Logical network traffic analysis

Abstract

Some embodiments of the invention provide a method for gathering data for logical network traffic analysis by sampling flows of packets forwarded through a logical network. Some embodiments are implemented by a set of network virtualization controllers that, on a shared physical infrastructure, can implement two or more sets of logical forwarding elements that define two or more logical networks. In some embodiments, the method (1) defines an identifier for a logical network probe, (2) associates this identifier with one or more logical observation points in the logical network, and (3) distributes logical probe configuration data, including sample-action flow entry data, to one or more managed forwarding elements that implement the logical processing pipeline at the logical observation points associated with the logical network probe identifier. In some embodiments, the sample-action flow entry data specify the packet flows that the forwarding elements should sample and the percentage of packets within these flows that the forwarding elements should sample.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.