Patent ID: 7936685

Claim:
An active tap system comprising: a) a pair of network ports respectively coupleable to first and second data network segment endpoints; b) a monitor port coupleable to a monitoring network segment endpoint; c) a relay subsystem coupled between said pair of network ports, said relay subsystem being operative, in response to a control signal, to selectively cross-connect said pair of network ports for the passive transmission of network signals between said pair of network ports; d) an active bridge subsystem coupled through said relay subsystem between said pair of network ports and further coupled to said monitor port, said active bridge subsystem being operative to independently establish network link communications with said first and second data network segment endpoints and said monitoring network segment endpoint; and e) a controller coupled to said relay subsystem and to said active bridge subsystem, said controller being operative to provide said control signal to selectively connect said pair of network ports to said active bridge subsystem, said controller being further operative to establish symmetric predetermined network link communications parameters in the network link communications between said first data network segment endpoint and said active bridge subsystem and between said active bridge subsystem and said second data network segment endpoint, whereby network link status between said first and second network segment endpoints is maintained during a fast switch-over from an active mode for the transmission of network signals through said pair of network ports to a passive mode for the transmission of network signals through said pair of network ports.