METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR A NETWORK APPLIANCE MODULE ENABLING DYNAMIC VDC AWARE SPAN

摘要

Embodiments of the present disclosure enable monitoring network traffic on multiple Virtual Device Context (VDC) elements of a switch using a single NAM module. To that end, if a monitored network element supports contexts (i.e. VDC elements), a NAM module could be configured to seamlessly drive the move of the data port interfaces (at the managed device) from one context to the other. After the move of the data ports that support SPAN destination traffic flow to the target VDC is complete, these SPAN destination ports may be configured to be able to receive SPAN data traffic.

主权项

1. A method for a network appliance monitoring (NAM) module comprising a NAM data port connected to a network element data port of a network element that is allocated to a first Virtual Design Context (VDC) element of a plurality of VDC elements instantiated on the network element to monitor traffic flow from a second VDC element of the plurality of VDC elements, the method comprising:
providing, from the NAM module, to the network element, over a management communication link between the NAM module and the network element, a first command triggering the network element to allocate the network element data port to the second VDC element; and following allocation of the network element data port to the second VDC element, monitoring traffic flow on the second VDC element by receiving, at the NAM module, from the network element, over a data communication link between the NAM data port and the network element data port, the traffic flow from the second VDC element.