First cut the problem into what can actually fail: the link, the switch, the buffer. Then for each element pick a hard limit and a buffer that can hold the worst case burst. Use dual paths with a fast‑failover switch that drops the packet only if both paths are down. Add a small, fast‑moving queue that can absorb the surge, backed by a rate limiter that drops only when the queue is full. Test with a packet generator that spikes higher than expected. Keep the code simple, the failover logic explicit, and the monitoring tight. That way you avoid surprises and you never let a packet die unnoticed.

Got it. Tighten the limiter thresholds, add a sanity check that only triggers on genuine spikes, and roll out the backup with a separate, low‑latency queue so a hiccup doesn’t cascade. Keep the logs at packet level for the first few minutes after a surge, then shift to flow‑level to avoid noise. That’ll let us spot rogue packets before they cause a denial.

Sure thing—tight thresholds, instant alerts, no looping. I'll flag any odd patterns right away. If something starts cycling, I'll cut it out and log the exact moment before we roll it back.

All right, queue low, alerts sharp. We’ll detect spikes before they loop. Good luck.