Tag-Based Packet Capture and Query for Scale-Out Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing packet capture and query mechanisms are cumbersome and impractical in modern scale-out architectures, requiring manual interface identification and configuration, and limit querying to standard packet header fields, lacking support for higher-level attribute-based queries.
Innovation Solution
A framework that enables the assignment of user-defined tags to sets of network device interfaces, automates packet capture session provisioning based on these tags, and creates search indexes for efficient querying of captured packets using session names and tags.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual interface identification and configuration is used for packet capture, then configuration accuracy is improved, but operational complexity and time consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically identifies network interfaces and configures packet capture sessions without manual intervention. The packet capture system autonomously discovers relevant interfaces based on tag associations and provisioning parameters, eliminating the need for operators to manually identify and configure each interface while maintaining configuration accuracy through automated validation.
Solution Approach 2:
Interfaces are pre-tagged with metadata attributes before packet capture is needed. This preliminary tagging allows the system to automatically identify and select the correct interfaces when a packet capture session is provisioned, based on pre-established tag associations rather than requiring real-time manual identification and configuration.
2Adaptability or versatility
If standard packet header field querying is used, then query compatibility is improved, but query specificity and relevance decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The system adds a new dimension of query capability by introducing tag-based filtering alongside traditional packet header field filtering. Tags provide a higher-level abstraction dimension that enables queries based on business logic, application layer attributes, and contextual metadata, thereby enhancing query specificity without sacrificing compatibility with standard header field queries.
Solution Approach 2:
The packet query system is designed to handle multiple types of query criteria uniformly - both standard packet header fields and custom tags can be used for querying captured packets. This multi-functional query capability allows the system to maintain broad compatibility while enabling more specific and relevant queries through tag-based filtering.
3Quantity of substance
If comprehensive packet capture is implemented, then data completeness is improved, but system complexity and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of capturing all network traffic uniformly, the system applies selective capture based on tag associations. Each network interface is associated with specific tags that define its capture relevance, allowing the system to capture comprehensive data for relevant interfaces while excluding unrelated traffic, thereby reducing overall system complexity and resource consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The packet capture system segments network interfaces into distinct groups based on tag associations. This segmentation allows the system to manage and process capture data from multiple interfaces independently, organizing complexity through structured categorization while maintaining data completeness for all relevant captured traffic.
Data Source
AI summary
A framework for facilitating the capturing and querying of network traffic (packets) is provided. In one set of embodiments, the framework enables the assignment of tags to sets of related network device interfaces. For example, a tag T1 may be assigned to a set of network device interfaces that carry traffic for an application or service A1, a tag T2 may be assigned to a set of network device interfaces that carry traffic for an application or service A2, and so on. The framework further enables the use of these tags for provisioning packet capture sessions and for querying the resulting captured packets.