Techniques and architecture are described grouping various sources of traffic within a network into grouping fields and assigning each combination of grouping field values an aggregate identification (ID). A first hop edge router may receive a packet and search a mapping table for a corresponding aggregate ID for the combination of grouping field values within the mapping table. If not found, the first hop edge router may assign a corresponding aggregate ID for the combination of grouping field values and store the new aggregate ID for the combination of grouping field values in the mapping table. The first hop edge router may forward the packet on through the network with the aggregate ID embedded in metadata. Routers within the network may measure and aggregate flow metrics of the packet within the network based on the aggregate ID and provide the measurements to the network controller.