Visibility is key to understanding the cause of network performance issues. And these four data types ( flow, packet, SNMP, and API ) all play an important role in enhancing network visibility.
flow
A stream is a digest of data sent over the network. Flow types vary and can include NetFlow, sFlow, jFlow and IPFIX. The different stream types have limitations in terms of vendor flexibility, but all streams have the capability to provide a summary of the connections in the network. Client requests are sent to the server, which then responds with a flow record.
What can you learn from streaming analytics?
Flow analysis reveals the flow and type of traffic passing through network devices. A flow record contains information about source and destination IP and port, protocol used, bytes sent and received, and other information. Flow analytics correlates flow records to identify sources of congestion. Using Flow Analytics, you can determine which applications and users are consuming the most bandwidth resources, view irregular traffic patterns for specific IP addresses or ports, and create standard network performance metrics.
While you can use streams to figure out where problems are occurring, if you want to know the exact cause of these problems you need to use data tables. Packets are critical to finding the root cause of network incidents.
data pack
Packets are small data units of about 1000 to 15000 bytes that are transmitted across a network. With any operation, such as sending a file, e-mailing, or downloading an image, dividing the data into many smaller packets allows for more efficient transfer of data.
Each packet contains sequence information to ensure it is properly reassembled at its destination, and of course destination IP information to ensure it arrives at the correct location.
Packet capture captures mirrored data across a network by using one of two techniques: net tapping and port mirroring.
What can you learn from packet captures?
A packet capture, or PCAP, can help you drill down to the finer details of troubleshooting and determine the root cause of a problem. Packets also contribute to threat visibility in the network. Packets are often a key component of threat detection tools. Deep Packet Dynamics (DPD) uses packet data combined with AI to compare packet metadata with threat signatures and signatures of indicators of suspicious activity encrypted within the packet payload.
SNMP
SNMP is a protocol that allows network devices to share information. SNMP sends get requests called PDUs, or Protocol Data Units, to SNMP-enabled devices in the network. The data received from these requests can look at the status of network connection interfaces, CPUs, and devices such as routers, switches, servers, and firewalls.
What can you learn from SNMP?
SNMP data includes errors sent and received on devices such as routers, number of packets, number of bytes, connection speed between two devices, or the number of requests received by a web server in a given period of time. SNMP is critical to understanding device saturation and health.
API
An API is a software layer that acts as a bridge between different applications to centralize data and allow knowledge sharing. For example, an API between Jira and Salesforce allows users in Salesforce to view open tickets or issues related to a specific customer account. This allows different audiences to obtain new data.
What can you learn from API data?
APIs provide access to new data and enhance network visibility by bringing together data from disparate applications and systems for more accurate reporting.
More Data Means Better Network Visibility
Network visibility is critical for businesses. It allows engineers to continuously troubleshoot any apparent congestion or equipment failures.
But comprehensive network visibility is also critical for the future. With better data on network trends, standards, and peak times, the team can predict and plan the size required for new initiatives.