Netflow

Netflow is a protocol developed by Cisco, which is now used as a standard protocol to log and to evaluate the data as so-called IP flows between routers and Layer 3 switches. The information for the flows is evaluated directly by the devices by transmitting the information to various collectors within the network. Subsequently, the collected data can be analysed and processed using specific software. The purpose of the protocol is to monitor and analyse data traffic in the network. The Netflow protocol provides much more detailed insights into the IP data streams than the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP).