Contract-Based Copy Service Engine for Network Traffic Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network monitoring technologies face challenges in scaling to accommodate the scope, size, and complexity of data center networks, leading to limitations in bandwidth consumption, hardware resource constraints, and the need for additional headers or copies across the fabric.
Innovation Solution
A copy service engine monitors network data flow, detects contracts defining copy parameters, and executes a copy service by copying data flows to analyzer endpoints, deploying copies without additional headers and flooding them across the fabric, while supporting Layer-2 and Layer-3 operations and virtual private cloud architectures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If network monitoring technologies are deployed to meet customer expectations for performance and reliability, then service quality is improved, but bandwidth consumption and hardware resource constraints worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates copies of network traffic flows and directs them to analyzer endpoints for monitoring. Instead of analyzing all traffic through a single path, the system copies specific flows that need analysis, reducing the bandwidth burden on the monitoring infrastructure while maintaining comprehensive oversight of critical traffic.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring system segments traffic analysis by identifying specific flows that require monitoring and directing them to appropriate analyzer endpoints. This segmentation allows distributed analysis across multiple endpoints rather than consolidating all monitoring in one location, reducing bandwidth consumption on any single path.
2Adaptability or versatility
If network monitoring technologies are scaled to accommodate data center network complexity, then monitoring coverage is improved, but device complexity and hardware resource constraints worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a contract-based approach where a single contract can define multiple copy parameters and destination endpoints. This universal contract structure allows the same mechanism to handle diverse monitoring requirements across different traffic flows and analyzer types, reducing the need for specialized hardware for each monitoring scenario.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a contract as an intermediary that mediates between traffic flows and analyzer endpoints. The contract contains all the parameters needed for copying and routing decisions, eliminating the need for complex hardware logic at each network node and centralizing the decision-making in a manageable format.
3Measurement precision
If traditional network monitoring methods are used, then basic monitoring is achieved, but additional headers and unwanted traffic are introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the necessary traffic flow data that needs to be analyzed and copies only those specific flows to analyzer endpoints. By taking out only the relevant traffic rather than adding monitoring overhead to all traffic, the system maintains measurement precision without introducing unnecessary headers or unwanted traffic to the network.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for executing a copy service. A copy service engine can monitoring network data flow in a network, detect packet data containing a contract defining copy parameters for the execution of a copy service, and determine, based on the contract, when the particular data flow hits a particular network node specified in the contract parameters. When the data flow hits the specified node, the copy service engine can execute the copy service which copies the particular data flow, determines one or more endpoints for sending the copied data flow, and deploys the copies to the one or more endpoints.