Network Data Packet Capture Probe with Real-Time Time-Stamping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Service Provider networks face challenges in managing increasing network traffic volumes due to the growth of sophisticated services, leading to strained performance requirements, where common scaling approaches result in large and costly management systems that struggle to adapt to varying data needs of different applications.
Innovation Solution
A data packet capture apparatus that time-stamps and forwards data packets in real-time while storing them for non-real-time access, allowing applications to scale better than linearly with network growth by adapting data flow to processing capabilities and providing flexible access to captured data packets based on timeliness, volume, focus, and completeness needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If common scaling approaches are used to manage increasing network traffic volumes, then processing capability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments network traffic into different data flows based on application requirements, with each flow being processed independently through configurable forwarding paths. This allows the system to handle increasing traffic volumes by dividing and managing multiple smaller flows rather than processing all traffic through a single complex processing path, thereby improving productivity without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs dynamic and adaptable forwarding paths that can be reconfigured based on real-time traffic patterns and application needs. This dynamic capability allows the system to optimize processing efficiency for different traffic types without requiring a complete system redesign, enabling productivity improvement while maintaining manageable complexity through flexible, adaptive architecture.
2Speed
If data packets are forwarded in real-time to multiple applications, then timeliness is improved, but data integrity and completeness may deteriorate due to processing limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates separate forwarding paths for different applications, with each path independently configured to handle specific data flow requirements. This segmentation ensures that real-time forwarding needs of one application do not compromise the integrity or completeness of data for other applications, as each path can be optimized and protected independently while maintaining overall data integrity across the system.
Solution Approach 2:
Each forwarding path is configured with local quality parameters tailored to specific application requirements, such as data completeness, focus, and timeliness. This allows critical data streams to receive prioritized handling with enhanced integrity safeguards, while less time-sensitive flows can be processed with different parameters, ensuring that real-time forwarding does not uniformly compromise data integrity across all applications.
3Adaptability or versatility
If network traffic volume increases due to sophisticated services, then service capability is improved, but performance requirements become strained and system cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a universal platform with configurable forwarding paths that can serve multiple different applications and service types through a single infrastructure. This multi-functionality allows the system to handle diverse sophisticated services without requiring separate dedicated systems for each application, thereby improving service capability while avoiding the exponential growth in system complexity and cost that would result from implementing separate systems for each service.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, data packets are captured from a network using a physical, network-connectable data capture probe. As the data packets are captured, the data packets are time-stamped with time-of-capture time-stamps. The time-stamped data packets are then stored; and in parallel, the time-stamped data packets are forwarded to at least one consumer in real-time.