Method for providing location independent dynamic port mirroring on distributed virtual switches

A method for providing location independent dynamic port mirroring, said method comprising:

• providing a controller for configuring one or more virtual switches within a plurality of physical machines to appear as a set of distributed virtual switches;
• in response to a receipt of a data packet at a port of a first one of said physical machines, determining whether or not said port has a mirrored port located on said first one physical machine;
• in a determination that said port has a mirrored port located on said first one physical machine, sending a copy of said data packet to said mirrored port located on said first one physical machine;
• and
• in a determination that said port has a mirrored port located on a second one of said physical machines, encapsulating a copy of said data packet along with an identification (ID) of said port and an ID of said mirrored port located on said second one physical machine, and sending said encapsulated information to said controller;
• and
• wherein said method further includes determining by said controller whether or not said mirrored port ID is stored in a database within said controller;
• in a determination that said mirrored port ID is stored in a database within said controller, sending said data packet to said mirrored port according to said monitor mirrored port ID stored in said database within said controller;
• and
• in a determination that said mirrored port ID is not stored in a database within said controller, discarding said data packet.