Network monitoring using virtual packets
First Claim
1. A method, including steps ofreceiving flow information from one or more flow information gathering devices, after each particular flow associated with said flow information is complete;
- generating virtual packets in response to said flow information, said virtual packets being equally distributed over a time duration indicated by said flow information;
receiving said virtual packets at a network monitoring device;
entering said virtual packets into a first buffer in an order in which said virtual packets are generated;
reordering said virtual packets into an order in which said virtual packets are sequentially distributed over each said time duration by each said flow information;
entering said virtual packets into a second buffer in response to said steps of reordering.
12 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A network monitoring device includes a flow processing element, disposed to receive flow information relating to network flows, and to generate a set of virtual packets, each representing a portion of a network flow. The virtual packets are maintained in a time-sequential order, and read by elements of the network monitoring device to generate information relating to network traffic, such as symptoms affecting the communication network, problems affecting the communication network, and otherwise. The network monitoring device randomly samples virtual packets, with at least one of two effects: (1) flow information from traffic reporting devices that are themselves sampling a differing rates can be equalized, with the effect of standardizing information from all of them; (2) the network monitoring device itself can restrict its attention to a fraction of all virtual packets, with the effect of keeping up with a relatively large number of virtual packets.
-
Citations
16 Claims
-
1. A method, including steps of
receiving flow information from one or more flow information gathering devices, after each particular flow associated with said flow information is complete; -
generating virtual packets in response to said flow information, said virtual packets being equally distributed over a time duration indicated by said flow information; receiving said virtual packets at a network monitoring device; entering said virtual packets into a first buffer in an order in which said virtual packets are generated; reordering said virtual packets into an order in which said virtual packets are sequentially distributed over each said time duration by each said flow information; entering said virtual packets into a second buffer in response to said steps of reordering. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A method, including steps of
receiving flow information from one or more reporting devices; - generating virtual packets in response to said flow information for a particular flow, said virtual packets being representative of an amount of traffic reported for said particular flow;
coupling said virtual packets to a network monitoring device; entering said virtual packets into a first buffer in an order in which said virtual packets are generated; reordering said virtual packets into an order in which said virtual packets are sequentially distributed over said time duration indicated by said flow information for a particular flow, as if generated during said particular flow; entering said virtual packets into a second buffer in response to said steps of reordering. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
- generating virtual packets in response to said flow information for a particular flow, said virtual packets being representative of an amount of traffic reported for said particular flow;
Specification