Protocol-generic eavesdropping network device

1. A method comprising:

capturing, by an eavesdropping device, a packet communicated over a communication network;

scanning, by said eavesdropping device, said packet's payload; and

determining, by said eavesdropping device, if an identifier is included in the packet's payload that identifies the packet as containing content of interest to said eavesdropping device;

authenticating, by said eavesdropping device, said packet's payload using an authentication token included in said packet's payload; and

based at least in part on determining that said packet's payload includes said identifier, said eavesdropping device using said content of interest contained in said packet's payload.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said packet is destined from a source to a destination other than said eavesdropping device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said eavesdropping device uses said content of interest if it is determined that said packet's payload includes said identifier and said packet's payload is authenticated.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said authentication token authenticates said identifier and said content of interest in said packet.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said content of interest comprises data intended, by a source of said data, for said eavesdropping device.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said data comprises test data.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said test data comprises data for measuring delay of communicating said packet from said source to said eavesdropping device.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein said data comprises configuration data for configuring said eavesdropping device.

9. A method comprising:

capturing, by an eavesdropping device, packets communicated over a communication network that are destined from a source to a destination other than said eavesdropping device;

scanning, by said eavesdropping device, payloads of said captured packets searching for a predefined identifier therein; and

when said identifier is found in a captured packet, said eavesdropping device authenticating said captured packet using an authentication token included in the packet's payload, and, if authenticated, said eavesdropping device determining that the corresponding packet's payload contains content of interest to said eavesdropping device.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

said eavesdropping device using said content of interest contained in said packet's payload in which said identifier was found and which was authenticated.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said using comprises:

using said content of interest for configuring said eavesdropping device.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said using comprises:

using said content of interest for testing.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein said authenticating comprises:

using said authentication token to authenticate said predefined identifier and content of interest included in said packet.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein said packet comprises a wallet portion comprising said predefined identifier and said content of interest, and wherein said authentication token authenticates said wallet portion.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein said content of interest comprises data intended, by said source, for said eavesdropping device.

16. A method comprising:

forming a packet containing content intended for an eavesdropping device, wherein said packet includes a header portion and a payload portion, said payload portion comprising

a) a predefined identifier that identifies said packet as containing said content intended for said eavesdropping device,

b) said content intended for said eavesdropping device, and

c) an authentication token for authenticating said predefined identifier and said content intended for said eavesdropping device; and

directing said packet via a communication network to a destination.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said destination comprises a destination other than said eavesdropping device.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising: said eavesdropping device intercepting said packet.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising said eavesdropping device using said content of interest contained in said packet's payload in which said identifier was found and which was authenticated.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein said content intended for said eavesdropping device comprises test data.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said test data comprises data for measuring delay of communicating said packet from said source to said eavesdropping device.

22. The method of claim 16 wherein said content intended for said eavesdropping device comprises configuration data for configuring said eavesdropping device.

23. A tangible computer-readable medium having stored thereon a communication packet, said communication packet comprising:

a header portion; and

a payload portion that comprises:

a predefined identifier that identifies said payload portion as containing content of interest to an eavesdropping device,

said content that is of interest to said eavesdropping device, and

an authentication token for authenticating said predefined identifier and said content of interest.