Detection and mitigation of network component distress

A system for transparently interfacing to a network, the network carrying a plurality of packets, each packet of the plurality of packets being transmitted, via the network, between at least one source and at least one intended destination intended by the at least one source, the system comprising:

• a system network interface operative to interface with the network between each of the at least one source and each of the at least one intended destination so as to be able to intercept any packet of the plurality of packets transmitted therebetween;
• a packet interceptor coupled with the system network interface and operative to intercept each of at least a subset of packets of the plurality of packets at the interfacing;
• and
• a processor coupled with the packet interceptor and operative to:
• determine, for each intercepted packet, whether the intercepted packet is transmitted from one of the at least one source to one of the at least one intended destination or is transmitted from one of the at least one intended destination to one of the at least one source;
• account, for each of the at least one intended destination, each intercepted packet transmitted thereto or received therefrom based on the determination;
• and
• take an action based on the account.

In a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions executable by one or more processors to prevent overload of a source included in a network, the network carrying a plurality of packets, each packet of the plurality of packets being transmitted, via the network, between at least one source and at least one intended destination intended by the at least one source, the instructions comprising:

• interfacing with the network between each of the at least one source and each of the at least one intended destination so as to be able to intercept any packet of the plurality of packets transmitted therebetween;
• intercepting each of at least a subset of packets of the plurality of packets at the interfacing;
• determining, for each intercepted packet, whether the intercepted packet is transmitted from one of the at least one source to one of the at least one intended destination or is transmitted from one of the at least one intended destination to one of the at least one source;
• accounting for each of the at least one intended destination, each intercepted packet transmitted thereto or received therefrom based on the determining;
• and
• taking an action based on the accounting.