Data Access Network (DAN) is a newly emerging "best practice" for passive monitoring of mission critical networks that solves real access problems, improves network performance and uptime, and saves capital, operation and maintenance costs. A DAN is a combination of out-of-band data access switching plus passive monitoring instrumentation to enable required security, compliance, forensics review, application performance, VoIP QoS, uptime and other network management tasks. Data is acquired from multiple SPAN ports or taps and multicast to multiple tools, aggregated to a few consolidated tools, and filtered or divided across many instances of the same tools. This Podcast recommends the DAN as a solution to those who suffer real problems like too many tools and not enough span ports, too many links to monitor and not enough money to deploy distributed tools, or too much traffic that threatens to overflow even the highest capacity tool.

1. GigaVUE Data Access Switch When fully populated, GigaVUE-MP is a 20-port switch designed for “out-of-band” monitoring.

2. Ethernet and serial management ports that support TACACS+ Base Unit provides eight 10/100/1000 copper ports (all ports can be either network ports or tool ports) The minimum configuration is the 8-port Base Unit on the left which consists of two management ports on the far left (serial and Ethernet) and eight 10/100/1000 copper ports.

3. These eight ports can be configured as input ports (i.e., Network Ports) for connecting to SPAN ports of switches and routers, or to external taps.

4. Or they can used as output ports (i.e., Tool Ports). The ports can be set up as 4x4, 7x1, or 2x6, etc., and can be changed on-the-fly without affecting operations.

5. Once set, multiple Network Ports can aggregate into a single Tool Port (Many-to-Any). There is no limitation except that the total aggregate cannot exceed 1 Gig.

6. Similarly, data from a single Network Port can be multicast to multiple Tool Ports (Any-to-Many) so that each appliance can receive its own copy of the traffic.

7. Aggregation and multicasting can be combined to provide flexible connectivity between any number of Network Ports and any number of Tool Ports.

8. To prevent oversubscription and to allow customization, hardware-based bit-mask filters are available at each of the Network Ports (pre-filter) or Tool Ports (post-filter).

9. The hardware filters are very flexible and can discriminate on any field within the 80-byte header, including destination and source IP, subnet, MAC, VLAN, Port #, etc.

10. To expand beyond the 8-Port Base Unit, up to three GigaPORT modules can be added for a total of 20 ports (four ports at a time, supporting either copper and optical ports). Optional GigaPORT modules, each providing another four 10/100/1000 copper ports (left of module) or Gigabit optical ports (right of module)

11. In addition, customers can expand using GigaTAP-Tx (center) or GigaTAP-Sx (right) module which basically combines GigaPORT functionality with external tap. Optional GigaTAP modules, each tapping two links (copper for GigaTAP-Tx and optical for GigaTAP-Sx)

12. GigaTAP-Sx Expansion Module Optical Splitters (4x) Transceivers (4x) IN OUT Transceiver Optical Splitter

13. Regeneration circuitry Fail-Closed Microrelays IN OUT Electromagnetic microrelay GigaTAP-Tx Expansion Module

14. 10G Ports (copper or optical) To expand beyond 20 ports, multiple GigaVUE chassis can be stacked using the built-in 10G port in the back or the optional front 10G port (by adding a daughter card).

16. Gigamon is Giga bit Mon itoring