System and method for dataplane-signaled packet capture in ipv6 environment

A method comprising:

• in an IPv6 network, receiving, at a network node, an IPv6 packet, the IPv6 packet having a packet payload encapsulated by an IPv6 header comprising an OAM extension header;
• interrogating, at the network node, the OAM extension header;
• and
• in response to a determination of a capture instruction being present in the OAM extension header, causing the IPv6 packet to be either stored in a memory of the network node or forwarded to a remote computing device for interrogation or capture of the IPv6 packet.

A system comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory having instructions thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• receive a packet, to selectively route to one or more network nodes of a plurality of network nodes, collectively, forming the IPv6 network;
• receive one or more packet capture policies;
• and
• generate an encapsulated packet to transmit to a network node in the IPv6 network, the encapsulated packet having an IPv6 header comprising an OAM (operations, administration and management) extension header, wherein the OAM extension header includes a capture instruction, to signal at least one network node of the plurality of network nodes, payload of the IPv6 packet as a candidate for capture.