Intelligent communications network tap port aggregator

• US 20060233115A1
• Filed: 03/07/2006
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keysight Technologies Singapore Sales Pte Ltd (Keysight Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Net Optics Incorporated (Keysight Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Matityahu, Eldad, Liu, Xiaochun, Strong, Stephen, Shaw, Bob
• Granted Patent: US 7,760,859 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0882 Utilisation of link capacity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/12 Network monitoring probes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring

Abstract

Intelligent network tap port aggregators for use in monitoring a network and methods for use therein are presented including: a number of device interface terminals for receiving network feeds; a tap structure coupled with device interface terminals, the tap structure configured to monitor the second network feeds and to aggregate the network feeds into an aggregated network feed; a monitor interface terminal coupled to the tap structure for providing the aggregated network feed to a network monitor; and a display coupled to the tap structure and configured to display selected network parameters corresponding to the network feeds. In some embodiments, the intelligent network tap port aggregator also includes: a network controller coupled with the tap structure for providing communication between the tap structure and a number of managing devices; and a managing device interface coupled with the network controller for providing Internet access to the network controller.

Claims

1. An intelligent network tap port aggregator for use in monitoring a network, comprising:

a first device interface terminal for receiving a first network feed;

a second device interface terminal for receiving a second network feed;

a tap structure coupled with the first device interface terminal and with the second device interface terminal, the tap structure configured to monitor the first network feed and the second network feed and to aggregate the first network feed and the second network feed into an aggregated network feed;

a first monitor interface terminal coupled to the tap structure for providing the aggregated network feed to a first network monitor; and

a display coupled to the tap structure and configured to display at least one selected first network parameter corresponding to the first network feed and at least one selected second network parameter corresponding to the second network feed.

2. The intelligent network tap port aggregator of claim 1 further comprising:

a network controller coupled with the tap structure for providing communication between the tap structure and a plurality of managing devices; and

a first managing device interface coupled with the network controller for providing Internet access to the network controller.

3. The intelligent network tap port aggregator of claim 2 further comprising:

a second managing device interface coupled with the network controller for providing SNMP access to the network controller.

4. The intelligent network tap port aggregator of claim 2 further comprising:

a third managing device interface coupled with the network controller for providing Command Line Interface (CLI) access to the network controller.

5. The intelligent network tap port aggregator of claim 2 further comprising:

a fourth managing device interface coupled with the network controller for providing wireless access to the network controller.

6. The intelligent network tap port aggregator of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory buffer coupled with the tap structure and configured to store data, wherein the memory buffer is configured to store burst network data.

7. The intelligent network tap port aggregator of claim 6 wherein the size of the memory buffer is approximately 256 MB.

8. The intelligent network tap port aggregator of claim 1, wherein:

the tap structure is configured to communicate full-duplex network traffic between a first device coupled to the first interface terminal and a second device coupled to the second interface terminal.

9. The intelligent network tap port aggregator of claim 1, wherein the at least one selected first network parameter and the at least one selected second network parameter are selected from the group consisting of:

instantaneous percent utilization of network capacity, average percent utilization of network capacity, highest peak percent utilization of network capacity, and time of highest peak percent utilization of network capacity.

10. The intelligent network tap port aggregator of claim 1 further comprising an LED array configured to illuminate in response to at least one pre-selected threshold percent utilization of first network capacity of the first network feed and to at least one pre-selected threshold percent utilization of second network capacity of the second network feed.

11. The intelligent network tap port aggregator of claim 1 further comprising a second monitor interface terminal coupled to the tap structure for providing the aggregated network feed to a second network monitor.

12. The intelligent network tap port aggregator of claim 1 wherein the first monitor and the second monitor are selected from the group consisting of:

network analyzers, intrusion detection systems, intrusion prevention systems, remote monitors, and probes

13. A method of monitoring network traffic utilizing an intelligent network tap port aggregator (INTPA) comprising the steps of:

receiving a first network feed through a first network interface coupled with a tap structure in the INTPA, the first network feed comprising a plurality of first network packets;

receiving a second network feed through a second network interface coupled with the tap structure in the INTPA, the second network feed comprising a plurality of second network packets;

monitoring the first and second network feeds to provide at least one selected first network parameter corresponding to the first network feed and at least one selected second network parameter corresponding to the second network feed;

displaying the at least one selected first network parameter and the at least one selected second network parameter;

aggregating the first network feed and the second network feed into an aggregated network feed; and

passing the aggregated network feed to at least one monitor interface terminal coupled with the INTPA wherein the aggregated network feed is available to at least one independent monitor device.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

temporarily storing the first network feed in a memory buffer; and

temporarily storing the second network feed in the memory buffer.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein if the memory buffer is exceeded:

dropping any of the plurality of first network packets that exceed the memory buffer;

dropping any of the plurality of second network packets that exceed the memory buffer;

sending a notification message; and

logging an event.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

if the first network feed exceeds an established first network capacity, temporarily dropping the first network feed; and

if the second network feed exceeds an established network capacity, temporarily dropping the second network feed.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

if the first network feed exceeds the established first network capacity for a pre-determined time interval, sending a first network notification message and logging an first network event; and

if the second network feed exceeds the established second network capacity for a pre-determined time interval, sending a second network notification message and logging a second network event.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the at least one selected first network parameter and the at least one selected second network parameter are selected from the group consisting of:

instantaneous percent utilization of network capacity, average percent utilization of network capacity, highest peak percent utilization of network capacity, and time of highest peak percent utilization of network capacity, INTPA status, network link status, monitor interface status, power supply status, number of packets transmitted, number of bytes transmitted, number of CRC errors, number of collision packets, number of undersized packets, and number of oversized packets.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

accessing the tap structure through at least one managing device interface coupled with a network controller, the network controller coupled with the tap structure; and

displaying the at least one selected first network parameter and the at least one selected second network parameter on a remote display, the remote display connected with the network controller through at least one managing device interface.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the remote display is configured to further display configurable parameters selected from the group consisting of:

IP address, net mask, network capacity, network utilization threshold, network peak rate reset, network statistics reset, and current date and time.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the at least one managing device interface is selected from the group consisting of:

a browser based web capable interface;

a SNMP capable interface;

a Command Line capable interface; and

a wireless capable interface.

22. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

illuminating an LED array in response to the at least one selected first network parameter and to the at least one selected second network parameter.