Patent ID: 7486624
Filing Date: 2009-02-03
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A network tap that enables multiple, independent and parallel monitoring devices to analyze communication flows through a connection without interfering with such flows, comprising: means for supplying power to said network tap; a pair of network ports, each network port having an input and output, for connecting said network tap to said connection; a first internal channel for the input of a first communication flow through a first member of the pair of network ports, that duplicates and then forwards a first communication flow both within said tap and to an output of a second member of the pair of network ports; a second internal channel for the input of a first communication flow through the second member of the pair of network ports, that duplicates and then forwards a second communication flow both within said tap and to an output of the first member of the pair of network ports; at least one pair of monitoring ports, each monitoring port having an output for each of the first and second internal channels; and, for each internal channel and communication flow forwarded within said tap, means for further duplicating and forwarding the communication flow to the outputs of said pair of monitoring ports.