# US 11,909,609 B1 · Methods for managing insertion of metadata into a data stream to assist with analysis of network traffic and devices thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,909,609 B1 - Document ID: US11909609B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 16/931,918 - Filed: 2020-07-17 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2019-07-17 - Assignees: F5, Inc. - Applicants: F5 Networks, Inc. - Inventors: Peter Binder; Vutrala Narayana; Saxon Amdahl; Pete Thornewell - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11909609B1 ## CPC - H04L 43/062: related to network traffic - H04L 43/10: Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route - H04L 43/12: Network monitoring probes - H04L 43/50: Testing arrangements - H04L 67/561: Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata - H04L 69/22: Parsing or analysis of headers - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract Methods, non-transitory computer readable media, network traffic manager apparatuses, and systems includes receiving a plurality of network packets. Metadata comprising state information for the received plurality of network packets is generated. The generated metadata is inserted into the received plurality of network packets or a cloned version of the plurality of network packets. A network diagnostic operation is performed on the received plurality of network packets based on the inserted metadata into the received plurality of network packets or the cloned version of the plurality of network packets. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method implemented by a network traffic management system comprising one or more network traffic apparatuses, client devices, or server devices, the method comprising: generating a cloned network packet with a same header and a same payload as a received network packet; generating metadata comprising state information for the received network packet, wherein the state information includes data associated with a session history of the received network packet; inserting the generated metadata into a payload of the cloned network packet; sending the received network packet to a destination device without including the generated metadata and without performing a network diagnostic operation on the received network packet; and performing the network diagnostic operation only on the cloned network packet. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising: creating an additional network packet for the received network packet; inserting the generated metadata into the created additional network packet; adding the created additional network packet to the cloned network packet; and performing the network diagnostic operation on the cloned network packet. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising: receiving a subsequent network packet; cloning the received subsequent network packet; generating new metadata comprising state information associated with a new connection for the received subsequent network packet; inserting the generated new metadata into the cloned subsequent network packet; and performing the network diagnostic operation on the new connection using the inserted new metadata into the cloned subsequent network packet. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising, sending the cloned received network packet comprising the generated metadata for further analysis, wherein the further analysis results in determining the network diagnostic operation. ### Claim 5 A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions for inserting metadata into a data stream comprising executable code which when executed by one or more processors, causes the processors to: generate a cloned network packet with a same header and payload as the a received network packet; generate metadata comprising state information for the received network packet, wherein the state information includes data associated with a session history of the received network packet; insert the generated metadata into a payload of the cloned network packet; send the received network packet to a destination device without including the generated metadata and without performing a network diagnostic operation on the received network packet; and perform the network diagnostic operation only on the cloned network packet. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The medium as set forth in claim 5 further comprising: creating an additional network packet for the received network packet; inserting the generated metadata into the created additional network packet; adding the created additional network packet to the cloned network packet; and performing the network diagnostic operation on the cloned network packet. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The medium as set forth in claim 5 further comprising: receiving a subsequent network packet; cloning the received subsequent network packet; generating new metadata comprising state information associated with a new connection for the received subsequent network packet; inserting the generated new metadata into the cloned subsequent network packet; and performing the network diagnostic operation on the new connection using the inserted new metadata into the cloned subsequent network packet. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The medium as set forth in claim 5 further comprising, sending the cloned received network packet comprising the generated metadata for further analysis, wherein the further analysis results in determining the network diagnostic operation. ### Claim 9 A network traffic manager apparatus, comprising memory comprising programmed instructions stored in the memory and one or more processors configured to be capable of executing the programmed instructions stored in the memory to: generate a cloned network packet with a same header and payload as a received network packet; generate metadata comprising state information for the received network packet, wherein the state information includes data associated with a session history of the received network packet; insert the generated metadata into a payload of the cloned network packet; send the received network packet to a destination device without including the generated metadata and without performing a network diagnostic operation on the received network packet; and perform the network diagnostic operation only on the cloned network packet. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein the one or more processors are further configured to be capable of executing the programmed instructions stored in the memory to: create an additional network packet for the received network packet; insert the generated metadata into the created additional network packet; add the created additional network packet to the cloned network packet; and perform the network diagnostic operation on the cloned network packet. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein the one or more processors are further configured to be capable of executing the programmed instructions stored in the memory to: receive a subsequent network packet; clone the received subsequent network packet; generate new metadata comprising state information associated with a new connection for the received subsequent network packet; insert the generated new metadata into the cloned subsequent network packet; and perform the network diagnostic operation on the new connection using the inserted new metadata into the cloned subsequent network packet. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein the one or more processors are further configured to be capable of executing the programmed instructions stored in the memory to send the cloned received network packet comprising the generated metadata for further analysis, wherein the further analysis results in determining the network diagnostic operation. ### Claim 13 A network traffic management system, comprising one or more traffic management apparatuses, client devices, or server devices, the network traffic management system comprising memory comprising programmed instructions stored thereon and one or more processors configured to be capable of executing the stored programmed instructions to: generate a cloned network packet with a same header and payload as a received network packet; generate metadata comprising state information for the received network packet, wherein the state information includes data associated with a session history of the received network packet; insert the generated metadata into a payload of the cloned network packet; send the received network packet to a destination device without including the generated metadata and without performing a network diagnostic operation on the received network packet; and perform the network diagnostic operation only on the cloned network packet. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The network traffic management system of claim 13, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to be capable of executing the programmed instructions stored in the memory to: create an additional network packet for the received network packet; insert the generated metadata into the created additional network packet; add the created additional network packet to the cloned network packet; and perform the network diagnostic operation on the cloned network packet. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The network traffic management system of claim 13, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to be capable of executing the programmed instructions stored in the memory to: receive a subsequent network packet; clone the received subsequent network packet; generate new metadata comprising state information associated with a new connection for the received subsequent network packet; insert the generated new metadata into the cloned subsequent network packet; and perform the network diagnostic operation on the new connection using the inserted new metadata into the cloned subsequent network packet. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The network traffic management system of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to be capable of executing the programmed instructions stored in the memory to send the cloned received network packet comprising the generated metadata for further analysis, wherein the further analysis results in determining the network diagnostic operation.