Patent ID: 9521066
Filing Date: 2016-12-13
CPC Classification: H04L

Claim Text:
1. A network captured traffic distribution device comprising: a plurality of bi-directional ports configured to perform at least one of receiving captured network traffic and echoing received captured network traffic to one or more of the plurality of bi-directional ports; a stacking port configured to enable, via a communication link, stacking of the network captured traffic distribution device with at least one additional network captured traffic distribution device in a stacked topology wherein the stacking includes an exchange of configuration information between the network captured traffic distribution device and the at least one additional network captured traffic distribution device, wherein the network captured traffic distribution device comprises a transit network captured distribution device or an egress network traffic distribution device and wherein the configuration information includes instructions regarding a plurality of filters configured or created by a user; and a processor for: determining a target destination of a received traffic flow of captured data packets; determining a plurality of routes through the stacked topology from the network captured traffic distribution device to the determined target destination; determining an amount of available filtering capacity associated with each network captured traffic distribution device along each of the plurality of determined routes by performing a filter count operation, the filter count operation comprising determining a product of a filtering amount associated with the plurality of filters configured or created by the user and a number of input ports available on an ingress network captured traffic distribution device associated with a particular route under consideration from the determined plurality of routes; and selecting an optimum route from the plurality of determined routes based on the determined amounts of available filtering capacity.