Packet mirroring in virtual networks using disaggregated network functions

A computer-implemented method comprising:

• generating, at an origin host hosting an origin virtual machine (VM), a first packet in a first format comprising a first header and a first payload, wherein the first header identifies the origin VM as a source and a destination VM at a destination host as a destination, and wherein the first payload comprises data being sent from the origin VM to the destination VM;
• encapsulating, at the origin host, the first packet in a second payload of a second packet in a second format comprising a second header, wherein the second format comprises a virtual network (VNet) packet format, and wherein the second header identifies the origin host as a source and the destination host as a destination;
• encapsulating, at the origin host, the second packet in a third payload of a third packet in a third format comprising a third header, wherein the third format comprises a network encapsulation protocol packet format, and wherein the third header identifies a mirroring node within a VNet as a destination;
• transmitting, across the VNet, the third packet from the origin host toward the destination host hosting the destination VM;
• extracting, at the mirroring node, the second packet from the third packet;
• forwarding, by the mirroring node, the second packet to the destination VM;
• and
• mirroring, by the mirroring node, at least the first packet.

A computer storage device having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, which, on execution by a computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising:

• generating, at an origin host hosting an origin virtual machine (VM), a first packet in a first format comprising a first header and a first payload, wherein the first header identifies the origin VM as a source and a destination VM at a destination host as a destination, and wherein the first payload comprises data being sent from the origin VM to the destination VM;
• encapsulating, at the origin host, the first packet in a second payload of a second packet in a second format comprising a second header, wherein the second format comprises a virtual network (VNet) packet format, and wherein the second header identifies the origin host as a source and the destination host as a destination;
• encapsulating, at the origin host, the second packet in a third payload of a third packet in a third format comprising a third header, wherein the third format comprises a network encapsulation protocol packet format, and wherein the third header identifies a mirroring node within a VNet as a destination;
• transmitting, across the VNet, the third packet from the origin host toward the destination host hosting the destination VM;
• extracting, at the mirroring node, the second packet from the third packet;
• forwarding, by the mirroring node, the second packet to the destination VM;
• and
• mirroring, by the mirroring node, at least the first packet.