Abstract: A method of using deep packet inspection (DPI) to verify a service configuration. The method may include one or more of the following: building an application specific service ping packet having an application identification field that identifies an application to which the application specific service ping packet corresponds; forwarding the application specific service ping packet towards a destination in a network; determining static configuration information regarding the application to which the application specific service ping packet corresponds at a network interface of a network element; inserting the static configuration information into the application specific service ping packet; determining at least one policy that applies to a flow including the application specific service ping packet; inserting the at least one policy into the application specific service ping packet; and extracting the service ping packet from the network.