Alcatel-Lucent OmniAccess 5740 - Port Monitoring Overview

Port Monitoring
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OmniAccess 5740 Unified Services Gateway CLI Configuration Guide
Alcatel-Lucent
PORT MONITORING OVERVIEW
Port monitoring is a method of monitoring network traffic that forwards a copy of
each incoming and outgoing packet from one port of a network switch to another
port, where the packet can be studied. A network administrator uses port
monitoring as a diagnostic tool or debugging feature, especially when fending off
an attack. It enables the administrator to keep a close track of switch performance
and alter it if necessary.
An administrator configures port monitoring by assigning a port to copy all packets
and another port where those packets will be sent. A packet bound for or heading
away from the first port will be forwarded onto the second port as well. The
administrator places a protocol analyzer on the port receiving the mirrored data to
monitor each segment separately. The analyzer captures and evaluates the data
without affecting the client on the original port.
Note: Port Monitoring is not enabled across cards.