Optimal control of network traffic visibility resources and distributed traffic processing resource control system

A controller for use with a network traffic visibility system, the controller comprising:

• a network interface through which to receive information indicative of operation of the network traffic visibility system;
• a memory;
• and
• at least one processor coupled to the memory and the network interface and configured to facilitate control of resources in the network traffic visibility system, according to a configured resource control policy, by
• providing, during a first time period, control signaling to cause maximization of network traffic monitoring fidelity for a plurality of quality of service (QoS) classes of network traffic, for a specified fixed amount of utilization of one or more network resources,
• providing, during a second time period, control signaling to cause minimization of use of the one or more network resources, for a specified fixed level of traffic monitoring fidelity associated with the plurality of QoS classes;
• wherein the network visibility system receives the network traffic from a plurality of traffic sources, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to perform:
• identifying a first set of resources of the network traffic visibility system and a second set of resources of the network traffic visibility system;
• and
• in response to a determination that the first set of resources are logically closer to the traffic sources than the second set of resources, giving higher priority to causing minimization of use of the first set of resources than to causing minimization of use of the second set of resources.

A method of optimizing network traffic visibility resources, the method comprising:

• receiving, by a controller associated with a network traffic visibility system, information indicative of operation of the network traffic visibility system;
• facilitating, by the controller, control of resources in the network traffic visibility system, according to a configured resource control policy, by performing at least one of:
• providing, by the controller, control signaling to cause maximization of network traffic monitoring fidelity for a plurality of Quality of Service (QoS) classes of network traffic, based on a specified fixed amount of one or more network resources associated with the network traffic visibility system, or
• providing, by the controller, control signaling to cause minimization of use of the one or more network resources, based on a specified fixed level of traffic monitoring fidelity associated with the plurality of QoS classes;
• wherein the network visibility system receives the network traffic from a plurality of traffic sources, the method further comprising:
• identifying a first set of resources of the network traffic visibility system and a second set of resources of the network traffic visibility system;
• and
• in response to a determination that the first set of resources are logically closer to the traffic sources than the second set of resources, giving higher priority to causing minimization of use of the first set of resources than to causing minimization of use of the second set of resources.

A method of optimizing network traffic visibility resources, the method comprising:

• receiving, by a controller associated with a network traffic visibility system, information indicative of operation of the network traffic visibility system;
• facilitating, by the controller, control of resources in the network traffic visibility system, according to a configured resource control policy, by performing at least one of:
• providing, by the controller, control signaling to cause maximization of network traffic monitoring fidelity for a plurality of Quality of Service (QoS) classes of network traffic, based on a specified fixed amount of one or more network resources associated with the network traffic visibility system, or
• providing, by the controller, control signaling to cause minimization of use of the one or more network resources, based on a specified fixed level of traffic monitoring fidelity associated with the plurality of QoS classes;
• defining a plurality of hash buckets for network traffic input to the network traffic visibility system;
• assigning portions of the network traffic input to the network traffic visibility system to individual ones of the plurality of hash buckets;
• and
• load balancing the portions of the network traffic, within the network traffic visibility system, based on the hash buckets to which the portions of the network traffic are assigned.

At least one non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions, execution of which by a controller associated with a network traffic visibility system causes the controller to perform operations comprising:

• providing control signaling to cause maximization of network traffic monitoring fidelity for a plurality of quality of service (QoS) classes of network traffic, for a specified fixed amount of utilization of one or more network resources associated with the network traffic visibility system, and
• providing control signaling to cause minimization of use of the one or more network resources, for a specified fixed level of traffic monitoring fidelity associated with the plurality of QoS classes;
• defining a plurality of hash buckets for network traffic input to the network traffic visibility system;
• assigning portions of the network traffic input to the network traffic visibility system to individual ones of the plurality of hash buckets;
• and
• load balancing the portions of the network traffic, within the network traffic visibility system, based on the hash buckets to which the portions of the network traffic are assigned.

At least one non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions, execution of which by a controller associated with a network traffic visibility system causes the controller to perform operations comprising:

• providing control signaling to cause maximization of network traffic monitoring fidelity for a plurality of quality of service (QoS) classes of network traffic, for a specified fixed amount of utilization of one or more network resources associated with the network traffic visibility system, and
• providing control signaling to cause minimization of use of the one or more network resources, for a specified fixed level of traffic monitoring fidelity associated with the plurality of QoS classes;
• wherein the network visibility system receives the network traffic from a plurality of traffic sources, said operations further comprising:
• identifying a first set of resources of the network traffic visibility system and a second set of resources of the network traffic visibility system;
• and
• in response to a determination that the first set of resources are logically closer to the traffic sources than the second set of resources, giving higher priority to causing minimization of use of the first set of resources than to causing minimization of use of the second set of resources.