Intelligent Fast Switch-Over Network Tap System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Active network tap devices cause network outages due to spanning tree protocol reconfigurations and link renegotiation, which is undesirable for high-value applications, as they trigger wide-ranging network outages and are not addressed by existing solutions like the nTAP device.
Innovation Solution
An intelligent fast switch-over network active tap system with a fail-safe relay subsystem and an active bridge subsystem, managed by a controller, that maintains network link status and transitions between active and passive transmission without disrupting network devices, ensuring symmetric link parameters and state, thus avoiding network outages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If active network tap devices are inserted into network segments to monitor data packets, then network monitoring capability is improved, but network outages occur due to spanning tree protocol reconfigurations and link renegotiation
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between passive relay mode and active bridge mode based on operational needs. The controller manages the transition between these states, enabling the tap device to adapt its functionality to avoid triggering spanning tree protocol reconfigurations while maintaining monitoring capabilities. This dynamic state change allows the system to preserve network link status and avoid network outages.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of the network tap device by adjusting link parameters and connection states. By carefully managing link establishment and maintaining symmetric link parameters, the system prevents topology change events that would otherwise trigger spanning tree protocol reconfigurations and cause network outages.
2Reliability
If conventional active tap devices switch between active and passive states, then fail-safe operation is improved, but network link drops occur triggering spanning tree protocol reconfiguration
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing network links and maintaining link status before actual network operations. The controller ensures that links are properly established and configured before switching states, and maintains symmetric link parameters to prevent topology change events. This preliminary preparation prevents network link drops and avoids triggering spanning tree protocol reconfigurations.
3Reliability
If data relays are closed to force passive bypass of network tap, then network segment transmission integrity is protected, but network monitoring function is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the network tap device functionality into separate relay and bridge subsystems. The relay subsystem handles passive transmission to maintain integrity, while the bridge subsystem enables active monitoring. This segmentation allows both functions to operate independently and simultaneously, resolving the contradiction between transmission integrity and monitoring capability.
Data Source
AI summary
An intelligent fast switch-over network active tap system enables active monitoring of a network segment connected between network devices. A fail-safe relay subsystem is coupled between a pair of network ports, enabling transmission of network communications signals through a passive cross-connect between the network ports or through an active bridge subsystem. The active bridge subsystem is capable of independently establishing network links with the network devices, and a separate network link with a monitoring device. A controller manages operation of the relay and active bridge subsystems, including switches between passive and active network transmission through the tap system and to determine and establish the active network links subject to symmetric network link parameters and state. Thereby, the network link status of the connected network devices is preserved on switch between active and passive transmission and correctly reflected in the presence of link and power failures.