TAPs & NPBs

When do you start learning about TAPs & NPBs?

Since the beginning, H5 Network has developped a large interest in TAP (Test Access Point) and NPB (Network Packet broker) technologies.

TAPs and NPBs deploy a network monitoring without creating any disruption onto the environment to surveil. By transmitting network flows copies towards H5 monitoring solution, metrics generation, stats, captures, dashboards, Reporting along with all necessary information for a good environment performance monitoring, is possible. They do not have any negative impact and any influence on the network.

TAP/NPB deployment on the environment to monitor grants more flexibility and allows to plug/unplug H5 analyser without any network disruption. It is obviously an add-on and complementary technology to H5 technology, mainly in production and operational contexts. Clearly, they allow actions optimisation and results.

TAP & NPB

TAP grants access to data circulation on a IT network and allow to monitor the network traffic between two points. Network TAP has a minimum of three ports: Port A, Port B, and one monitoring port. A network TAP deployed between A and B transmits all traffic without any obstacle and copy data onto its monitor port. This last port forwards the copy of the traffic to the metrology analyser solution.

NPB captures network flows and to dispense these to analysis or security appliances solutions in a timely manner. NPBs copy physical ports network traffics on deployed tools, events in enhancing security, in easing automatization and in optimising network data values. By capturing and replicating LANs and WANs flows, by supervising on line and passive tools needs, NPBS give flexibility in positioning analysers solutions as they offer numerous features such as:

  • Large numbers of ports compare to TAPs ( Rack space/ port optimisation, broader capacities)
  • Traffic filtering
  • Aggregation and/or Load balancing
 
By selecting NPB technology, you go beyond basic TAPs and basic switches possibilities, that bottom line do not offer enough features to optimise tools usage.
Resources

Access to our documentation