Abstract: A virtualized computing system including software sensors captures network data from one or more traffic flows the sensors. The captured network data from a given sensor indicates one or more traffic flows detected by the given sensor. The received captured network data is analyzed to identify, for each respective sensor, a first group of sensors, a second group of sensors, and a third group of sensors. All traffic flows observed by the first group of sensors are also observed by the second group of sensors. All traffic flows observed by the second group of sensors are also observed by the third group of sensors. A location of each respective sensor relative to other sensors within the virtualized computing system is determined based upon whether the respective sensor belongs to the first group of sensors, the second group of sensors, or the third group of sensors.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media are provided for determining, in a virtualized network system, a relationship of a sensor relative to other sensors. In a virtualized computing system in which a plurality of software sensors are deployed and in which there are one or more traffic flows, captured network data is received from the plurality of sensors, the captured network data from a given sensor of the plurality of sensors indicating one or more traffic flows detected by the given sensor. The received captured network data is analyzed to identify, for each respective sensor, a first group of sensors, a second group of sensors, and a third group of sensors, wherein all traffic flows observed by the first group of sensors are also observed by the second group of sensors, and all traffic flows observed by the second group of sensors are also observed by the third group of sensors.