In conventional networks, correlating path information to resource utilisation on the granularity of packets is a hard problem when using policy-based traffic handling schemes. We introduce a new approach termed ‘intrinsic monitoring’ which relies on the use of IPv6 extension headers in combination with formal behaviour models to gather resource information along a path. This allows a network monitoring system to delegate monitoring functionality to the network devices themselves, with the result of a drastic reduction in management traffic due to the increased autonomy of the monitoring system. As monitoring information travels in-band with the network traffic, path information remains perfectly accurate.