Distributed offload leveraging different offload devices
Techniques for distributed offload leveraging different offload devices are disclosed. In some embodiments, a system, process, and/or computer program product for distributed offload leveraging different offload devices includes receiving a flow at a firewall of a security service (e.g., a cloud-based security service); inspecting the flow at the firewall to determine meta information associated with the flow; and offloading the flow to an offload entity (e.g., a SmartNIC, software executed on a Network Interface Card (NIC), and/or a network device, such as a network router and/or network switch) based on the meta information associated with the flow (e.g., an application identification associated with the flow determined using deep packet inspection) and based on a policy.
1. A system comprising:
a processor configured to:
receive a flow at a firewall of a security service;
inspect the flow at the firewall to determine meta information associated with the flow; and
offload the flow that is Layer-7 (L7) complete to an offload entity based on the meta information associated with the flow and based on a policy, wherein the policy is configured to offload passthrough traffic encrypted network traffic in a service provider network, and wherein the encrypted network traffic includes Secure Shell protocol (SSH), Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol, and/or Internet Protocol Security (IPSEC) protocol associated network traffic in the service provider network in which the service provider does not have a decryption key to inspect the encrypted network traffic; and
a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.
2. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the flow is determined to be a new flow at the firewall of the security service, and wherein the meta information includes an application identification associated with the flow.
3. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the meta information includes an application identification associated with the flow determined using deep packet inspection.
4. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the offload entity includes a Smart Network Interface Card (SmartNIC).
5. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the offload entity is implemented in software executed on a network interface card (NIC).
6. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the offload entity includes a network router or a network switch.
7. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the security service is a cloud-based security service.
8. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the security service is a cloud-based security service that is provided using a public cloud service provider.
9. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the security service is a cloud-based security service that is provided using a plurality of public cloud service providers.
10. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
close the flow; and
receive session statistics associated with the flow from the offload entity.
11. A method, comprising:
receiving a flow at a firewall of a security service;
inspecting the flow at the firewall to determine meta information associated with the flow; and
offloading the flow that is Layer-7 (L7) complete to an offload entity based on the meta information associated with the flow and based on a policy, wherein the policy is configured to offload passthrough traffic encrypted network traffic in a service provider network, and wherein the encrypted network traffic includes Secure Shell protocol (SSH), Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol, and/or Internet Protocol Security (IPSEC) protocol associated network traffic in the service provider network in which the service provider does not have a decryption key to inspect the encrypted network traffic.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the flow is determined to be a new flow at the firewall of the security service, and wherein the meta information includes an application identification associated with the flow.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the meta information includes an application identification associated with the flow determined using deep packet inspection.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the offload entity includes a Smart Network Interface Card (SmartNIC).
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the offload entity is implemented in software executed on a network interface card (NIC).
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the offload entity includes a network router or a network switch.
17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
closing the flow; and
receiving session statistics associated with the flow from the offload entity.
18. A non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium embodying computer instructions for:
receiving a flow at a firewall of a security service;
inspecting the flow at the firewall to determine meta information associated with the flow; and
offloading the flow that is Layer-7 (L7) complete to an offload entity based on the meta information associated with the flow and based on a policy, wherein the policy is configured to offload passthrough traffic encrypted network traffic in a service provider network, and wherein the encrypted network traffic includes Secure Shell protocol (SSH), Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol, and/or Internet Protocol Security (IPSEC) protocol associated network traffic in the service provider network in which the service provider does not have a decryption key to inspect the encrypted network traffic.
19. The non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium recited in claim 18 , wherein the flow is determined to be a new flow at the firewall of the security service, and wherein the meta information includes an application identification associated with the flow.
20. The non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium recited in claim 18 , wherein the meta information includes an application identification associated with the flow determined using deep packet inspection.