Director device with visual display arrangement and methods thereof

A director device arrangement for performing a plurality of monitoring functions on data traffic traversing through a network, comprising:

• a power module for providing power to at least circuitry of said director device arrangement;
• a processor module for providing processing capability to said director device arrangement;
• a set of network ports, said set of network ports including a set of input network ports for receiving said data traffic and a set of output network ports for outputting said data traffic from said director device arrangement;
• a set of switch modules, said set of switch modules being configured to include at least a first switch module and a second switch module, said first switch module and said second switch module interacting with one another to perform said plurality of monitoring functions on said data traffic received by said set of switch modules;
• and
• at least one monitoring port, said at least one monitoring port being configured to receive at least one of said data traffic traversing through said network, whereas said data traffic is configured to traverse said director device arrangement between said set of input network ports and said set of output network ports irrespective whether said power is provided to said circuitry, said processor module, and said set of switch modules of said director device arrangement.

A method for performing a plurality of monitoring functions within a director device arrangement on data traffic traversing through a network, comprising:

• receiving a plurality of data packets via a set of network ports, said set of network ports including a set of input network ports for receiving said plurality of data packets and a set of output network ports for outputting said plurality of data packets from said director device arrangement;
• performing said plurality of monitoring functions, via a set of switch modules, on said plurality of data packets, said set of switch modules being configured to include at least a first switch module and a second switch module, said first switch module and said second switch module interacting with one another to perform said plurality of monitoring functions on said plurality of data packets received by said set of switch modules;
• making a copy of at least a portion of said plurality of data packets, said copy of said at least said portion of said plurality of data packets including a plurality of control signals;
• and
• sending said copy of at least said portion of said plurality of data packets to at least one monitoring port, whereas said copy of said at least said portion of said plurality of data packets is configured to traverse said director device arrangement between said set of input network ports and said set of output network ports irrespective whether power supplied by a power module is provided to circuitry, said processor module and said set of switch modules of said director device arrangement.