Integrated switch tap arrangement with visual display arrangement and methods thereof

• US 8,094,576 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2009
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• 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: Matityahu, Eldad, Shaw, Robert, Carpio, Dennis, Le, Ky
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): FARAHMAND, ASHIL S
• Application Number:
  US12/481,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20090245128A1
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• Field of Search: 370216-253
• 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, the arrangement comprising:

a set of network ports, said set of network ports being configured for at least one of receiving said network traffic and outputting said network traffic from said network device, said set of network ports including at least a first network port;

a first counter for tracking instances of valid data packets received at said first network port to generate first counter data;

a second counter for tracking a number of bytes received at said first network port to generate second counter data;

a logic arrangement for using said first counter data and said second counter data to determine at least one of an inbound value of a network parameter associated with said first network port and an outbound value of said network parameter associated with said first network port;

a set of monitoring ports, said set of monitoring ports being coupled to one more monitoring devices;

a tap module, 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; and

a visual display module for displaying one or more of said inbound value of said network parameter associated with said first network port and said outbound value of said network parameter associated with said first network port.

2. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said visual display module is configured to simultaneously display both said inbound value of said network parameter associated with said first network port and said outbound valued of said network parameter associated with said first network port.

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 1 further comprising a control component for enabling a user of said arrangement to select said first network port from said set of network ports for viewing both said inbound value of said network parameter associated with said first network port and said outbound value of said network parameter associated with said first network port.

6. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said first counter is associated with a first signal received at said first network port, said second counter is associated with a second signal received at said first network port, and said logic arrangement is further configured to correlate said first signal with said second signal for determining said at least one of said inbound value of said network parameter associated with said first network port and said outbound valued of said network parameter associated with said first network port.

7. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said tap module is positioned between said logic arrangement and a 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 logic arrangement and at least one uplink port of said set of uplink port.

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 network device with an internal tap module for displaying statistical data pertaining to network traffic that traverses said network device, the arrangement comprising:

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

a set of network ports, said set of network ports being configured for at least one of receiving said network traffic and outputting said network traffic from said network device, said set of network ports including at least a first network port;

a first counter for tracking instances of valid data packets received at said first network port to generate first counter data;

a second counter for tracking a number of bytes received at said first network port to generate second counter data;

a logic arrangement for using said first counter data and said second counter data to determine at least one of an inbound value of a network parameter associated with said first network port and an outbound value of said network parameter associated with said first network port; and

a visual display arrangement configured to display one or more of said inbound value of said network parameter associated with said first network port and said outbound value of said network parameter associated with said first network port.

12. The arrangement of claim 11 further comprising a control component for enabling a user of said arrangement to select said network port from said set of network ports for viewing both said inbound value of said network parameter associated with said first network port and said outbound value of said network parameter associated with said first network port, wherein said visual display arrangement is configured to simultaneously display said both said inbound value of said network parameter associated with said first network port and said outbound valued of said network parameter associated with said first network port.

13. The arrangement of claim 11 further comprising a control component for enabling a user of said arrangement to select said network parameter for viewing both said inbound value of said network parameter associated with said first network port and said outbound value of said network parameter associated with said first network port.

14. The arrangement of claim 11 wherein said statistical data displayed on said visual display arrangement is configured to be cycled such that data associated with different network ports of said set of network ports are displayed at different time periods, said statistical data including said data associated with said different network ports of said set of network ports.

15. The arrangement of claim 11 further comprising a plurality of port indicators associated with a plurality of network ports of said set of network ports, said plurality of port indicators including a port indicator configured to display status of each network port of said plurality of network ports.

16. The arrangement of claim 15 wherein said port indicator is a light-emitted diode (LED) port indicator and is disposed next to a network port number.

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

receiving a plurality of data packets from a set of network ports, said set of network ports including at least a first network port;

sending said plurality of data packets to a logic arrangement, wherein said logic arrangement 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;

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

tracking instances of valid data packets received at said first network port to generate first counter data;

tracking a number of bytes received at said first network port to generate second counter data;

using a programmed device, said first counter data, and said second counter data to determine at least one of an inbound value of a network parameter associated with said first network port and an outbound value of said network parameter associated with said first network port; and

displaying, using a visual display device, one or more of said inbound value of said network parameter associated with said first network port and said outbound value of said network parameter associated with said first network port.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said displaying including simultaneously showing both said inbound value of said network parameter associated with said first network port and said outbound valued of said network parameter associated with said first network port.

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.