Tap Solutions

Inline taps install between two network devices. Network devices include switches, routers, firewalls, servers and hosts. Network, application, or security analyzers then attach to the tap. The tap provides a copy of the network traffic for real-time monitoring and analysis.

Inline taps offer the clearest visibility of a network link’s performance. Inline taps pass non-conforming traffic including error, oversize, undersize, tagged and malformed packets. When measuring the timing of applications on a network link, inline taps offer the most accurate representation of response time degradation. Port mirroring often skews the packet arrival time.

Many fiber taps are non-powered, with no active components. Combine these resilient taps with a Span tap and you have solid inline analysis to one or more devices.

Inline taps feature half-duplex monitor ports. Taps are available for accessing copper and fiber optic network traffic.

Benefits:

• Passive, fault tolerant design.
• Full-line rate support on high-bandwidth, full-duplex network links.
• Plug-and-play simplicity for fast analysis and deployment.
• Eliminates the need for port mirroring which can degrade switch performance.

Inline taps are installed between two network devices. Network devices include switches, routers, firewalls, servers and hosts. Network, application, or security analyzers then attach to the tap. The tap provides a copy of the network traffic for real-time monitoring and analysis.

Aggregating inline taps provide access to critical links and meshed network traffic by combining full-duplex and multi-link traffic into a single data stream. All aggregating inline taps regenerate the signal so multiple analysis and monitoring devices can share the tapped connection simultaneously. Once the tap is installed, network monitoring and analysis solutions gain clear, unobstructed visibility of traffic and events by simply plugging into the tap. For mixed media environments, users can choose a tap that converts the signal from SX or LX fiber to BASE-T, or vice versa.

Certain models support multi-path analysis, a common requirement on today’s redundant networks. These taps ensure that even a link failover will not cause loss of network traffic or application visibility. Aggregating taps are typically used with network and application analyzers, intrusion detection systems (IDS), traffic probes and web content monitoring solutions.

Benefits:

• Full-duplex and multi-link visibil­ity for single intrface analysis solutions.
• Signal regeneration to support multiple analysis devices on the same tap.
• Plug-and-play simplicity for fast analysis and deployment.
• Media conversion to expand the ROI of existing analysis solutions.
• Eliminates the need for port mirroring which can degrade switch performance.

A tap’s ability to aggregate full-duplex and multiple link traffic is a great benefit to IT management because it maximizes visibility and extends the ROI of analysis and monitor­ing equipment. However, when traffic from multiple links and full-duplex connections exceeds the capacity of a gigabit output connection, events can be dropped or monitoring solutions can become over saturated with data. Hardware-based filtering link aggregation taps eliminate traffic not of concern for analysis or monitoring.

Filtering is based on IP addresses, VLAN ID, application port numbers, MAC addresses or byte/bit pattern. By focusing on only certain packet types, network managers can eliminate oversubscription to aggregation ports and increase the processing capability of monitoring and analysis devices. Replication of traffic to multiple monitoring ports reduces the number of network access points needed and extends management access for greater ROI.

FlowControl is the versatile configuration and monitoring utility bundled with each inline aggregating filter tap. Use the FlowControl software utility to administrate, filter, aggregate, monitor, and log network traffic. FlowControl facilitates centralized management and ease of access from a remote location.

Benefits:

• Increase the visibility and performance of network monitoring and analysis devices.
• Share information between multiple departments.
• Reduce the number of monitoring and analysis devices needed to effectively manage your network.
• Gain access to full-duplex and meshed network traffic for multiple analysis devices.
• Improve the performance of network analysis solutions using hardware-based filtering within the tap.
• Eliminate the possibility of dropped packets by filtering for only relevant traffic.
• Speed troubleshooting with instant plug-and-play access to critical network segments.
• Decease the cost associated with network access for network, application and security analysis solutions

Span aggregating taps increase the value of port mirroring by replicating the traffic to multiple analysis and monitoring devices. The additional ability to aggregate multiple mirror ports gives monitoring devices greater visibility across numerous network segments and maximizes the ROI on analysis and monitoring devices.

Several models feature “any-to-any” architecture and port steering. These are flexible ports that can be configured as either network (input) ports or monitor (tap) ports. Traffic from the network ports can be directed to any monitor port, allowing the traffic to be steered and aggregated as desired.

Benefits:

• Increases the value of a single switch mirror port by replicating the traffic to multiple monitoring and analysis devices.
• Increases visibility across numerous network segments, maximizing the utility of analysis and monitoring devices.
• Decreases the time it takes to deploy analysis devices to trouble spots on the network.
• Decreases contention for switch mirror port connections.
• Maximizes the ROI on analysis and monitoring devices.
• Any-to-any architecture and port steering make it easy to direct the desired mix of traffic to the appropriate device.
• Many-to-one architecture allows analysis devices to have improved visibility with fewer ports

A tap’s ability to aggregate full-duplex and multiple link traffic is a great benefit to IT management because it maximizes visibility and extends the ROI of analysis and monitor­ing equipment. However, when traffic from multiple links and full-duplex connections exceeds the capacity of a gigabit output connection, events can be dropped or monitoring solutions can become over saturated with data. Hardware-based filtering span aggregation taps eliminate traffic not of concern for analysis or monitoring.

Filtering is based on IP addresses, VLAN ID, application port numbers, MAC addresses or byte/bit pattern. By focusing on only certain packet types, network managers can eliminate oversubscription to aggregation ports and increase the processing capability of monitoring and analysis devices. Replication of traffic to multiple monitoring ports reduces the number of network access points needed and extends management access for greater ROI.

Benefits:

• Increases the value of a single switch mirror port by replicating the traffic to multiple monitoring and analysis devices.
• Increases visibility across numerous network segments, maximizing the utility of analysis and monitoring devices.
• Decreases the time it takes to deploy analysis devices to trouble spots on the network.
• Decreases contention for switch mirror port connections.
• Maximizes the ROI on analysis and monitoring devices.
• Same span aggregating tap benefits as above, plus improved performance of network analysis and monitoring solutions using hardware-based filtering within the tap.
• Analyze only relevant traffic by filtering out the unimportant.
• Avoid oversubscription to aggregation ports

Multi-port span switching taps, also called matrix switches, extend visibility across individual network segments for analysis and monitoring devices. Select between multiple streams and route the desired traffic to your analysis and monitoring device. This speeds troubleshooting and reduces the number of analysis devices needed to support the network.

Manage traffic switching remotely using our control software. Remote switch management facilitates dynamically switching analysis devices across numerous network segments without having to physically move cables or port settings. You can daisy-chain multiple switches to access dozens of networks.

Benefits:

• Greater network visibility and central management accelerates problem resolution, reduces downtime, increases enterprise productivity, and improves ROI.
• Leverage network analysis and monitoring devices across multiple switch span ports.
• Daisy-chain up to four switches for access to dozens of ports.
• Manage the switch remotely from a central console using control software (included)
• Ideal for networks using distributed network, and application analysis solutions.

Combination taps merge inline tapping with span regenera­tion and aggregation, all in the same tap. Maximum flexibility and configurability ensures that necessary traffic is fed to the appropriate device. Once the tap is installed, network, application and security analysis solutions gain clear, unobstructed visibility of traffic and events by simply plugging into the tap.

Use the inline capabilities when installing the tap between two network devices. The tap provides a copy of the network traffic for real-time monitoring and analysis. Aggregation provides access to critical links and meshed network traffic by combining full-duplex and multi-link traffic into a single data stream. The tap regenerates the signal so multiple analysis and monitoring devices can share the tapped connection simultaneously.

Use the span capabilities to replicate network traffic from taps and mirror ports to multiple analysis and monitoring devices. The ability to aggregate multiple mirror ports gives monitoring devices greater visibility across numerous network segments and maximizes the ROI on analysis and monitoring devices.

All combination taps feature “any-to-any” architecture and port steering. These are flexible ports that can be configured as either network (input) ports or monitor (tap) ports. Traffic from the network ports can be directed to any monitor port, allowing the traffic to be steered and aggregated as desired.

Benefits:

• Full-duplex and multi-link visibil­ity for single interface analysis solutions.
• Increases the value of a single mirror port by replicating the traffic to multiple monitoring and analysis devices.
• Signal regeneration to support multiple analysis devices on the same tap.
• Plug-and-play simplicity for fast analysis and deployment.
• Media conversion to expand the ROI of existing analysis solutions.
• Eliminates the need for port mirroring which can degrade switch performance.
• Increased replication for a greater number of monitoring solutions.
• Increased aggregation for greater visibility across more critical links.
• Any-to-any architecture and port steering make it easy to direct the desired mix of traffic to the appropriate device.
• Many-to-one architecture allows analysis devices to have improved visibility with fewer ports.
• Highly configurable and flexible design ensures deployments options match the needs of any organization.