Intelligent communications network tap port aggregator and methods thereof

• US 8,654,932 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2010
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keysight Technologies Singapore (Holdings) Pte. Limited. (Keysight Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Net Optics Incorporated (Keysight Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Liu, Xiaochun, Strong, Stephen, Matityahu, Eldad, Shaw, Bob
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US12/839,373
• Publication Number:
  US 20100278052A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,310 Days
• Field of Search: 379/9, 379/9.02, 379/9.04, 379/9.06, 379/14, 379/15.01, 379/111, 379/112.01, 379/112.04, 379/112.05, 379/112.08, 379/112.09, 379/112.1, 379/133, 379/134, 379/135, 379/136, 379/412.02, 379/22.06, 379/29.1, 379/32.01, 379/112.06, 709/25, 709/39, 709/43, 709/51, 709/712, 709/717
• US Class Current: 379/22.06
• 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

A network tap port aggregator for use in monitoring a network is provided. The network tap port aggregator includes a first device interface terminal for receiving a first network feed. The network tap port aggregator also includes a second device interface terminal for receiving a second network feed. The network tap port aggregator further includes a circuitry coupled with the first device interface terminal and with the second device interface terminal, the circuitry 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. The network tap port aggregator yet also includes a first monitor interface terminal coupled to the circuitry for providing the aggregated network feed to a first network monitor that is external to the network tap port aggregator.

Claims

1. A network tap port aggregator for use in monitoring a network, said network tap port aggregator 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 said first device interface terminal and with said second device interface terminal, said tap structure configured to monitor said first network feed and said second network feed and to aggregate said first network feed and said second network feed into an aggregated network feed; and

a first monitor interface terminal coupled to said tap structure for providing said aggregated network feed to a first network monitor that is external to said network tap port aggregator.

2. The network tap port aggregator of claim 1 further comprising a display coupled to said tap structure and configured to display at least one selected first network parameter corresponding to said first network feed and at least one selected second network parameter corresponding, to said second network feed.

3. The network tap port aggregator of claim 2 further comprising a network controller coupled with said tap structure for providing communication between said tap structure and a plurality of managing devices external to said network tap port aggregator.

4. The network tap port aggregator of claim 3 further comprising a managing device interface coupled with said network controller for providing at least one of Internet access to said network controller, SNMP access to said network controller, Command Line Interface (CLI) access to said network controller, and wifeless access to said network controller.

5. The network tap port aggregator of claim 2 wherein said at least one selected first network parameter and said at least one selected second network parameter are selected from a group comprising at least one 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.

6. The network tap port aggregator of claim 1 farther comprising a memory buffer coupled with said tap structure and configured to store data, wherein said memory buffer is configured to store burst network data.

7. The network tap port aggregator of claim 1 further comprising a second monitor interface terminal coupled to said tap structure for providing said aggregated network feed to a second network monitor that is external to said network tap port aggregator.

8. The network tap port aggregator of claim 7 wherein said tap structure is configured to communicate full-duplex network traffic between a first device coupled to said first monitor interface terminal and a second device coupled to said second monitor interface terminal.

9. The network tap port aggregator of claim 7 Wherein said first network monitor and said second network monitor are selected from a groups of systems, wherein said group of systems including at least one of network analyzers, intrusion detection systems, intrusion prevention systems, remote monitors, and probes.

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

11. A network tap port aggregator for use in monitoring a network, said network tap port aggregator 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 said first device interface terminal and with said second device interface terminal, said tap structure configured to monitor said first network feed and said second network feed and to aggregate said first network feed and said second network feed into an aggregated network feed; and

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

12. The network tap port aggregator of claim 11 further comprising a first monitor interface terminal coupled to said tap structure for providing said aggregated network feed to a first network monitor that is external to said network tap port aggregator;

and

a second monitor interface terminal coupled to said tap structure for providing said aggregated network feed to a second network monitor that is external to said network tap port aggregator.

13. The network tap port aggregator of claim 12 further comprising a network controller coupled with said tap structure for providing communication between said tap structure and a plurality of managing devices external to said network tap port aggregator.

14. The network tap port aggregator of claim 12 further comprising a managing device interface coupled with said network controller for providing at least one of Internet access to said network controller, SNMP access to said network controller, Command Line Interface (CLI) access to said network controller, and wifeless access to said network controller.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

illuminating an LED array that is coupled to said tap structure in response to said at least one selected first network parameter and to said at least one selected second network parameter.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

temporarily storing said first network feed in a memory buffer that is con fled to said tap structure; and

temporarily storing said second network feed in said memory buffer, wherein said memory buffer is a FIFO buffer.

17. A method of monitoring network traffic utilizing a network tap port aggregator, said method comprising:

receiving a first network feed through a first network interface coupled with a tap structure in said network tap port aggregator;

receiving a second network feed through a second network interface coupled with said tap structure in said network tap port aggregator;

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

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

passing said aggregated network feed to a set of monitor interface terminals that is external to said network tap port aggregator.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising accessing said tap structure through at least one managing device interface coupled with a network controller, said network controller is coupled with said tap structure.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising displaying said at least one selected first network parameter and said at least one selected second network parameter on a remote display, said remote display connected with a network controller that is coupled to said tap structure through at least one managing device interface.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising using said remote display to further display configurable parameters selected from a group comprising of at least one of IP address, net mask, network capacity, network utilization threshold, network peak rate reset, network statistics reset, and current date and time.