Did You Know? cPacket’s Packet Broker (cVu) and Packet Capture (cStor) Are Better Together!
Introduction
For organizations that need real-time packet capture and advanced network analytics, choosing the right packet broker and packet capture system is critical. While many companies use third-party packet brokers, they often introduce bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and compatibility issues.
Did you know? Integrating cPacket’s Packet Broker (cVu) with Packet Capture and Analytics (cStor) provides a seamless, high-performance solution that enhances network visibility, optimizes data processing, and improves forensic analysis.
By eliminating redundant data, optimizing traffic distribution, and enabling precise analytics, cPacket’s integrated solution delivers better accuracy, efficiency, and scalability than using third-party alternatives.
Why cVu and cStor Work Best Together
Combining Packet Broker (cVu) with Packet Capture and Analytics (cStor) offers several key advantages:
1. Dynamic Payload Truncation for Optimized Data Processing
• Removes unnecessary payloads while preserving all header information.
• Reduces overall traffic load, allowing analytics tools to focus on critical data.
• Ensures that only relevant network information is processed, improving performance.
Example: A security team can analyze packet headers for suspicious activity without being overwhelmed by unnecessary payload data.
2. Conditional Packet Actions for Smart Filtering
• Uses cPacket Smart Filters to apply selective packet truncation.
• Keeps complete packets for critical protocols like DNS transactions and ICMP messages.
• Optimizes TLS/SSL analysis by preserving client-hello and server-hello packets, while removing encrypted payloads.
Example: A forensic analyst investigating TLS handshake failures can focus only on essential TLS negotiation packets while discarding unneeded data.
3. Advanced Deduplication at Line Speed
• Eliminates duplicate packets before they reach the packet capture system.
• Ignores irrelevant IP changes (e.g., TTL adjustments) to reduce processing overhead.
• Prevents analytics tools from being overloaded with redundant data.
Example: A performance monitoring team can capture only unique packets, ensuring that every data point is valuable.
4. Accurate Per-Port Metrics for Load Optimization
• Provides real-time port load visibility, ensuring that tools are evenly balanced.
• Allows for strategic resource allocation, adding tools only when necessary.
• Helps prevent bottlenecks and overutilization of capture devices.
Example: A network operations center (NOC) can see exactly which ports are overloaded and adjust monitoring resources accordingly.
5. Weighted Load Balancing for Mixed-Generation Tools
• Enables older and newer monitoring tools to work together efficiently.
• Extends the lifecycle of legacy tools, reducing unnecessary upgrades.
• Distributes network traffic evenly, maximizing resource utilization.
Example: A network team can combine existing 40G tools with newer 100G tools, ensuring seamless traffic distribution.
6. Optimal Load Balancing with Round Robin & Internal Hashing
• Round robin distribution prevents uneven traffic spikes on multi-port capture devices.
• Internal hashing in cStor ensures consistent packet flow, avoiding hash function imbalances.
• Improves overall system efficiency, ensuring that no single capture tool is overwhelmed.
Example: A data center balancing 100G network traffic across multiple cStor devices can maximize efficiency without overloading any single system.
7. Hardware-Based Burst Analysis for High-Resolution Insights
• Uses cVu’s hardware capabilities to analyze network bursts in real time.
• Provides more accurate burst detection compared to software-based solutions.
• Complements cStor’s software metrics, ensuring a complete picture of network performance.
Example: A financial trading firm can detect and mitigate microbursts that could impact trade execution speeds.
8. Nanosecond-Accurate Timestamps for Unified Forensics
• Adds timestamps to each packet with nanosecond precision.
• Ensures accurate event correlation across multiple network locations.
• Facilitates hop-by-hop analytics, allowing teams to trace packets across an entire network infrastructure.
Example: A security analyst investigating a multi-hop attack can reconstruct the exact timeline of events down to the nanosecond.
Why cPacket’s Integrated Solution is the Best Choice
• Seamless Integration – No compatibility issues between packet broker and analytics tools.
• Higher Performance – Reduces redundant data, optimizes processing, and enhances accuracy.
• Scalability & Efficiency – Ensures balanced traffic distribution, prevents overutilization, and extends tool lifecycles.
• Better Forensics & Security – Provides granular filtering, timestamping, and analytics for precise network visibility.
Conclusion: Maximize Network Visibility with cVu + cStor
By integrating cPacket’s Packet Broker (cVu) with Packet Capture and Analytics (cStor), organizations gain a more efficient, scalable, and precise solution for real-time network monitoring and forensic analysis.
Want to learn more about how cPacket’s integrated solution can optimize your network visibility? Contact us today!
