Patent ID: 6545982
Filing Date: 2003-04-08
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method for monitoring a network comprising an apparatus interconnecting a plurality of network segments at least one of which comprises a network monitor, the method comprising:(a) obtaining, from each packet received by the apparatus, forwarding information to be used in determining the packet destination; (b) if a packet destination specified by the forwarding information includes a station other than the apparatus, then conducting one or more first transmissions of the packet to one or more of the network segments in order to deliver the packet to the packet destination; and (c) conducting a second transmission of the packet to a network segment comprising the network monitor, wherein said second transmission is separate from said one or more first transmissions; wherein the method further comprises specifying which packets are to be delivered to a network monitor, wherein the specifying step is performed more than once to yield different specifications of packets to be delivered to a network monitor.