendor can demonstrate hardened network security to prevent Data Leakage or Data Theft and an irrefutable audit trail of all network transaction – communication and content – related to a customer's account, assuming compliance to regulation and standards.

Use in government

NI extracts and correlates information such as who contacts whom, when where and how, providing

for lawful interception and

cyber security Computer security (also cybersecurity, digital security, or information technology (IT) security) is a subdiscipline within the field of information security. It consists of the protection of computer software, systems and networks from thr ...

. Real-time data capture, extraction and analysis allow security specialists to take preventive measures and protect network assets in real time as a complement post-mortem analysis after an attack.

Use in business

Because NI combines real-time network monitoring with IP metadata extraction, it enhances the effectiveness of applications for

database security Database security concerns the use of a broad range of information security controls to protect databases against compromises of their confidentiality, integrity and availability. It involves various types or categories of controls, such as tech ...

, database auditing and Network Protection. The network visibility afforded by NI can also be used to build enhancements and next-generation solutions for network performance management, WAN optimization, customer experience management, content filtering, and internal billing of networked applications.

References

{{reflist, refs= {{cite web , author = Jessica Schieve , title = Light Reading report: Network Acceleration - Managing Data Growth , url = http://www.fiercetelecom.com/offer/windriver_intel?source=ebook_tab , date = 2011-02-23 , publisher = Light Reading , accessdate = 2011-03-15 , url-status = dead , archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110511192950/http://www.fiercetelecom.com/offer/windriver_intel?source=ebook_tab , archivedate = 2011-05-11 {{cite web , author=Brian Partridge , title=Network Intelligence is Key to Profiting from Anywhere Demand , url=http://www.yankeegroup.com/ResearchDocument.do?id=53513 , date=2010-05-17 , publisher=Yankee Group Anchor Report , accessdate=2010-06-15 {{cite web , author=Thibaut Bechetoille , title=The Everyday Relationship Between You and 'Your' Information: What's Out There on the Internet , url=http://ipcommunications.tmcnet.com/topics/ip-communications/articles/52992-everyday-relationship-between-and-information-whats-out-there.htm , date=2009-03-25 , publisher=TMCnet , accessdate=2010-06-15 {{cite web , author=Simon Sherrington , title=Deep Packet Inspection Semi-Annual Market Tracker , url=http://www.heavyreading.com , publisher=Heavy Reading , accessdate=2010-06-15 {{cite web , author=Aditya Kishore , title=Market Research: New Opportunity for Service Providers? , url=http://www.lightreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=159415 , date=2008-07-21 , publisher=Light Reading , accessdate=2009-07-27 {{cite news , author=Shireen Dee , title=Qosmos Network Intelligence Helps Development of Smart Pipe Solutions , url=http://caas.tmcnet.com/topics/caas-saas/articles/49997-qosmos-network-intelligence-helps-development-smart-pipe-solutions.htm , date=2009-02-03 , publisher=TMCnet , accessdate=2009-07-27 {{cite web , title=MessageLabs Intelligence: 2008 Annual Security Report , url=http://www.messagelabs.com/mlireport/MLIReport_Annual_2008_FINAL.pdf , year=2009 , publisher=MessageLabs , accessdate=2009-07-27 {{cite web , title=Big Data and Bigger Breaches With Alex Pentland of Monument Capital Group , website=

HuffPost ''HuffPost'' (''The Huffington Post'' until 2017, itself often abbreviated as ''HPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and covers p ...

, url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shane-paul-neil/big-data-bigger-breaches-_b_6109928.html , year=2015 , accessdate=2015-01-14 {{cite web , title=2008 Internet Security Trends , url=http://www.ironport.com/securitytrends/ , year=2008 , publisher=IronPort , accessdate=2009-07-27 {{cite web , author=Jordan Golson , title=A Brave New World: 700M New Net Users Seen By 2013 , work=Gigaom , url=http://gigaom.com/2009/07/21/a-brave-new-world-700m-new-net-users-seen-by-2013/#more-59899 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090724065826/http://gigaom.com/2009/07/21/a-brave-new-world-700m-new-net-users-seen-by-2013/#more-59899 , url-status=dead , archive-date=July 24, 2009 , date=2009-07-21 , accessdate=2009-07-27 {{cite web , author=Stacey Higginbotham , title=Will P2P Soon Be the Scourge of Mobile Networks? , url=http://gigaom.com/2009/07/21/will-p2p-soon-be-the-scourge-of-mobile-networks/#more-59491 , archive-url=https://archive.today/20150416013806/https://gigaom.com/2009/07/21/will-p2p-soon-be-the-scourge-of-mobile-networks/#more-59491 , url-status=dead , archive-date=April 16, 2015 , date=2009-07-21 , publisher=GigaOM , accessdate=2009-07-27 {{cite web , title=IDC Finds Cloud Computing Entering Period of Accelerating Adoption and Poised to Capture IT Spending Growth Over the Next Five Years , url=http://idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS21480708 , date=2008-10-20 , publisher=IDC , accessdate=2009-07-28 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091123195427/http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS21480708 , archive-date=2009-11-23 , url-status=dead {{cite web , author=Tom Sullivan , title=More Cash for Cloud Computing in 2009 , url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/162157/more_cash_for_cloud_computing_in_2009.html , date=2008-03-29 , publisher=PC World , accessdate=2009-07-28 {{cite web , author=Henry Sienkiewicz , title=DISA's Cloud Computing Initiatives , url=http://www.govinfosecurity.com/podcasts.php?podcastID=229 , date=2008-04-30 , publisher=Government Information Security Podcasts , accessdate=2009-07-28 {{cite web , author=Ephraim Schwartz , title=The dangers of cloud computing , url=http://www.infoworld.com/d/cloud-computing/dangers-cloud-computing-839 , date=2008-07-07 , publisher=Info World , accessdate=2009-07-28 {{cite web , author = Jon Brodkin , title = Gartner: Seven cloud-computing security risks , url = http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/070208-cloud.html , date = 2008-07-02 , publisher = Info World , accessdate = 2009-07-28 , url-status = dead , archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20090318162846/http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/070208-cloud.html , archivedate = 2009-03-18 Packets (information technology) Deep packet inspection Network analyzers Networking hardware Business intelligence terms