Cisco Nexus Data Broker

Scalable Application Traffic Monitoring

Improve network traffic monitoring and analysis. Cisco Nexus Data Broker offers scalable, cost-effective, and programmable network taps and Switched Port Analyzer (SPAN) aggregation. Our software-defined packet broker approach, used with Cisco Nexus 3000 and 9000 Series Switches, gives you more visibility into your changing business and application needs.

Features and Capabilities

Using Cisco Nexus Data Broker, you can replace traditional, purpose-built matrix switches with Cisco Nexus switches. Interconnect the switches to build scalable network taps and SPAN aggregation infrastructures. You can also distribute the tap and SPAN sources across multiple switches.

You can distribute traffic monitoring and analysis tools, either physical appliance- or virtual machine (VM)-based, across multiple switches as well.

Cisco Nexus Data Broker Features

• Scalable network traffic monitoring infrastructure
• Traffic filtering using Layer 1 to 4 information to monitoring tools
• Filtering based on Layer 7 information for HTTP traffic
• Support for many:1, 1:many, any:1, and any:many replication and forwarding
• Multisite and multidata center support through one Nexus Data Broker instance

Data Broker also offers advanced functions such as dot1q encapsulation support for source port tagging, symmetric load balancing, packet timestamping and packet truncation.

Cisco Nexus Data Broker 3.0 Software Capabilities

• Integration with Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure to configure SPAN destinations and sessions
• A new simplified and scalable user interface
• Network perimeter security using in-line traffic redirection to security tools such as intrusion prevention systems, web filtering, and others
• Redirection based on configurable policies to multiple security tools before the traffic enters or exits your data center

Specifications at a Glance

• Reduced expenses with simpler, cost-effective Cisco Nexus switches
• Support for 1-, 10-, 40-, and 100-Gigabit Ethernet ports
• High-density 10-, 40-, and 100-Gigabit Ethernet ports with Cisco Nexus 9500 switches
• Improved facilities and flexibility in the placement of monitoring tools
• Faster troubleshooting and reduced setup and down time from days to minutes
• Can be used in conjunction with Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure

Additional Resources