IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,580,837
Granted Patent B2
US 12,580,837 · App. 18/218,785 · Granted Mar 17, 2026

End-to-end network path visibility across cloud application environments

Inventors: Hans Ashlock (Berkeley, CA); Indermeet Singh Gandhi (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
H04L43/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,580,837
App. No.
18/218,785
Granted
Mar 17, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

In one embodiment, a device identifies a port associated with a backend probing agent for a cloud-hosted application. The device performs external probing of a path to the cloud-hosted application by sending a probe along the path to the port, to generate external probing results. The device triggers the backend probing agent to generate backend probing results by performing backend probing of a backend service used by the cloud-hosted application. The device causes formation of unified probing results that correlate the external probing results and the backend probing results.

Claims (33)

1 . A method comprising:

identifying, by a device, a port associated with a backend probing agent for a cloud-hosted application;

performing, by the device, external probing of a path to the cloud-hosted application by sending a probe along the path to the port, to generate external probing results;

triggering, by the device, the backend probing agent to generate backend probing results by performing backend probing of a backend service that is used by and external to the cloud-hosted application and that is invoked by the cloud-hosted application via an application programming interface (API) request to the backend service, wherein performing the backend probing comprises forwarding the probe towards the backend service via a load balancer or ingress service associated with the cloud-hosted application; and

causing, by the device, formation of unified probing results that correlate the external probing results and the backend probing results.

2 . The method as in claim 1 , wherein the backend probing agent identifies the backend service based on the port.

3 . The method as in claim 1 , wherein the device causes formation of the unified probing results in part by sending the external probing results to a probing controller.

4 . The method as in claim 1 , wherein the device causes formation of the unified probing results in part by causing the backend probing agent to send the backend probing results to a probing controller.

5 . The method as in claim 1 , further comprising:

generating a correlation identifier for inclusion in the probe, wherein the backend probing agent associates the correlation identifier with the backend probing results.

6 . The method as in claim 1 , wherein the backend probing agent performs the backend probing by forwarding the probe towards the backend service.

7 . The method as in claim 6 , wherein the backend probing agent performs network address translation on the probe based on the port to which it was sent.

8 . The method as in claim 1 , wherein the probe comprises an application level request.

9 . An apparatus, comprising: one or more network interfaces to communicate in a backhaul mesh for a wireless network;

a processor coupled to the one or more network interfaces and configured to execute one or more processes; and

a memory configured to store a process that is executable by the processor, the process when executed configured to:

identify a port associated with a backend probing agent for a cloud-hosted application;

perform external probing of a path to the cloud-hosted application by sending a probe along the path to the port, to generate external probing results;

trigger the backend probing agent to generate backend probing results by performing backend probing of a backend service that is used by and external to the cloud-hosted application and that is invoked by the cloud-hosted application via an application programming interface (API) request to the backend service, wherein performing the backend probing comprises forwarding the probe towards the backend service via a load balancer or ingress service associated with the cloud-hosted application; and

cause formation of unified probing results that correlate the external probing results and the backend probing results.

10 . The apparatus as in claim 9 , wherein the backend probing agent identifies the backend service based on the port.

11 . The apparatus as in claim 9 , wherein the apparatus causes formation of the unified probing results in part by sending the external probing results to a probing controller.

12 . The apparatus as in claim 9 , wherein the apparatus causes formation of the unified probing results in part by causing the backend probing agent to send the backend probing results to a probing controller.

13 . The apparatus as in claim 9 , further comprising:

generating a correlation identifier for inclusion in the probe, wherein the backend probing agent associates the correlation identifier with the backend probing results.

14 . The apparatus as in claim 9 , wherein the backend probing agent performs the backend probing by forwarding the probe towards the backend service.

15 . The apparatus as in claim 14 , wherein the backend probing agent performs network address translation on the probe based on the port to which it was sent.

16 . The apparatus as in claim 9 , wherein the probe comprises an application level request.

17 . A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing program instructions that cause a device to execute a process comprising:

identifying, by the device, a port associated with a backend probing agent for a cloud-hosted application;

performing, by the device, external probing of a path to the cloud-hosted application by sending a probe along the path to the port, to generate external probing results;

triggering, by the device, the backend probing agent to generate backend probing results by performing backend probing of a backend service that is used by and external to the cloud-hosted application and that is invoked by the cloud-hosted application via an application programming interface (API) request to the backend service, wherein performing the backend probing comprises forwarding the probe towards the backend service via a load balancer or ingress service associated with the cloud-hosted application; and

causing, by the device, formation of unified probing results that correlate the external probing results and the backend probing results.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 6, 2023
From: ASHLOCK, HANS; GANDHI, INDERMEET SINGH
To: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 064170/0397 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250016084A1 · Jan 9, 2025
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