Deep Packet Inspection - Technology, Applications and Net Neutrality
Deep packet inspection has been subject to controversial debates about network neutrality and online privacy for the last few years. In this white paper we will argue that DPI as such is a neutral, neither good nor bad technology, and that it depends on the application that utilizes DPI how it will affect the Internet and our society. This paper will focus on Internet bandwidth management based on DPI. Interestingly, the technology has been around in other applications such as firewalls and virus scanners for much longer without sparking similar controversy. After a simple technical explanation of what DPI is – and what it is not –, we will straighten some myths and untruths. Future discussions, particularly in the area of bandwidth management, should not focus on DPI as a technology, but on its specific applications. To facilitate these discussions, we will propose a simple system of categories that classify different Internet traffic management schemes according to their impact on net neutrality, market competition and online privacy.