System and method for data stream mirroring

摘要

A mirroring configuration employs an alternate usage of an existing messaging protocol and mechanism for propagating mirroring control for remote mirroring of data streams. A source routing entity, i.e. a router or switch through which the mirrored stream passes, identifies the stream as available for monitoring. The enabled stream propagates from a source network device, typically from a router port, to a mirroring destination in addition to the addressed destination. A stream identifier emulates an identifier from an alternate usage, such as a multicast group identifier for a multicast protocol, and activates mirroring by inserting the stream identifier in publish and join messages of the multicast protocol.

主权项

1. A method of mirroring message traffic comprising:
assigning an identifier to a traffic stream enabled for remote mirroring, the traffic stream corresponding to a port; mapping the assigned identifier to the port for designating the identifier for remote mirroring, the mapping superceding a multicast group identifier; receiving a mirroring message containing mirroring information for commencing mirroring, the mirroring message indicative of the assigned identifier and a destination to which a mirrored stream is to be sent; wherein said mirroring information propagates via a multicast routing protocol and allows remote mirroring to be enabled from a remote capture device by capitalizing on the mirroring information emulating multicast information; publishing the assigned identifier for receipt by the mirroring destination, the publishing emulating multicast routing and indicative of the remote mirroring, the assigned identifier for including in the mirroring message sent by the mirroring destination; and transmitting the mirrored stream to the mirroring destination, the mirroring destination defined by a mirroring requester sending the mirroring message.