US 2011/0087979 A1 · METHOD, APPARATUS AND SYSTEM FOR STACKING NETWORK CAPTURED TRAFFIC DISTRIBUTION DEVICES

Abstract

A network captured traffic distribution device including a plurality of bi-directional ports, an egress port, a stacking port, and a processor is disclosed. The stacking port may be configured to enable the stacking of the network captured traffic distribution device with at least one additional network captured traffic distribution device in a stacked topology. The stacking may include, for example, an exchange of configuration information between the network captured traffic distribution device and an additional network captured traffic distribution device included in the stacked topology. Methods, systems, and apparatus for enabling the stacking of a network captured traffic distribution device to an additional network captured traffic distribution device in a stacked topology are also provided.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A network captured traffic distribution device, comprising:

a plurality of bi-directional ports configured to perform at least one of receiving captured network traffic and echoing received captured network traffic to one or more of the plurality of bi-directional ports;
an egress port configured to transmit received captured network traffic to an external device;
a stacking port configured to enable, via a communication link, the stacking of the network captured traffic distribution device with at least one additional network captured traffic distribution device in a stacked topology wherein the stacking includes an exchange of configuration information between the network captured traffic distribution device and the additional network captured traffic distribution device;
and
a processor configured to manage distribution of received captured network traffic through the network captured traffic distribution device.

2 more elements

A method comprising:

providing, to a user via a display device, an interactive list of ports included in a network captured traffic distribution device, wherein at least some of the ports included in the plurality are configurable as a stacking port;
receiving, from the user via the display device, a selection of at least one of the ports to be configured as a stacking port;
configuring, by the network captured traffic distribution device, the selected port as a stacking port;
and
enabling, by the network captured traffic distribution device, communication between the configured stacking port and an additional stacking port resident on an additional network captured traffic distribution device.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method, apparatus and system for stacking network captured traffic distribution devices

Life of this patent

Method, apparatus and system for stacking network captured traffic distribution devices

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20