Jun 25 2008   3:09PM GMT

Researching Network TAPs - Implementation Day (part 5)

Posted by: Troy Tate
Data security, diagnostics, howto, DataCenter, DataManagement, troubleshooting, Networking, network analysis, WAN, wireshark, Metrics, packet capture, Performance, reporting, research, tools

Hopefully you have been reading about my adventures with implementing a network tap to end network blindness. If not, take a look back at previous entries found here.

When I last left you on this topic, there was a problem plugging in the tap between the router and the LAN switch. I was informed by technical support that the devices needed to be configured with auto-detect network settings. Those settings have now been made and the network tap is now installed and functioning well!

One interesting thing I discovered about the Datacom Systems Singlestream 102 device  is that it will permit network injection through the tap port. What this means is that you can have a host running ntop and listening on the tap, for example, that you can get to without having to install a second nic and publishing on that nic. This is a great thing! It simplifies the configuration of the monitoring host.

So, it looks like my monitoring need has been met and now the real challenge of discovery and ongoing traffic management. Such is life in the network management world.

I will pass on any updates about this network tap as any new information arises from my implementation.

Thanks for your time. Let’s be good network citizens together & practice safe networking!