Morgan Stanley
CHARACTERIZING CLIENT-SERVER CONNECTION CONFIGURATIONS ACCORDING TO COMMUNICATION LAYER ATTRIBUTES

Abstract:

A system and method for characterizing a connection configuration of a client connecting to a computer system. The system can host a web service to which a client is redirected or connected to establish a client session between the client and the web service. The web service then actively and/or passively measures various attributes associated with the communication layers, such as latencies and/or configuration settings associated with each of the communication layers. Based on differences between the attributes of the communication layers, the computer system can characterize the client connection configuration. Various client connection configurations can include conventional connections, connections utilizing an external domain name service, connections through virtual private networks, connections through various proxies, and so on. Based on the characterized connection configuration, the computer system can take various actions, such as terminating the connection between the client and the computer system.