Abstract: In one embodiment, a data plane component of the network visibility system can receive a data packet tapped from a source network. The data plane component can further match the data packet with an entry in a rule table, where the entry includes one or more match parameters, and in response to the matching can tag the data packet with a zone identifier defined in the entry. The data plane component can then forward the tagged data packet to an analytic server for analysis.

Abstract: Techniques for enabling user-defined tagging of traffic in a network visibility system are provided. In one embodiment, a data plane component of the network visibility system can receive a data packet tapped from a source network. The data plane component can further match the data packet with an entry in a rule table, where the entry includes one or more match parameters, and in response to the matching can tag the data packet with a zone identifier defined in the entry. The data plane component can then forward the tagged data packet to an analytic server for analysis.

Abstract: Techniques for efficiently programming forwarding rules in a network system are provided. In one embodiment, a control plane component of the network system can determine a packet forwarding rule to be programmed into a forwarding table of a service instance residing on a data plane component of the network system. The control plane component can then generate a message comprising the packet forwarding rule and a forwarding table index and transmit the message to a given service instance of the data plane component. Upon receiving the message, the data plane component can directly forward the message to the service instance. The packet forwarding rule can then be programmed into a forwarding table of the service instance, at the specified forwarding table index, without involving the management processor of the data plane component.