This Recommendation provides the implementation mechanisms for deep packet inspection (DPI) in packet based networks. The primary purpose of this Recommendation is to describe the application models, related protocols, interface, methods procedure and process of DPI that can be used to identify information flows between DPI functions and other network functions.

The scope of this Recommendation includes:

– definition of DPI mechanism;

– overview of DPI mechanisms in support of application identification;

– procedures and information flows in operational aspect;

– procedures and information flows in management aspect, such as DPI policy management;

– other procedures and information flows for possible DPI functional entity (FE) interfaces.

The following are out of the scope of this Recommendation: 

– operational and management aspects that are not specific to DPI entities;

– common network element related management functions, as already specified by the ITU-T M-series and ITU-T X-series Recommendations.

Implementers and users of this Recommendation shall comply with all applicable national and regional laws, regulations and policies. The mechanism described in this Recommendation may not be applicable to international correspondence in order to ensure the secrecy and sovereign national legal requirements placed upon telecommunications providers, as well as the ITU Constitution and Convention.