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Network Taps

A Network Tap creates a permanent access port for passively monitoring all traffic on a link without data stream interference or the introduction a potential point of failure.

 

Cisco Whitepaper ....“The switch treats SPAN data with a lower priority than regular port-to-port data.” In other words, if any resource under load must choose between passing normal traffic and SPAN data, the SPAN loses and the mirrored frames are arbitrarily discarded. This rule applies to preserving network traffic in any situation.


Knowing that the SPAN port arbitrarily drops traffic under specific load conditions, what strategy should users adopt so as not to miss frames? “the best strategy is to make decisions based on the traffic levels of the configuration and when in doubt to use the SPAN port only for relatively low-throughput situations.”

 

If span ports are the only option syntax for the various switch vendors is contained here, Switch Port Mirroring Page 

For more information about Network Taps, see the article in the Miscellaneous section.

VSS monitoring, Inc.

VSS monitoring's Taps cover both copper and fiber media from T1 to 10Gig. The Taps include the 1X1 series (1 network X 1 monitoring device), 1XN series and also the NX1 series (Tap Switches). The aggregation taps have up to 64MB of memory to buffer traffi ...

NextGig Systems

Fast and reliable, our passive network taps provide access for security and network management devices on all types of networks. - 100% visibility to link traffic for your security and network monitoring tools - In-line link failover protection - Access r ...

Net Optics Taps
Network Critical Ltd

Network Critical is the premier provider of Access Technology Solutions for today’s datacenter. Our Network TAPs give you the ability to safely, securely and economically see what is happening on your network. We provide enterprise Ethernet TAP access sol ...

Datacom Systems

The 10/100 Full Duplex Ethernet Tap provides network monitoring tools with permanent 24x7 passive monitoring access to 10/100 BaseT Ethernet network segments. Our passive tap technology features exclusive, fault tolerant "no break the link" desi ...

Viavi Solutions

nTAPs are passive, full-duplex devices, offering complete visibility to monitoring devices regardless of traffic level. They work with the leading management tools for quick and easy deployment. nTAPs are transparent for monitoring critical links, and pro ...

Observer nTAP

The fully assembled and enclosed brother to the Throwing Star LAN Tap Kit. The pro model sports all of the same 10BASET and 100BASETX monitoring goodness ready to go in your kit bag, no soldering necessary. To a target network this little guy looks just ...

Throwing Star LAN Tap Pro
VSS Monitoring

The vBroker Series provides you with flexible yet advanced network visibility by accessing, optimizing, and delivering traffic from multiple networks to multiple network monitoring and security tools – both passive and active (inline). Featuring both fix ...

VSS vBroker Series