Method and system for managing traffic in a wireless communication system

1. A method of managing traffic at an inspection node for a wireless communication system comprising:

receiving an event at the inspection node to begin monitoring a traffic flow, wherein the event comprises a flow identifier associated with the traffic flow;

receiving the traffic flow at the inspection node, wherein the traffic flow comprises a plurality of packets;

inspecting the plurality of the packets to obtain an application identifier;

based upon the flow identifier and the application identifier, performing a sampling process on the traffic flow, adjusting a frequency for inspecting the traffic flow to decrease the frequency when a lower frequency will identify a traffic flow rate of the traffic flow, and inspecting a second set of packets using the adjusted frequency; and

terminating the sampling process upon determining the end of the traffic flow when a service flow termination message is received.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the flow identifier comprises a service flow identifier associated with an internet protocol address for the traffic flow.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the event comprises a service flow identifier, an internet protocol address, a quality of service type and at least one quality of service parameter.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein adjusting the frequency for inspecting the traffic flow is based upon a quality of service type.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein adjusting the frequency for inspecting the traffic flow is based upon an application type.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein adjusting the frequency for inspecting the traffic flow is based upon a protocol type.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein adjusting the frequency for inspecting the traffic flow is based upon a network policy associated with a service flow.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the network policy comprises at least one of the following: an application type, a protocol type, a quality of service type, a maximum sustained traffic rate, a minimum reserved traffic rate and a maximum traffic burst.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the traffic flow is an internet protocol traffic flow.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the traffic flow is a wireless protocol traffic flow.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the end of the traffic flow comprises detecting the end of the of traffic flow.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the end of the traffic flow comprises receiving a termination event to end monitoring the traffic flow.

13. A method for evaluating communication traffic in a network comprising:

receiving a service flow creation message at an application layer inspection node over a gateway to inspection node signaling channel to begin monitoring a service flow, wherein the service flow creation message comprises a service flow identifier and a policy identifier;

receiving the service flow at the application layer inspection node over a gateway to inspection node data link, wherein the service flow comprises a plurality of packets;

inspecting a first set of the plurality of the packets to obtain an application identifier;

based upon the application identifier and service flow identifier, determining an adjusted sampling frequency for the service flow to decrease the frequency when a lower frequency will identify a traffic flow rate of the traffic flow;

inspecting a second set of the plurality of packets using the adjusted sampling frequency; and

receiving a service flow termination message at the application layer inspection node over a gateway to inspection node signaling channel to end monitoring the service flow; and

terminating the inspection of the second set of plurality of packets when a service flow termination message is received.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein determining the adjusted sampling frequency comprises evaluating a network policy associated with the policy identifier.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the network policy comprises at least one of the following: an application type, a protocol type, a quality of service type, a maximum sustained traffic rate, a minimum reserved traffic rate and a maximum traffic burst.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the adjusted sampling frequency comprises inspecting the second set of plurality of data packets at a rate less than the rate the second set are received at the application layer inspection node when the application type comprises a voice over internet protocol application type.

17. An application layer data inspection node comprising:

a signaling channel:

for receiving a service flow creation message to begin monitoring a service flow, wherein the service flow creation message comprises a service flow identifier and a policy identifier, and

for receiving a service flow termination message to end monitoring the service flow;

a data channel for receiving the service flow, wherein the service flow comprises a plurality of packets; and

a processor configured to:

inspect a first set of the plurality of the packets to obtain an application identifier;

based upon the application identifier and service flow identifier, adjust a sampling frequency for the service flow to decrease the frequency when a lower frequency will identify a traffic flow rate of the traffic flow; and

inspect a second set of the plurality of packets using the adjusted sampling frequency.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein determining the adjusted sampling frequency comprises evaluating a network policy associated with the policy identifier.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the network policy comprises at least one of the following: an application type, a protocol type, a quality of service type, a maximum sustained traffic rate, a minimum reserved traffic rate and a maximum traffic burst.