Techniques for implementing a smart filter generator in a visibility network are provided. In one set of embodiments, the smart filter generator can maintain at least one mapping between (1) a first-order parameter found in network traffic replicated from a core network monitored by the visibility network, and (2) a second-order parameter related to the first-order parameter, where the second-order parameter is not found in the network traffic replicated from the core network. The smart filter generator can further receive, from a user, a user-defined packet filter definition comprising a filtering criterion that makes use of the second-order parameter. The smart filter generator can then translate, based on the at least one mapping, the filtering criterion into a version that makes use of the first-order parameter, and can generate a new packet filter comprising the translated version of the filtering criterion.