Abstract: A method, system, and apparatus of network artifact identification and extraction are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes aggregating a payload data (e.g., may be a component of the extracted artifact) from different network packets to form an aggregated payload data, matching the payload data with an entry of a library of known artifacts, determining a type of the payload data based on a match with the entry of the library of known artifacts, separating the payload data from a header data in a network packet, and communicating the aggregated payload data as an extracted artifact to a user. The method may include using the extracted artifact to perform network visibility analysis of users on packets flowing across the network. The method may validate that the entry is accurate by performing a deeper analysis of the payload data with the entry of the library of known artifacts.

Abstract: A method, system, and apparatus for indexing network traffic meta-data is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes identifying a packet having a header and a payload in a flow of a data through a network, classifying the header of the packet in a type of the header, determining an algorithm to extract a meta-data (e.g., which may be stored in a database of the storage device, and the storage device may be limited in a storage capacity) having information relevant to network traffic visibility based on the type of the header, extracting the meta-data from the header, and streaming the meta-data to a storage device. The method may include applying a last recently used algorithm to discard information from the storage device when storage device is limited in the storage capacity. The method may also include determining that the type of the header is an Ethernet header.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and a system of on demand network activity reporting through a dynamic file system and method are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes forming a root level selection guide based on a set of criteria associated with an activity through a network that is captured and stored on a storage device associated with a network appliance, refreshing listings of a sub-directory of the root level selection guide dynamically based on the activity through the network stored on the storage device when an option is selected in the root level selection guide, and creating a packet capture file based on a current state of the activity through the network when one of the listings of the sub-directory of the root level selection guide is selected. The method may include automatically referencing a database having the activity through the network when creating the packet capture file.