Data processing

1. A method of processing data in a packet-switched network, the method comprising, at a first device:

configuring the first device to snoop control packets of a predetermined control plane protocol in the network, the predetermined control plane protocol being operated by a plurality of other devices in the network to obtain Layer 2 information on the basis of known Layer 3 information, wherein the first device does not operate the predetermined control plane protocol in the network;

in response to identifying that a given snooped control plane protocol packet was generated according to the predetermined control plane protocol, extracting Layer 3 information, from the given snooped control plane protocol packet, the extracted Layer 3 information comprising:

(a) an IP address for a second device in the plurality, the IP address for the second device having been extracted on the basis of known Layer 2 information associated with the second device, wherein the second device is connected to the first device; and

(b) an IP address for a different device to the second device in the plurality, the IP address for the different device having been extracted on the basis of known Layer 2 information associated with the different device; and

on the basis of the extracted Layer 3 information, performing one or more of the following operations in the network:

debugging one or more potential device misconfigurations, and

providing diagnostics data,

wherein the given snooped control plane protocol packet comprises a response packet generated by the second device according to the predetermined control plane protocol.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the known Layer 2 information associated with the second device comprises a media access control (MAC) address for the second device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined control plane protocol comprises the Address Resolution Protocol (ARP).

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second device is directly connected to the first device in the network.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first device comprises a device which does not operate an IP in the network.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first device comprises a Layer 2 switch.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second device comprises a device which operates an IP in the network.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second device comprises a Layer 3 device.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the different device comprises a device which operates an IP in the network.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the different device comprises a Layer 3 device.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuring comprises configuring the first device to snoop request packets generated according to the predetermined control plane protocol which are transmitted from the second device.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuring comprises configuring the first device to snoop response packets generated according to the predetermined control plane protocol which are transmitted towards the second device.

13. The method of claim 1 , comprising confirming whether the extracted Layer 3 information associated with the second device connected to the first device is valid by transmitting an Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) message from an address associated with the first device.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the address associated with the first device comprises a media access control (MAC) address for the first device.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined control plane protocol comprises the Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) and the extracted Layer 3 information comprises an IP version 4 (IPv4) address.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined control plane protocol comprises the Neighbor Discovery Protocol (NDP) and the extracted Layer 3 information comprises an IP version 6 (IPv6) address.

17. A system for use in processing data in a packet-switched network, the system comprising:

at least one memory including computer program code; and

at least one processor in data communication with the memory, wherein the processor is configured to at a first device:

configure the first device to snoop control packets of a predetermined control plane protocol in the network, the predetermined control plane protocol being operated by a plurality of other devices in the network to obtain Layer 2 information on the basis of known Layer 3 information, wherein the first device does not operate the predetermined control plane protocol in the network;

in response to identifying that a given snooped control plane protocol packet was generated according to the predetermined control plane protocol, extract Layer 3 information from the given snooped control plane protocol packet, the extracted Layer 3 information comprising:

(a) an IP address for a second device in the plurality, the IP address for the second device having been extracted on the basis of known Layer 2 information associated with the second device, wherein the second device is connected to the first device;

(b) an IP address for a different device to the second device in the plurality, the IP address for the different device having been extracted on the basis of known Layer 2 information associated with the different device; and

on the basis of the extracted Layer 3 information, perform one or more of the following operations in the network:

debugging one or more potential device misconfigurations, and

providing diagnostics data,

wherein the given snooped control plane protocol packet comprises a response packet generated by the second device according to the predetermined control plane protocol.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon, wherein, when executed by a processor, cause a computing device to perform a method for processing data in a packet-switched network, the method comprising, at a first device:

configuring the first device to snoop control packets of a predetermined control plane protocol in the network, the predetermined control plane protocol being operated by a plurality of other devices in the network to obtain Layer 2 information on the basis of known Layer 3 information, wherein the first device does not operate the predetermined control plane protocol in the network; and

in response to identifying that a given snooped control plane protocol packet was generated according to the predetermined control plane protocol, extracting Layer 3 information from the given snooped control plane protocol packet, the Layer 3 information comprising:

(a) an IP address for a second device in the plurality, the IP address for the second device having been extracted on the basis of known Layer 2 information associated with the second device, wherein the second device is connected to the first device;

(b) an IP address for a different device to the second device in the plurality, the IP address for the different device having been extracted on the basis of known Layer 2 information associated with the different device; and

on the basis of the extracted Layer 3 information, performing one or more of the following operations in the network:

debugging one or more potential device misconfigurations, and

providing diagnostics data,

wherein the given snooped control plane protocol packet comprises a response packet generated by the second device according to the predetermined control plane protocol.