Random data compression scheme in a network diagnostic component

A tangible network diagnostic device placed in-line between first and second nodes in a network comprising:

• a first module configured to receive a network data stream for communication between the first and second nodes, wherein the network data stream comprises:
• a first primitive data unit that does not include destination information,
• at least one or more random data units that each represent an instance of a first primitive data unit, wherein the random data units are not individually identifiable, and
• a sequence breaking primitive that indicates an end of the at least one or more random data units;
• a second module configured to associate at least one of the random data units with an identifier that is indicative of the first primitive data unit, wherein the identifier for the first primitive data unit is specific to that primitive data unit and is different from identifiers for other primitive data units;
• a third module configured to record the identifier in a memory;
• and
• a fourth module configured to generate a record to be recorded in the memory of a representation indicative of a first count of a total number of the at least one or more random data units, wherein the first count is the number of random data units that occur after the first primitive data unit and before the sequence breaking primitive in the network data stream.