Virtual Probes

• US 20160366041A1
• Filed: 06/12/2015
• Published: 12/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mhatre, Vivek, Seenappa, Vikram, Redfern, Ryan
• Granted Patent: US 10,721,154 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0895 Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/12 Network monitoring probes

Abstract

Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for virtual probes. A processor can execute a probe orchestrator service. The processor can obtain traffic monitoring data that describes traffic associated with a logical node. The logical node can include two or more devices that can exchange information as internal traffic. The processor can analyze the traffic monitoring data to determine one of the two or more devices hosts external traffic that involves an external device that resides outside of the logical node. In response to a determination that the one of the two or more devices hosts the external traffic, the processor can trigger instantiation of a virtual probe at the device of the plurality of devices.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining, at a processor executing a probe orchestrator service, data that describes traffic associated with a logical node, wherein the logical node comprises a plurality of devices that exchange information as internal traffic;

analyzing, by the processor, the data to determine if a device of the plurality of devices hosts external traffic that involves an external device that resides outside of the logical node; and

in response to a determination that the device of the plurality of devices hosts the external traffic, triggering, by the processor, instantiation of a virtual probe at the device of the plurality of devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual probe is instantiated at the device, and wherein the virtual probe is hosted by a host operating system of the device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises one data selected from a group comprising traffic monitoring data and a virtual machine creation template.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the virtual probe, wherein configuring the virtual probe comprises:

accessing a catalog of known logical interface descriptions of physical network interfaces of the device; and

configuring the virtual probe using the catalog.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the logical node provides functionality associated with a service, and wherein the logical node is located within a data center.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the traffic monitoring data is obtained from a traffic monitor that monitors the plurality of devices.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the device exchanges data with an external resource that is located outside of the logical node.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving external traffic data from the virtual probe, wherein the external traffic data describes the external traffic.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the virtual probe by issuing a command to the device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the device comprises a data center server.

11. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising

obtaining data that describes traffic associated with a logical node, wherein the logical node comprises a plurality of devices that exchange information as internal traffic,

analyzing the data to determine if a device of the plurality of devices hosts external traffic that involves an external device that resides outside of the logical node, and

in response to a determination that the device of the plurality of devices hosts the external traffic, triggering instantiation of a virtual probe at the device of the plurality of devices.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the virtual probe is instantiated at the device, and wherein the virtual probe is hosted by a host operating system of the device.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising configuring the virtual probe, wherein configuring the virtual probe comprises:

accessing a catalog of known logical interface descriptions of physical network interfaces of the device; and

configuring the virtual probe using the catalog.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the data comprises one data selected from a group comprising traffic monitoring data and a virtual machine creation template.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

configuring the virtual probe by issuing a command to the device.

16. A computer storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

obtaining data that describes traffic associated with a logical node, wherein the logical node comprises a plurality of devices that exchange information as internal traffic;

analyzing the data to determine if a device of the plurality of devices hosts external traffic that involves an external device that resides outside of the logical node; and

in response to a determination that the device of the plurality of devices hosts the external traffic, triggering instantiation of a virtual probe at the device of the plurality of devices.

17. The computer storage medium of claim 16, wherein the virtual probe is instantiated at the device, and wherein the virtual probe is hosted by a host operating computer storage medium of the device.

18. The computer storage medium of claim 16, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising configuring the virtual probe, wherein configuring the virtual probe comprises:

accessing a catalog of known logical interface descriptions of physical network interfaces of the device; and

configuring the virtual probe using the catalog.

19. The computer storage medium of claim 16, wherein the data comprises one data selected from a group comprising traffic monitoring data and a virtual machine creation template.

20. The computer storage medium of claim 16, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

configuring the virtual probe by issuing a command to the device.