Systems, apparatus, and methods for monitoring network capacity

A network captured traffic distribution device comprising:

• an ingress port for receiving a traffic flow of captured data packets from a source of captured data packets;
• an egress port for transmitting data from the network captured traffic distribution device;
• an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) communicatively coupled to the ingress port and the egress port, the ASIC being configured to forward data packets included in the traffic flow of captured data packets from the ingress port to at least one of the egress port and a processor;
• and
• the processor communicatively coupled to the ASIC, wherein the processor is configured to continuously sample a traffic flow of captured data packets received via the ingress port at a frequency corresponding to a first time period, analyze the sample determine whether the ingress port is active during the first time period based upon the analysis, add an increment to a first counter based on the determination, aggregate the increments from a predefined plurality of first time periods wherein the predefined plurality of first time periods correspond to a second time period, generate a second counter value for the second time period based on the aggregate, and determine a percent utilization of the ingress port for the second time period based on the second counter value.

A system comprising:

• a source of captured network traffic communicatively coupled to a network captured traffic distribution device, the source being configured to transmit captured network traffic to the network captured traffic distribution device;
• the network captured traffic distribution device communicatively coupled to an external device the network captured traffic distribution device and configured to continuously sample a traffic flow of captured data packets received via the ingress port at a frequency corresponding to a first time period, analyze the sample determine whether the ingress port is active during the first time period based upon the analysis, add an increment to a first counter based on the determination, aggregate the increments from a predefined plurality of first time periods wherein the predefined plurality of first time periods correspond to a second time period, generate a second counter value for the second time period based on the aggregate, and determine a percent utilization of the ingress port for the second time period based on the second counter value;
• and
• the external device communicatively coupled to the network captured traffic distribution device, the external device being enabled to receive the determined percent utilization from the network captured traffic distribution device.