Patent ID: 7778207

Claim:
A network tap device array, comprising: a chassis; and a plurality of network tap devices included in the chassis, at least one of the network tap devices being a passive full-duplex bidirectional Zero Packet Loss (ZPL) tap configured to passively monitor network data, wherein the at least one passive full-duplex bidirectional ZPL tap comprises: first and second network ports configured to operably connect with first communication cables, the first communication cables configured to carry full duplex bidirectional data signals comprising first and second signal components to and from the network tap device; first and second tap ports configured to operably connect with second communication cables; a signal separator configured to have a first node operably connected to the first network port and a second node operably connected to the second network port, wherein the signal separator is configured to pass through the full duplex bidirectional data signals from the first network port to the second network port and from the second network to the first network port, and wherein the signal separator is further configured to obtain a first signal portion comprising at least first signal component and a second signal portion comprising at least the second signal component; a first receive only physical interface device (Phy) configured to be operably connected to the signal separator so as to receive the first signal portion from the signal separator; a first transmit and receive Phy configured to be operably connected to the first receive only Phy so as to receive the first signal portion and provide the first signal portion to the first tap port; a second receive only Phy configured to be operably connected to the signal separator so as to receive the second signal portion from the signal separator; and a second transmit and receive Phy configured to be operably connected to the second receive only Phy so as to receive the second signal portion and provide the second signal portion to the second tap port.