Data monitoring switch: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 20:01, 6 October 2019

Revision as of 22:43, 15 October 2019

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== Function ==

<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Net Optics Director.PNG|380px|thumb| Standard Data monitoring switch with 1U chassis, high port density {{deletable image-caption}}]] -->

A data monitoring switch typically provides 24 to 38 ports in a 1U 19-inch chassis, with higher port density devices expected in the future (ask about dimensions from the vendor - devices with higher port density or many card slots may be 2U or larger). Ports may be dedicated as network inputs or tool outputs, or may be configurable as either, with most product trending toward the latter. Network input ports may be paired to provide in-line connectivity (integrated [[Network tap|Tap]] function), or out of band (mirrored) to take input from external network Taps or network switch [[SPAN portsport]]s. Some devices have the ability to interconnect chassis to configure logical systems with hundreds of ports, although user interface complexity can serve as a limiting factor in many products.

When a number of monitoring tools are connected to the data monitoring switch’s tool ports, copies of traffic from any of the network ports can be switched to any of the tools using the data monitoring switch’s management interface. A unique characteristic of the data monitoring switch, as opposed to matrix switches and aggregating Taps, is that it can support a flexible set of port mappings including:

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Data monitoring switches support either or both of the following internal management interfaces:

*A text-based [[command-line interface]] (CLI) accessed with a terminal emulation program either locally over a serial port or remotely over a secure (e.g., SSH) network connection; this interface is sometimes preferred by network administrators, although many data center professionals complain that CLI is too complex.

*A Web browser based graphical interface; While most vendors offer drag and drop capabilities, there are a wide range of GUI options offered on these products, some requiring CLI and some not. This interface is preferred by IT generalists, executives, and IT stakeholders who manage monitoring but do not have physical access to the data center floor.

External interfaces are also available as follows:

*A platform (Windows) based server; this interface is preferred for managing a large number of devices through a single interface

*Third-party [[SNMP]] management tools; this interface in preferred in environments with centralized SNMP management systems such as [[IBM Tivoli]] or [[HP OpenView]] <ref>[http://www.HP.com/Go/openview HP Open View]</ref>

== Advantages ==

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They prevent tool oversubscription by pre-filtering traffic.

They can Tap network links directly, instead of relying on switch [[SPAN portsport]]s for monitoring access.

Because of their high port densities compared to discreet Taps, they save rack space and power, and can have a lower price per port.

They are fully passive, unable to disrupt network traffic in the most commonly found circumstances. (Integrated Taps, if present have fail-to-wire on power failure.) This is compared to SPAN ports, where network traffic can be disrupted if the switch is not properly configured while setting up the SPAN port. <ref>[http://www.ebizq.net/topics/business_service_management/features/11496.html?page=1 Integrating Monitoring Access Into The Network Architecture]</ref>

== Disadvantages ==

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== See also ==

*[[Network tap]]

*[[Network monitoring]]

== References ==