Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes receiving a packet flow from a data source at a network element; determining a control value for controlling a sample rate for the packet flow; and recalculating the control value based on a number of packets received and a number of sampled packets. In more particular embodiments, the method can include assigning a particular identifier to a particular packet of the packet flow; generating an input access control list for the data source; and matching the particular identifier to an output port of the network element. In yet other embodiments, the method can include generating a copy of a particular packet of the packet flow; and forwarding the copy of the particular packet to an output access control list based on an assigned quality of service (QoS) group.