Abstract: A method and system of transmitting network traffic through a stack having at least two switches is provided. The method includes receiving encapsulated network traffic via an inbound stack port of a switch of the stack, wherein the encapsulated network traffic was encapsulated with a flow identification (flow ID), and wherein the flow ID is assigned to a particular flow and is unique across the stack. The method further includes decapsulating the encapsulated network traffic using the flow ID contingent upon the switch being configured to decapsulate using the flow ID and transmitting the decapsulated network traffic from the switch in accordance with mapping information associated with the flow ID, wherein the switch is preconfigured with the mapping information.

Abstract: A method and system of configuring a stack of switches includes configuring a switch with mapping information based on a user input flow mapping that defines destination port(s) (local destination port(s) and/or remote destination port(s)) for a flow to exit the stack. The mapping information includes any local destination port(s) via which the flow can exit the stack from the switch and an outbound stack port for each of any remote destination port(s) via which the flow can be transmitted from the switch to a downstream switch. The method further includes creating a decapsulation entry having a flow ID for the flow, wherein the flow ID is assigned to the flow and is unique across the stack, and configuring the switch with access to a decapsulation algorithm configured to use the flow ID via the decapsulation entry to decapsulate encapsulated network traffic of the flow received from an upstream switch.

Abstract: A method and system of transmitting network traffic through a stack having at least two switches is provided. The method includes receiving encapsulated network traffic via an inbound stack port of a switch of the stack, wherein the encapsulated network traffic was encapsulated with a flow identification (flow ID), and wherein the flow ID is assigned to a particular flow and is unique across the stack. The method further includes decapsulating the encapsulated network traffic using the flow ID contingent upon the switch being configured to decapsulate using the flow ID and transmitting the decapsulated network traffic from the switch in accordance with mapping information associated with the flow ID, wherein the switch is preconfigured with the mapping information.

Abstract: A method and system of configuring a stack of switches includes configuring a switch with mapping information based on a user input flow mapping that defines destination port(s) (local destination port(s) and/or remote destination port(s)) for a flow to exit the stack. The mapping information includes any local destination port(s) via which the flow can exit the stack from the switch and an outbound stack port for each of any remote destination port(s) via which the flow can be transmitted from the switch to a downstream switch. The method further includes creating a decapsulation entry having a flow ID for the flow, wherein the flow ID is assigned to the flow and is unique across the stack, and configuring the switch with access to a decapsulation algorithm configured to use the flow ID via the decapsulation entry to decapsulate encapsulated network traffic of the flow received from an upstream switch.

Abstract: A network captured traffic distribution device is provided. The network captured traffic distribution device includes a stacking port configured to enable the stacking of the network captured traffic distribution device with at least one additional network captured traffic distribution device in a stacked topology. The network captured traffic distribution device further includes a processor configured to determine a target destination of a received traffic flow of captured data packets. The processor is further configured to determine a plurality of routes through the stacked topology from the network captured traffic distribution device to the target destination. The processor is further configured to determine an amount of available filtering capacity associated with each network captured traffic distribution device along each of the plurality of determined routes.

Abstract: A network captured traffic distribution device is provided. The network captured traffic distribution device includes a stacking port configured to enable the stacking of the network captured traffic distribution device with at least one additional network captured traffic distribution device in a stacked topology. The network captured traffic distribution device further includes a processor configured to determine a target destination of a received traffic flow of captured data packets. The processor is further configured to determine a plurality of routes through the stacked topology from the network captured traffic distribution device to the target destination. The processor is further configured to determine an amount of available filtering capacity associated with each network captured traffic distribution device along each of the plurality of determined routes.