Sampling and Capturing CPU-Bound Packets

A network device comprising:

• a central processing unit (CPU);
• a packet processor including a plurality of CPU queues;
• and
• a main memory having stored thereon program code for an agent and a driver, the agent being configured to:
• receive a command to enable packet sampling for a class of network traffic, the command specifying one or more sampling parameters;
• identify at least one CPU queue in the plurality of CPU queues to which the class of network traffic is mapped;
• and
• configure the driver to begin sampling packets from said at least one CPU queue in accordance with the one or more sampling parameters.

A method performed by a network device comprising a central processing unit (CPU) and a plurality of CPU queues, the method comprising:

• receiving a command to enable packet sampling for a class of network traffic, the command specifying one or more sampling parameters;
• identifying a CPU code to which the class of network traffic is mapped;
• and
• configuring a driver of an operating system (OS) of the network device to begin sampling packets bound for the CPU that are associated with the trap code, in accordance with the one or more sampling parameters.