A DEVICE, A SYSTEM AND A RELATED METHOD FOR DYNAMIC TRAFFIC MIRRORING AND POLICY, AND THE DETERMINATION OF APPLICATIONS RUNNING ON A NETWORK

摘要

Functions are provided in a network system for policy-based dynamic mirroring for network traffic, such as for identifying characteristics of network traffic, adjusting network policies based on identified traffic characteristics, identifying computer applications running on the network. The functions monitor events, topology and status of the network and installs, enables, selects or changes traffic mirrors associated with the operation of one or more devices of the network. Traffic may be selectively mirrored. Portals may be selected for mirroring activity. Policies changed may he network policies as well as mirroring policies, Information obtained from frames having content associated with computer applications is examined and compared to information stored on the net work. An application identification engine of the function compares examined content with known application information and determines an indication of the likely computer application associated with the examined frames. A network architecture system enables application identification and usage data, by user, by device and network location. The architecture enables substantially complete application visibility and control. Scores are generated to aid in the determination of the likely computer application associated with received frames.