Methods and systems for business intent driven policy based network traffic characterization, monitoring and control

A hardware networked branch device configured to:

• designate each of a plurality of network traffic flows as belonging to a selected remotely located application if a network traffic flow is to or from a traffic source that initially accesses the selected application via an anchor domain of the selected application and if that network traffic flow occurs within a predetermined time period from an identified corresponding time of the initial access by that traffic source;
• check, at a predetermined interval, a status of each of a plurality of network paths associated with the designated plurality of network traffic flows, wherein each of the plurality of network paths is to or from the traffic source via the networked branch device;
• determine a corresponding status of each of the plurality of network paths and rate each determined corresponding status with respect to the others, wherein each corresponding status rating is based at least in part on at least one of a determined network latency and a determined application level transaction latency;
• monitor any subsequent data flow of the selected application to or from the traffic source via the networked branch device;
• and
• utilize the ratings to route any subsequent data flow of the selected application on the network.