Patent ID: 7908369

Claim:
A method for collection of flow descriptions for flows relating to at least one client network, the client network being attached to an interconnection network, the method comprising: receiving first flow descriptions, the first flow descriptions associated with flows coming from the client network; analyzing the first flow descriptions associated with the flows coming from the client network to determine at least one flow characteristic specific to the client network; aggregating the first flow descriptions associated with the flows coming from the client network according to an aggregation criterion; transmitting the aggregated first flow descriptions to a collection device; receiving second flow descriptions, the second flow descriptions associated with flows coming from the interconnection network; filtering the second flow descriptions associated with the flows coming from the interconnection network, in which the second flow descriptions for flows lacking the at least one determined flow characteristic specific to the client network are eliminated; and transmitting the filtered second flow descriptions to the collection device, wherein the aggregating the first flow descriptions further comprises assigning to the aggregated flow descriptions a parameter for identification of an aggregation request, and the filtering the second flow descriptions further comprises assigning to the filtered second flow descriptions the same aggregation request identification parameter.