Netscout Systems, Inc.

Peter C Vinsel

Win Naing

Andrew Richard Harding

John Yu

Gordon Beith

Erik W Hjelmstad

A method for parallel processing of ingress packets destined to a plurality of inline tools is provided. An ingress packet is processed to extract a plurality of packet header fields and to generate a packet identifier. A hash index is generated by hashing information associated with the plurality of packet header fields. A copy of the ingress packet and the packet identifier are stored in a hash table entry using the generated hash index. The ingress packet is simultaneously forwarded to each of the plurality of inline tool devices.

Parallelization of inline tool chaining

A method for maintaining packet's source network identification information while aggregating packets from a plurality of networks is provided. An ingress packet is processed to extract a plurality of packet header fields and port identifier. A first hash index is generated by hashing information associated with the plurality of packet header fields. The extracted port identifier is stored in a hash table using the generated first hash index. The ingress packet is forwarded to one or more inline tool devices. An egress packet received from the one or more inline tools is processed to extract the plurality of packet header fields. A second hash index is generated by hashing information associated with the plurality of packet header fields. The port identifier is retrieved from the hash table based on the generated second hash index. The egress packet is transmitted to a switching device based on the retrieved port identifier.

AIA enhancements to support lag networks

A method for determining a routing for packets aggregated from multiple Layer 2 (L2) networks is provided. An ingress packet is received from an ingress inline network port and is processed to extract a source Media Access Control (MAC) address and a port identifier associated with the source MAC address. The extracted source MAC address of the ingress packet is looked up in a MAC address table. The ingress packet is forwarded to an inline tool device. When an egress packet is received back from the inline tool device it is processed to extract source and destination MAC addresses. The extracted source and destination MAC addresses of the egress packet are looked up in the MAC address table. The egress packet is transmitted to an egress inline port based on the looked up destination MAC address.

Growing community of inventors

Berkeley, CA, United States of America

Peter C Vinsel