System and method for end-user custom parsing definitions

1. A method comprising:

collecting packets that have been transmitted over a network during a communication session;

assembling the packets into at least one communication session that transpired between two entities;

passing the packets of the at least one communication session to a parser;

parsing the packets of the at least one communication session using a first portion of the parser that was compiled at a first time, and also parsing the packets of the at least one session using a second portion of the parser that was compiled at a second time different from the first time; and

displaying results of the parsing steps on a display,

wherein the second portion of the parser is defined by an end user of the parser and includes a path to a data file that includes tokens used for said parsing using the second portion of the parser.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a parser definition for the second portion of the parser in a non-binary form.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the definition is provided using an XML file.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising compiling the XML file.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising parsing both a client side and a server side of the at least one communication session.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication session is a TCP/IP session.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein parsing comprises at least one of pattern matching and comparing variables.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising at least one of token and metadata declaration, token and pattern matching, logic functions and variable operations, and/or metadata registration and extraction.

9. A method of performing analysis of a communication session between two entities, comprising;

loading predetermined first parser definitions, stored as at least one binary file;

receiving second parser definitions in a form other than a binary file form, after the first parser definitions are already operating;

loading the second parser definitions;

compiling the second parser definitions; and

applying the first and second parser definitions to a communication session,

wherein receiving second parser definitions comprises receiving a path to a data file that includes tokens used for said second parser definitions.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first parser definitions identify a publicly defined protocol.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second parser definitions identify a non-publicly defined protocol.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the non-publicly defined protocol is a protocol employed by financial institutions.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the communication session is a TCP/IP session

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second parser definitions include a token definition.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the token identifies a predetermined service.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the predetermined service is an Internet service.

17. The method of claim 9 , further comprising validating the second parser definitions.

18. The method of claim 9 , further comprising receiving the second parser definitions in the form of one or more XML files.

19. Logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution and when executed operable to:

load predetermined first parser definitions, stored as at least one binary file;

receive second parser definitions in a form other than a binary file form, after the first parser definitions are already operating;

load the second parser definitions;

compile the second parser definitions; and

apply the first and second parser definitions to a communication session,

wherein the second parser definitions are received by receiving a path to a data file that includes tokens used for said second parser definitions.