In one embodiment, a service associates a plurality of descriptive tags with a node in a network, based on an inspection of packets sent by the node that is performed by one or more sensors deployed to the network. The service identifies, based on the plurality of descriptive tags, data to be extracted from traffic of the node by an edge device located at an edge of the network. The service determines, based on the plurality of descriptive tags, an external destination to which the data should be sent by the edge device after extraction. The service sends a data pipeline configuration to the edge device, wherein the data pipeline configuration causes the edge device to extract the data from the traffic sent by the node and to send the data to the external destination.