A network device with an integrated tap arrangement for monitoring network traffic, said network device comprising: a set of network ports, said set of network ports being configured for at least one of receiving said network traffic and outputting said network traffic from said network device, said set of network ports including at least a first network port; a first counter for tracking instances of valid data packets received at said first network port to generate first counter data; a second counter for tracking a number of bytes received at said first network port to generate second counter data; a logic arrangement (312, 322) for using said first counter data and said second counter data to determine an inbound value of a real-time utilization rate associated with said first network port and an outbound value of said real-time utilization rate associated with said first network port; a set of monitoring ports (840, 842), said set of monitoring ports (840, 842) being coupled to one or more monitoring devices (624, 728); a set of uplink ports (836, 838) for forwarding packets to network devices; a switch chip connected to said set of network ports for analyzing and determining destinations of packets received on the network ports and forwarding the data packets to one of the uplink ports; a tap module (300, 716, 830) including a processor and being separate from said switch chip, said tap module (300, 716, 830) being configured at least for intercepting at least part of network traffic that is being sent between the switch chip and the uplink ports and forwarding said at least part of said network traffic to at least one of said set of monitoring ports (840, 842), wherein said tap module (300, 716, 830) includes user-configurable filtering functionality, thereby enabling a user to define a type of data packets that the user wants to monitor or drop; and a visual display module for displaying said inbound value of said real-time utilization rate associated with said first network port and said outbound value of said real-time utilization rate associated with said first network port. a set of network ports, said set of network ports being configured for at least one of receiving said network traffic and outputting said network traffic from said network device, said set of network ports including at least a first network port; a first counter for tracking instances of valid data packets received at said first network port to generate first counter data; a second counter for tracking a number of bytes received at said first network port to generate second counter data; a logic arrangement (312, 322) for using said first counter data and said second counter data to determine an inbound value of a real-time utilization rate associated with said first network port and an outbound value of said real-time utilization rate associated with said first network port; a set of monitoring ports (840, 842), said set of monitoring ports (840, 842) being coupled to one or more monitoring devices (624, 728); a set of uplink ports (836, 838) for forwarding packets to network devices; a switch chip connected to said set of network ports for analyzing and determining destinations of packets received on the network ports and forwarding the data packets to one of the uplink ports; a tap module (300, 716, 830) including a processor and being separate from said switch chip, said tap module (300, 716, 830) being configured at least for intercepting at least part of network traffic that is being sent between the switch chip and the uplink ports and forwarding said at least part of said network traffic to at least one of said set of monitoring ports (840, 842), wherein said tap module (300, 716, 830) includes user-configurable filtering functionality, thereby enabling a user to define a type of data packets that the user wants to monitor or drop; and a visual display module for displaying said inbound value of said real-time utilization rate associated with said first network port and said outbound value of said real-time utilization rate associated with said first network port.