Data mirroring in a service
View Patent ↗Data mirroring in a service such as a virtual private LAN service is disclosed. Data packets, segments, frames, or other forms of encapsulation may be mirrored off of a core network (e.g., IP, TCP) to one or more mirroring destinations without using a parallel network. Encapsulation techniques are provided that enable packets to be mirrored and transmitted across services such as VPLS, MPLS, and others to a mirror destination. Once received at the mirror destination, mirrored packets may be used for troubleshooting in a more efficient and less resource and time-consuming manner.
1. A method for mirroring a packet, comprising:
selecting the packet based on a mirroring criterion;
preparing a mirrored packet;
sending the mirrored packet to a mirror destination via a mirror service provided using the same network with which the original packet is associated; and
limiting a rate at which packets associated with the mirror service are sent to minimize the impact of mirror service packets on one or more other services being provided using the network;
wherein the packet selected for mirroring is associated with one of said one or more other services being provided using the network; and the mirror service uses at least a portion of a transport path associated with one or more of said one or more other services to send the mirrored packet to the mirror destination.
2. A method as recited in claim 1 further including encapsulating the mirrored packet for transmission to the mirror destination.
3. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein encapsulating the mirrored packet includes adding information for routing the mirrored packet via the mirror service.
4. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein encapsulating the mirrored packet includes adding a header to the mirrored packet.
5. A method as recited in claim 1 further including truncating oversized mirrored packets prior to sending them via the mirror service.
6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein selecting the packet further includes identifying a packet based on a user-specified criterion.
7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein selecting the packet further includes identifying the packet based on a system-specified criterion.
8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein selecting the packet further includes identifying the packet based on a set of criteria.
9. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein selecting the packet further includes identifying the packet based on port information.
10. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein selecting the packet further includes identifying the packet based on a delimiter.
11. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein selecting the packet further includes identifying the packet based on a protocol.
12. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein selecting the packet further includes identifying the packet based on a label.
13. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein selecting the packet further includes identifying the packet based on a service tag.
14. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein selecting the packet further includes identifying the packet based on a list.
15. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein selecting the packet further includes identifying the packet based on an address.
16. A method as recited in claim 15 wherein the address is an IP address.
17. A method as recited in claim 15 wherein the address is a MAC address.
18. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein selecting the packet further includes identifying the packet based on a set of addresses.
19. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein selecting the packet further includes identifying the packet based on an option value.
20. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein selecting the packet further includes identifying the packet based on a protocol command.
21. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein preparing the mirrored packet further includes copying the original packet.
22. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein preparing the mirrored packet further includes performing mirror processing on the packet.
23. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein sending the mirrored packet to the mirror destination includes sending the mirrored packet to a far end router associated with the mirror service.
24. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein sending the mirrored packet to the mirror destination includes sending the mirrored packet to a service distribution point associated with the mirror service.
25. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the mirroring destination translates the mirrored packet.
26. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the service includes a service path.
27. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the service includes a service tunnel.
28. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the rate is determined dynamically.
29. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the rate is determined based at least in part on an extent to which a quality of service commitment is being met with respect to one or more of said one or more other services.
30. A system for mirroring a packet, comprising:
a logic module configured to select the packet based on a mirroring criterion; and
a forwarding engine configured to prepare a mirrored packet, send the mirrored packet to the mirror destination via a mirror service provided using the same network with which the original packet is associated, and limit a rate at which packets associated with the mirror service are sent to minimize the impact of mirror service packets on one or more other services being provided using the network;
wherein the packet selected for mirroring is associated with one of said one or more other services being provided using the network; and the mirror service uses at least a portion of a transport path associated with one or more of said one or more other services to send the mirrored packet to the mirror destination.
31. A computer program product for mirroring a packet, the computer program being embodied in a computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:
selecting the packet based on a mirroring criterion;
preparing a mirrored packet;
sending the mirrored packet to a mirror destination via a mirror service provided using the same network with which the original packet is associated; and
limiting a rate at which packets associated with the mirror service are sent to minimize the impact of mirror service packets on one or more other services being provided using the network;
wherein the packet selected for mirroring is associated with one of said one or more other services being provided using the network; and the mirror service uses at least a portion of a transport path associated with one or more of said one or more other services to send the mirrored packet to the mirror destination.