Datacom Systems SS series SPAN User Manual

Contents

Datacom Systems SS series SPAN User Manual Manual pdf 7 page image

Datacom Systems IncSPAN and Multi-Link Aggregators/Regenerators • USERguide7IntroductionThe SPAN and Multi-link Aggregator/Regenerators can combine data from multipleEthernet network segments into one stream of data. A single device, such as anintrusion detection system, protocol analyzer, or network probe can receive theaggregated data with just one network interface card (NIC).The SPAN and Multi-link Aggregator/Regenerators also have additional monitorports, so multiple devices can receive the same data stream. This allows differentmonitoring and analysis devices to collect data from the same network segments atthe same time, eliminating contention for access to the network.Monitor more network traffic with fewer toolsNetwork administrators are no longer required to have a separate device for eachnetwork segment to achieve simultaneous 24x7 monitoring of multiple links, nor dothey need to "switch" to a different segment each time they need to collect datafrom it. The SPAN and Multi-link Aggregator/Regenerators simultaneously collectsdata from multiple network segments and aggregates all the data before sending itto the connected monitoring and analysis devices, expanding network visibility andreducing the number of tools needed on the network. Fewer tools means lowerequipment and licensing costs. And, because the SPAN and Multi-link Aggregator/Regenerators aggregates all the data before sending it to the connected networkdevice, you can always view the entire conversation even in asymmetric routing,redundant, and load-balanced environments.Enhanced securityThe SPAN and Multi-link Aggregator/Regenerators enhances your security becauseit allows you to see 100% of your network traffic. Total visibility means no missedpackets and no chance of missing a network attack due to SPAN/Mirror port over-subscription, traffic overflow, or many of the problems associated with traditionalmonitoring methods.Improved problem resolution timeAggregation offers a complete view of the traffic. Instead of collecting and manual-ly assembling trace or log files from separate tools on separate network segments,the SPAN and Multi-link Aggregator/Regenerators can easily let security and analy-sis tools collect all the data they need in a single file. In security applications,events and false positives are recorded fewer times. In all applications, data can beanalyzed faster than ever, which increases uptime and saves money.