Directing a network transaction to a probe

Abstract

A method and apparatus for directing an entire network transaction to a network analysis device are disclosed. The apparatus can include an input port configured to receive network data from an inter-switch-link (ISL). The apparatus can further include a first probe port configured to transmit network data a second network analysis probe. The apparatus can further include a second probe port configured to transmit network data to a second network analysis probe. The apparatus can include one or more processors having access to instructions that cause the at least one processor to identify a field in the network data received by the at least one input port, the field associating the network data with a particular network transaction, assign the particular transaction to one of the first or second probes, and cause the network data to be transmitted to the assigned first or second probe.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.