Patent ID: 8537690

Claim:
An apparatus for enabling a plurality of monitoring functions to be performed on data traffic traversing through a network, comprising: a power module for providing power to circuitry of said apparatus; a processor module for providing processing capability to said apparatus; a set of network ports, said set of network ports including a set of input network ports for receiving said data traffic and a set of output network ports for outputting said data traffic from said apparatus; a switchboard arrangement, said switchboard arrangement including at least a first switch chip and a second switch chip, said first switch chip and said second switch chip interacting with one another to perform said plurality of monitoring functions on said data traffic received by said switchboard arrangement; logic module for analyzing said data traffic and for displaying statistical data pertaining to said data traffic; and a visual display arrangement, said visual display arrangement being configured to display said statistical data, whereas said data traffic is configured to traverse between said set of input network ports and said set of output network ports irrespective whether said power is provided to said circuitry, said processor module, and said switchboard arrangement of said apparatus.