Leveraging IP Flow
Network visibility and the ability to track and capture network traffic flows is a high priority for providers in the race to increase efficiency and maximise revenue opportunities.
IP flow is a protocol used for collecting IP traffic information (streams of data that share a common source, destination and protocol) from network routers and switches. For each flow, IP flow captures the source and destination IP address and port, the type of protocol the traffic uses, the type of service being provided and the logical interfaces for the flow. Many networking vendors have embedded IP flow technology into their products, using their own custom IP flow protocols, whilst others use the industry-standard version of the protocol called IP Flow Information Export (IPFIX). In all cases, IP flow allows network components to capture information about traffic flows.
Imtech Telecom Global are partnered with Arbor Networks, one of the markets leading IP flow technology specialists. Imtech deploy Arbor’s Peakflow products in the core to detect, analyse and mitigate a broad range of network threats. With unmatched visibility and extensive reporting capabilities Peakflow provides the perfect solution for making critical business decisions.
Arbor Peakflow SP gathers and analyses IP flow data, building a model of normal network behaviour. Subsequently, Peakflow SP alerts network administrators to abnormalities or anomalies in the network traffic. Peakflow SP can also detect network threats such as DDoS attacks, based upon the IP flow information. The flow correlation and anomaly detection capabilities allow network administrators to:
- Manage and secure networks.
- Troubleshoot and pinpoint network attacks
- Monitor users and applications.
- Report on network performance and security issues.
Peakflow SP provides a cost-effective approach to pervasive network visibility, capturing information about traffic flows by leveraging the IP flow technology that is already embedded in the network’s existing devices. Therefore no expensive additional hardware-based probes are required. Peakflow SP also reduces network transit costs by enabling more informed routing decisions based on clear visibility at the peering and transit edges.
In addition, Peakflow SP is a comprehensive threat management system that can detect, surgically mitigate and report on DDoS attacks. Along with saving money, this threat management functionality can improve profitability by providing the foundation for new, revenue-generating, managed DDoS protection services.
All of these features help organisations increase the ROI in their network infrastructure.
