Patent ID: 9306819
Filing Date: 2016-04-05
CPC Classification: H04L

Claim Text:
1. A method performed by a network element implementing a controller for a split architecture network, the method to request that a subset of switches in the network report metrics for a data flow to provide a management module with information for executing a management function, the method comprising the steps of: generating a trigger monitoring message by a management module, the trigger monitoring message defining actions to be performed by a switch in the subset of switches, wherein the actions are to provide the metrics for the data flow; sending the trigger monitoring message to the switch; receiving a plurality of monitor response messages from the subset of switches, each of the plurality of monitor response messages including a metric entry for each flow table or group table in which a match for the data flow occurred in a given switch, where each metric entry includes any one of a flow table identifier, a group identifier, a match structure, or a cookie of a flow entry; correlating the plurality of monitor response messages with the management function; executing the management function using the metrics of the data flow by the management module; and generating a result of the management function.