Why should you consider network monitoring?
Network monitoring is essential to ensuring the success of your network system. It can automatically detect and respond to threats and performance issues.
Elevate your network's potential with passive TAP modules
Elevate your network's potential with passive TAP modules
EDGE™/EDGE8® TAP Modules: Features & Benefits of Passive Optical Taps
| Benefits of Passive Optical Tapping vs. Spanning | ||
| Benefit | TAP | SPAN |
| Passive | TAPs are passive devices and don't require power or configuration. | SPAN ports can cause network issues like bridging loops if spanning tree is not disabled on a SPAN port. Can occur during network refresh when SPAN ports are deployed as network ports. |
| All Access | They make copies of all data in real-time with no traffic delay without burdening the live network. | SPAN ports do not receive all data: for example, corrupt and improperly sized packets may not be received, in addition, SPAN data has the lowest priority. |
| Low-Cost | TAPs are low-cost and a highly reliable way to provide data nonintrusively to network tools for multiple generations of optics. | The cost of transceivers used for SPAN ports increases with every generation of optic, causing your monitoring cost to increase. |
| Density | Since they are part of the structured cabling, TAPs allow you to retain use of ports on network switches. | SPAN requires two ports on network switch when monitoring full-duplex communication between two devices (ingress and egress). |
| Security & Reliability | TAPs are completely secure because they are not part of the network (can't be hacked). | SPAN changes the timing (delays) of the frame/packet interaction and places an extra burden on the production network (replication of traffic). |
Solutions for passive optical tapping
Network Monitoring with TAP Modules FAQs
Read more about TAP modules by clicking on the questions below.
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What is the difference between active and passive network monitoring?
Active monitoring involves actively sending test traffic or queries to the network to assess its performance and identify issues.
Passive monitoring, on the other hand, involves observing existing network traffic without introducing additional traffic.
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How to extract network data?
Network layer data must first be extracted in order to apply the analysis tools. There are two commonly used methods to extract the network data so it can be analyzed:
- SPAN ports, switch port for analysis (active) – SPAN (port mirroring) was created to replicate packets of a single port (or VLAN) for monitoring.
- TAP (traffic access point) ports – TAP modules use passive splitting to transmit in-line traffic to an attached monitoring device without data stream interference.
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How does a passive optical TAP work?
TAPs work by capturing and redirecting a copy of network traffic for analysis purposes. Passive TAPs, like optical taps, do this without interfering with the original traffic flow.
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What are the advantages of port tapping over SPAN ports (port mirroring)?
There are five primary advantages of port tapping has – whether via Corning EDGE™ and EDGE8® Solutions or other passive devices – versus SPAN ports:
- Port tapping is completely passive and does not require power, switch configurations, or switch programming. This allows you to avoid network issues such as bridging loops that could occur with SPAN ports during a network refresh.
- Port tapping splits the signal in real time without burdening your live network while SPAN ports replicating your signal can change the timing of frame/packet interactions and create an extra burden on the production network.
- Port tapping components are low cost and highly reliable. You can use passive components with multiple generations of optics while SPAN ports can increase in price with every data rate protocol upgrade.
- Port tapping does not require an oversubscription ratio as it is part of your structured cabling while SPAN ports require two ports (one for your live network and one for the monitoring device) for full duplex port monitoring.
- Port tapping passes on all traffic in the live link to the monitoring device. SPAN ports do not receive all network data, such as corrupt data or improperly sized packets, so it may not give the full picture of how your system is performing.
Corning uses passive port tapping through our extensive line of EDGE and EDGE8 tap modules.
- More questions? Please download our complete FAQ document
Tools & Resources
Bill-of-Materials Tool
Bill-of-Materials Tool
Forget the guesswork. We can help you select the fiber optic and copper products you need for your enterprise network or data center with our configurable online bill-of-materials tool.
Forget the guesswork. We can help you select the fiber optic and copper products you need for your enterprise network or data center with our configurable online bill-of-materials tool.
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Authorized Distributors
Authorized Distributors
Corning works in close cooperation with a wide range of qualified intermediaries including installers, distributors and network design planners throughout EMEA. Our distributors have robust programs for end users, contractors and installers and are ready to support your needs.
Corning works in close cooperation with a wide range of qualified intermediaries including installers, distributors and network design planners throughout EMEA. Our distributors have robust programs for end users, contractors and installers and are ready to support your needs.
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Network of Preferred Installers
Network of Preferred Installers
Our innovative network-style program connects your business today to the tools, solutions, and rewards that you need for a more profitable tomorrow.
Our innovative network-style program connects your business today to the tools, solutions, and rewards that you need for a more profitable tomorrow.
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See the Light® Training Program
See the Light® Training Program
We are committed to educating our customers, providing quality real-world fiber optic training on latest products and applications, ensuring you will always receive the most up-to-date and industry specific knowledge.
We are committed to educating our customers, providing quality real-world fiber optic training on latest products and applications, ensuring you will always receive the most up-to-date and industry specific knowledge.
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