What is "deep packet inspection" primarily used for?

Deep packet inspection (DPI) is primarily utilized to examine the payload of packets as they traverse a network. This level of analysis allows for a detailed look at the packet content beyond just the header information. By examining the payload, DPI can identify specific protocols, applications, and even types of data being transmitted.

This capability is crucial in various contexts, such as security, where it helps in identifying malicious content, intrusions, or policy violations. In contrast to analyzing metadata or surface-level data, deep packet inspection digs into the actual data being transferred, enabling organizations to enforce security measures, ensure compliance, and optimize bandwidth usage.

The other choices do not focus on this in-depth level of analysis. While monitoring overall performance and traffic volume or assessing hardware capabilities may be important tasks in network management, they do not pertain to the detailed examination of packet payloads that DPI provides.