We have identified four key areas where improved insight into
network activity can have a major impact on organisational effectiveness.
Regardless of network design (Frame Relay, Multi-protocol
Label Switching, and so on.) NetFlow Tracker captures information
on all network conversations passing through the interfaces
of the supported routers and switches.
“Through our experience of NetWatch, we came to NetFlow
Tracker and immediately realised this was what we were looking
for. We already knew about Cisco’s NetFlow technology
but without the right tool we could not do much with it. As
with NetWatch, we really liked Tracker’s simplicity and
user interface.”
- Paul Blenderman, Manager Windows Systems and Infrastructure, Micronas,
Germany
NetFlow Tracker generates unique databases that collect, store,
and present valuable usage-based network data reports. In Version
2 of NetFlow Tracker, that reporting and storage capability
has been greatly enhanced with the addition of the Advanced
Services Module, which now allows data to be stored for up
to 999 years.
Key Features of NetFlow Tracker
-
Real-time database – every network flow recorded,
per minute, up to the last minutem
-
Long-term databases - layered long-term historical reports
in multiple time frames and time slices
-
Extended reporting periods – The real-time data
can be stored over extended periods of time (up to 14 days).
The long-term database can be configured to store information
for several years
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Secure integration with any third party management product,
using URLs
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Ability to filter all reports based on any field stored
in NetFlow record
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Reports can be tailored to suit specific audiences, e.g.
real-time operations vs. capacity planning
-
Utilises existing Cisco/other infrastructure; NetFlow
Tracker is a software-only solution that requires no additional
hardware probes
Key information stored by NetFlow Tracker
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Source and destination IP address
-
Source and destination TCP/User Datagram Protocol (UDP)
ports
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Source and destination AS numbers
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Quality of service fields (ToS and Diff Serv)
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Packet and byte counts
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Input and output interface numbers
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Encapsulated protocol (TCP/UDP)
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Routing information (next-hop address, source Autonomous
System (AS) number, destination AS number, source prefix
mask, destination prefix mask)
Security
Monitoring network activity can play a major part in establishing
and maintaining network security. Our monitoring software is
based on these fundamentals:
Coverage - Most routers in the huge Cisco installed base
can be used for network monitoring and with NetFlow Tracker
no additional (costly) hardware probes are required. -
Complete Visibility - NetFlow Tracker is practically alone
in being able to report on every data conversation. The conversations
that matter today start and remain small - virus, voice,
peer-to-peer, hacking and worms. Only complete visibility
makes tracking these conversations possible.
-
Conversation Awareness and IP Session Tracking - The ability
to examine packets and their numerous fields in detail, so
that unauthorised and hostile activity can be traced and
analysed.
-
Conversations and Interfaces - More than just a record,
knowing the source IP addresses of conversations and their
inbound and outbound interfaces is critical to tracking and
understanding unusual behaviour.
Operational Management
In order to keep carrier costs under control, Wide Area Networks
must run to fine tolerances. As key links are optimised to
match available bandwidth to demands, our monitoring software
provides the information needed to make informed decisions.
Real-time information - we give network managers the 'what,
where and when' information they need to maximise uptime
and minimise negative impacts on performance. -
Audience Appreciation - Each of the different levels of
expertise in operational management staff are catered for
by the configurable and user-friendly interface found in
NetFlow Tracker.
-
Relevant information to each audience - It can be helpful
for end users to see a simple, high-level, view of WAN link
status, while managers and systems administrators need to
zoom into greater detail. NetFlow Tracker is highly configurable
to deliver the right level of information to each audience.
Voice & Data Convergence
As more applications depend on IP networks for their functionality,
it is vital that network management has a clear picture of
what is happening.
Coverage - Providing the complete picture of what is happening
on IP networks handling data, voice and performance-critical
applications such as thin client. -
Conversation visibility - Seeing into all 'conversations'
provides the insight needed to make informed decisions about
capacity management, quality-of-service provisioning and
forward capacity planning.
-
Capacity - Can the network cope with a planned or actual
VoIP implementation? NetFlow Tracker can help provide the
answer.
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Quality-of -Service visibility - Where network capacity
becomes an issue, network engineers must decide on which
quality-of-service parameters must be selected, to ensure
that network-critical sensitive applications, such as Voice
over IP, deliver the required level of service. NetFlow Tracker
and other Fluke Networks products help network engineers make that
decision by monitoring TOS or DiffServ values before, during
and after traffic engineering.
Support Services
Keeping networks running smoothly is very demanding on managers
and administrators. The insight and information we provide
can greatly ease that burden.
Data visibility - Today, semi-technical and non-technical
management also need some understanding of the huge volume
of data generated by network monitoring, so they can make
decisions in the best interest of the organisation. Reports
generated by NetFlow Tracker can be configured to the needs
of all such audiences. -
Quality of Service and Continuity - User expectations,
increasing competition, the global economy: these all combine
to demand networks that never go down and that act positively
to limit security breaches. Tracking network activity and
performance is central to such provision.
-
Operational Support - Systems administrators, managers
and users all need support from the network. Being able to
observe and understand the impact of what they are trying
to do requires in-depth information from NetFlow Tracker.
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