Packet Capture - packet capture and analysis

Packet Capture - what is it?

Packet Capture is a technique that makes it possible to monitor network traffic, using special devices or software. Packet Capture allows detailed analysis of each data packet passing through the network, which opens up many possibilities for managing and securing the network.

In the context of growing cyber threats, Packet Capture plays a key role in detecting potential threats. Analysis of the packets we capture provides detailed insight into events taking place on our network - including unauthorized access attempts, DoS attacks, and other forms of security breaches. In addition, packet capture allows us to identify network performance issues that can affect the quality of services delivered. This makes packet capture an indispensable tool for IT professionals who want to ensure network stability and security in a dynamically changing technological environment.

What are network packets?

Network packets are the fundamental elements that enable data transmission in computer networks. They are crucial for communication between devices and computer systems. When information is transmitted over a network, it is broken down into smaller fragments, called packets. Each of these packets contains not only usable data, but also important header information. The header contains, among other things, the address of the sender and receiver, the protocol, as well as instructions on how each packet should be reassembled when it arrives at its destination. This division and structure of packets allows for effective data management, even in situations where some of the data is lost along the way.

What does Packet Capture enable?

• Network problem diagnostics: Capture allows you to analyze network traffic from a given period step by step to more easily identify sources of connection problems.
• Performance monitoring: By observing captured packet capture data, we can track latency, packet loss, and other needed performance metrics.
• Network security analysis: Intercepted packets can indicate a point of unauthorized access, an intrusion attempt and other threats.
• Network traffic analysis: By observing recorded network traffic, abnormal behavior of hosts and nodes on the network can be identified.
• Network optimization: packet capture can be used to analyze traffic generated by applications - by converting packet data into statistics, we get the data needed to optimize their performance.
• Network tuning: Packet capture can be used to optimize service settings such as QoS (Quality of Service), packet buffering, etc.
• Development and testing: Capturing network data will help test applications under various network conditions, which helps debug and develop them
• Protocol analysis: by observing the captured packets, we will learn more about the protocols running in our network, as well as how to optimize them.

Packet capture software

Wireshark: This is one of the most popular packet capture tools. It provides real-time analysis of network traffic and recorded packets. Wireshark is a free open source software that offers advanced analysis features and is widely used in the IT industry.

Tcpdump: It is a command-line tool that allows you to capture and analyze packets in real time. It is a lightweight and fast application that is often used on Unix and Linux systems.

Microsoft Network Monitor: a tool from Microsoft that allows you to capture and analyze network traffic on Windows systems. It is a useful tool for network administrators using Microsoft products.

Packet Capture - do you need a dedicated solution?

While just capturing packets from a given host is fairly easy (and free), things start to get complicated when we need, for example, to capture packets of 10Gbps and more. An additional problem arises when we want to filter packets or save selected parts of them (e.g. save the packet headers themselves) - then our computer or server may not be enough. However, if we were able to intercept network traffic, then another nuisance becomes the manual review of the data stream, in search of specific information. In response to the above challenges, a number of dedicated devices for Packet Capture have appeared on the market at various scales, including with automatic analysis of network traffic.

We offer a wide range of solutions for capturing and analyzing network traffic, from portable packet recorders to enterprise systems. Our solutions operate at speeds of 1 - 200 Gbps, have automatic network traffic analytics and many additional features that definitely facilitate network monitoring - for this reason they will find application in virtually any infrastructure.

Thinking about implementing a network traffic capture system in your organization? Contact us, we will be happy to help you choose the right solutions and advise you at every stage of the project!

This group of products is based on the company's solutions:

 Allegro Packets | Cubro | ProfiTAP