Understanding IPFIX, IE 315 & SPM: Complementary Telemetry for Modern Networks

Executive Summary Modern networks require both depth and speed in visibility. Traditional IPFIX (NetFlow v10) delivers rich flow context but with inherent latency. Sampled Port Mirroring (SPM) provides near real-time packet samples with payload visibility. IPFIX IE 315 bridges the two by exporting sampled packet data inside standard IPFIX records. These technologies are not competitors — they are powerful complements, especially in high-speed DDoS protection scenarios. What is IPFIX? IPFIX (IP Flow Information Export) is the standardized evolution of NetFlow. It collects metadata about network flows — conversations defined by the 5-tuple (source/destination IP, ports, protocol). ...

July 3, 2026 · John