Multi-service VPN network client for mobile device having integrated acceleration
An integrated, multi-service virtual private network (VPN) network client for cellular mobile devices is described. The multi-service network client can be deployed as a single software package on cellular mobile network devices to provide integrated services including secure enterprise VPN connectivity, acceleration, security management including monitored and enforced endpoint compliance, and collaboration services. The multi-service client integrates with an operating system of the device to provide a VPN handler to establish a VPN connection with a remote VPN security device. The VPN network client includes to data acceleration module exchange network packets with the VPN handler and apply at least one acceleration service to the network packets, and a VPN control application that provides a unified user interface that allows a user to configure both the VPN handler and the data acceleration module.
1. A cellular mobile device comprising:
a transmitter and receiver to send and receive cellular communications in the form of radio frequency signals;
a microprocessor;
an operating system executing on the microprocessor to provide an operating environment for application software;
a multi-service virtual private network (VPN) client executing on the microprocessor and registered with the operating system as a single application, wherein the multi-service VPN client comprises:
a VPN handler to establish a VPN connection with a remote VPN security device, wherein the VPN handler encrypts outbound network packets and decrypts inbound network packets to securely tunnel the network packets between the cellular mobile device and the remote VPN security device,
a security manager to receive the decrypted inbound network packets from the VPN handler and apply at least one security service to the decrypted inbound network packets,
wherein the security service applied by the security manager of the multi-service VPN client provides anti-virus and spyware detection functions to the decrypted inbound network packets, and
a VPN control application that provides a unified user interface that allows a user to configure the VPN handler and anti-virus settings and personal firewall settings of the security manager.
2. The cellular mobile device of claim 1 , further comprising a data acceleration module executing on the microprocessor that exchanges network packets with the VPN handler and applies at least one acceleration service to the network packets, wherein the data acceleration module is configured to provide the acceleration service as a client-side decompression service that operates on the cellular mobile device in conjunction with an upstream acceleration device to detect and eliminate repeated phrases within network packets transmitted to the cellular mobile device.
3. The cellular mobile device of claim 2 , wherein the data acceleration module provides the client-side decompression service to provide real-time, continuous pattern recognition and compression of data flows within the network packets.
4. The cellular mobile device of claim 2 , wherein the data acceleration module provides application-specific protocol optimization for control flows within the network packets.
5. The cellular mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the multi-service VPN client comprises a single distribution package.
6. The cellular mobile device of claim 1 ,
wherein the VPN handler comprises a host checker module that inventories a state of the cellular mobile device and builds a health status report, and
wherein, prior to establishing the VPN connection, the host checker module outputs the health status report to the remote VPN security device for determining whether the cellular mobile device is compliant with corporate policies.
7. The cellular mobile device of claim 1 ,
wherein the user interface allows a user to disable VPN connectivity, and
wherein, when VPN connectivity is disabled, the VPN handler exchanges the network packets with the operating system and transparently provides the packets to the security manager for application of the security service.
8. A method comprising:
receiving, with a cellular mobile device from an electronic repository, a single distribution software package that includes a multi-service virtual private network (VPN) client, wherein the multi-service VPN client comprises:
a VPN handler that establishes a VPN connection with a remote VPN security device, wherein the VPN handler encrypts outbound network packets and decrypts inbound network packets to securely tunnel the network packets between the cellular mobile device and the remote VPN security device,
a security manager to receive the decrypted inbound network packets from the VPN handler and apply at least one security service to the decrypted inbound network packets, wherein the security service applied by the security manager of the multi-service VPN network client provides anti-virus and spyware detection functions to the decrypted inbound network packets, and
a VPN control application that provides a unified user interface that allows a user to configure the VPN handler and anti-virus settings and personal firewall settings of the security manager;
installing the multi-service VPN network client on the cellular mobile device including registering the VPN handler with an operating system of the cellular mobile device as a single application, wherein the VPN handler provides a single point of entry for network packets from the operating system to apply VPN services with the VPN handler and the security service to the network packets by the security manager; and
executing the multi-service VPN network client on a processor of the cellular mobile device.