Patent ID: 8369218
Filing Date: 2013-02-05
Classification: H04L,Y02D

Abstract:
1. A network tap that enables monitoring devices to analyze a communication flow through a connection while minimizing disruption to said communication flow when said network tap is powered on and off, said network tap comprising: means for supplying power to said network tap; a pair of network ports including a first network port and a second network port, each network port having an input and output, for connecting said network tap to said connection, said first network port being directly coupled to a first buffering circuit that includes at least a first capacitor, a first resistor, and a second resistor, said first resistor and said second resistor being connected in parallel, said second network port being directly coupled to a second buffering circuit that includes at least a second capacitor, a third resistor, and a fourth resistor, said third resistor and said fourth resistor being connected in parallel; a first internal channel for the input of a first communication flow through a first member of said pair of network ports, that duplicates and then forwards said first communication flow both within said tap and to an output of a second member of said pair of network ports; a second internal channel for the input of a second communication flow through said second member of said pair of network ports, that duplicates and then forwards said second communication flow both within said tap and to an output of said first member of said pair of network ports; a pair of monitoring ports including a first monitoring port and a second monitoring port, each monitoring port having an output for each of said first and second internal channels; and means for reducing disturbance, created within said network tap by said network tap's power being turned on or off, to a level below that detectable by said communication flow, wherein said means for reducing said disturbance include