INTEGRATED SWITCH TAP ARRANGEMENT WITH VISUAL DISPLAY ARRANGEMENT AND METHODS THEREOF

• US 20090245128A1
• Filed: 06/10/2009
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keysight Technologies Singapore (Holdings) Pte. Limited. (Keysight Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Net Optics Incorporated (Keysight Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Le, Ky, Matityahu, Eldad, Shaw, Robert, Carpio, Dennis
• Granted Patent: US 8,094,576 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0876 Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/12 Network monitoring probes

Abstract

An arrangement in a network device for monitoring network traffic is provided. The arrangement includes a set of network ports, which includes a set of input network ports for receiving the network traffic and a set of output network ports for outputting the network traffic from the network device. The arrangement also includes a switch chip, wherein the switch chip is configured at least for analyzing the network traffic. The arrangement further includes a set of monitoring ports, which is configured to receive the network traffic from the set of network ports. The arrangement yet also includes a tap module, which is configured at least for intercepting at least part of the network traffic flowing through the network device and forwarding at least part of the network traffic to at least one of the set of monitoring ports.

Claims

1. An arrangement in a network device for monitoring network traffic, comprising:

a set of network ports, said set of network ports including a set of input network ports for receiving said network traffic and a set of output network ports for outputting said network traffic from said network device;

a switch chip, wherein said switch chip being configured at least for analyzing said network traffic;

a set of monitoring ports, said set of monitoring ports being configured to receive said network traffic from said set of network ports; and

a tap module, wherein said tap module being configured at least for intercepting at least part of said network traffic flowing through said network device and forwarding said at least part of said network traffic to at least one of said set of monitoring ports.

2. The arrangement of claim 1 further including a first processor, wherein said first processor is configured at least for handling processes associated with said tap module, wherein said first processor is not configured for handling processes of other components of said network device.

3. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said tap module includes a mirroring functionality, wherein said mirroring functionality includes duplicating said network traffic for forwarding said network traffic to said set of monitoring ports.

4. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said tap module includes a filtering functionality, wherein said filtering functionality includes identifying types of data packets from said network traffic for forwarding to said at least one of said monitoring ports.

5. The arrangement of claim 4 wherein said filtering functionality is user-configurable.

6. The arrangement of claim 1 further including a set of uplink ports, wherein said set of uplink ports is configured for receiving said at least part of said network traffic.

7. The arrangement of claim 6 wherein said tap module is positioned between said switch chip and said set of uplink ports, wherein said tap module is configured for intercepting said network traffic before said network traffic is sent to said set of uplink ports.

8. The arrangement of claim 7 further including a second tap module, wherein said second tap module is positioned between said switch chip and at least one uplink port of said set of uplink ports, wherein said second tap module is not said first tap module.

9. The arrangement of claim 1 further including a buffering component, wherein said buffering component is positioned between said tap module and said set of monitoring ports, wherein said buffering component is configured at least for managing network traffic to said set of monitoring ports.

10. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said tap module includes an aggregator functionality, wherein said aggregator functionality includes aggregating data packets received from said set of network ports.

11. An arrangement in a high density network device with an internal tap module for displaying statistical data pertaining to network traffic that traverses said high density network device, comprising:

a power supply arrangement for providing power to circuitry of said high density network device;

a set of network ports, said set of network ports including a set of input network ports for receiving said network traffic and a set of output network ports for outputting said network traffic from said high density network device;

a logic arrangement for analyzing said network traffic and for displaying said statistical data pertaining to said network traffic; and

a visual display arrangement, said visual display arrangement being configured to display said statistical data, whereas said network traffic is configured to traverse said high density network device between said set of input network ports and said set of output network ports irrespective whether said power is provided to said circuitry of said high density network device.

12. The arrangement of claim 11 wherein said visual display arrangement is a non-opaque viewing arrangement.

13. The arrangement of claim 12 wherein said visual display arrangement is an LCD (liquid crystal display) screen.

14. The arrangement of claim 11 wherein said statistical data displayed on said visual display arrangement is configured to be cycled through.

15. The arrangement of claim 11 further including a port indicator, wherein said port indicator is configured to display status of a network port of said set of network ports.

16. The arrangement of claim 15 wherein said port indicator is a light-emitted dioded (LED) port indicator.

17. A method for monitoring network traffic through a high density network device, comprising:

receiving a plurality of data packets from a set of network ports;

sending said plurality of data packets to a switch chip, wherein said switch chip is configured at least for analyzing said network traffic;

intercepting at least part of said plurality of data packets when said plurality of data packets is forwarded to a set of uplink ports, wherein said set of uplink ports is configured for forwarding said plurality of data packets to other network devices, said intercepting is performed by a tap module;

creating a set of data packets, wherein said set of data packets including said at least part of said plurality of data packets, wherein said set of data packet is created by said tap module; and

sending said set of data packets to a set of monitoring ports.

18. The method of claim 17 further including aggregating a first data packet of said plurality of data packets and said second data packet of said plurality of data packets into said set of data packets.

19. The method of claim 17 further including filtering said set of data packets before sending said set of data packets to said set of monitoring ports, wherein said filtering including separating said set of data packets into a plurality of set of data packets based on user-configurable conditions.

20. The method of claim 17 furthering including buffering said set of data packets if said set of monitoring ports is unavailable for receiving said set of data packets.