Patent ID: 8976658
Filing Date: 2015-03-10
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A network device configured to i) control a rate of traffic while operating in a rate-limiting mode, and ii) mirror traffic while operating in a sampling mode, the network device comprising: an ingress circuit configured to receive packets; and a rate limiter in communication with the ingress circuit, wherein the rate limiter includes a counter, wherein the rate-limiting mode is mutually exclusive with the sampling mode, wherein the rate limiter is configured to, while the network device is operating in the rate-limiting mode, use the counter to perform a rate-limiting scheme to control a rate of the packets received through the ingress circuit, wherein the rate-limiting scheme includes decrementing the counter by a first amount in response to receipt of a first packet through the ingress circuit, wherein the first amount is based on wherein the rate limiter is configured to, while the network device is operating in the sampling mode, use the counter to select ones of the packets received through the ingress circuit, wherein copies of the selected ones of the packets are sent to a predetermined sampling destination.