Niagara Packet Brokers

Network Packet Brokers

What is a NPB and why you need one

A Network Packet Broker is an active device that directs selected raw data packets from network interfaces (typically via SPAN or tap points) to specific network service and monitoring devices, and performance management and security applications.Niagara’s NPB solutions perform a range of crucial functionalities, even for the most complex architectures and resource intensive networks including:

Total Network Visibility – Identifying known, suspicious, and unknown traffic passing through the network
Network robustness – Ensuring data loss prevention and advanced filtering, as well as high availability, stripping, and other special purpose packet capabilities
Network management – Not just knowing how to monitor network traffic, but also knowing what to do with each type of traffic: where to pass known (authorized) data types, and how to handle suspicious and unknown traffic
Basic packet manipulation capabilities include one network link, to one tool (one-to-one), one network link to multiple tools (one-to-many), multiple network links to one tool (many-to-one) and multiple network links to multiple tools (many-to-many)

In their role as data analyzers, Niagara’s Packet Brokers can also handle deduplication of redundant (duplicate) packets before they reach analysis or security tools within the network, that are passed along by multiple taps forwarding their data traffic. The NPBs will eliminate those duplicates and make sure network tools do not waste resources on handling redundant data.Basic data packet manipulation schema includes one network link, to one tool (one-to-one), one network link to multiple tools (one-to-many), multiple network links to one tool (many-to-one) and multiple network links to multiple tools (many-to-many) – interlaced and load balanced into a network-wide fabric.

MODULAR NPB

Niagara’s signature FixedBroker is a high density, high performance, NPB series that packs a lot of power into a compact, 1U form factor. FixedBroker supports non-blocking chip-based switching fabric and a range of network interfaces up to 100Gb.

Some products offer multiple network interface types for easy aggregation and stacking. All FixedBroker products include Niagara’s pioneering Packet Heartbeat technology and FabricFlow technology for an exhaustive built-in set of packet broker feature including replication, aggregation, filtering, load balancing and more.

FIXED-CONFIGURATION NPB

Niagara provides a modular product series named N2. It provides a single multi-purpose platform that covers all of the visibility adaptation scenarios required in a network. The N2 series can be populated with a wide range of high density, high versatility, processor-accelerated modules.

With a modular design, it supports advanced FabricFlow technology, capabilities and features including network tap, bypass, packet broker and packet processing applications. Available in both a 1U and 2U form factor.

NPB MODULES

All in one bypass and packet broker combined.

This Packet Broker combines up to 4 full bypass segments (handling 4 network links) with packet broker functionality, so that traffic to the inline or monitoring devices can be filtered, aggregated, load balanced and more has up to 816 multi-purpose, 1/10 Gigabit SFP ports + media for extensive packet filtering, distribution, aggregation and mirroring functionality, which can be assigned to any of the network segments.

Fabric Flow Mapping

In all of Niagara’s NPB’s, network ports are connect to the non-blocking switching fabric via high grade, integrated transceivers. FabricFlow technology provides the ability to forward the traffic from one segment to any other segment (or from one port to any other port). Advanced FabricFlow capabilities are optionally available supporting filtering and load balancing, enabling optimization of the network cost effectiveness.

Traffic flow relationships between source and destination ports:

Aggregate traffic to single port

Replicate traffic to multiple ports
Sophisticated filtering – L2-L4, User Defined Byte (UDB)

Other features include:

Tunnel and VLAN support
Flexible multi-load balancing regimes
User-defined virtual bypass segments
User configurable packet heartbeat (ms resolution)
Ingress and egress filters
Internal loopback for efficient creation of multi-level filter

Fixed

Product Name	100Gb	40Gb	1/10 Gb	Features
4432	Up to 32 ports	Up to 32 ports	Available as 10Gb break-out ports from 40Gb port	Users can select number of 40Gb or 100Gb ports
4248-6XL	—	Up to 6 ports	Up to 48 ports. Additional 10Gb ports can be available as 10Gb break-out ports from 40Gb port	Pay-as-you-grow port license option
4272	—	—	Up to 72 ports	—