Patent attributes
Network packet tracing may be implemented on packet processors or other devices that perform packet processing. As network packets are received, a determination may be made as to whether tracing is enabled for the network packets. For those network packets with tracing enabled, trace information may be generated and the network packets modified to include the trace information such that forwarding decisions for the network packets ignore the trace information. Trace information indicate a packet processor as a location in a route traversed by the network packets and may include ingress and egress timestamps. Forwarding decisions may then be made and the network packets sent according to the forwarding decisions. Tracing may be enabled or disabled by packet processors for individual network packets. Trace information may also be truncated at a packet processor.
