BreachBytes

In a previous post I gave a rundown of various software tools for collecting NetFlow data for use in network security incident response. NetFlow is pervasive in routers but another technology, sFlow, is nearly as prevalent in routers and can be collected from switches — an arena that NetFlow does not play in very much as of yet. sFlow is a packet sampling technology and can provide a depth of network visibility — a key component of network forensic and incident response — even beyond what NetFlow can offer. For more information on sFlow check out sflow.org.

There is not as much activity in free software with sFlow compared to NetFlow, however InMon has a great suite of tools that can help enterprises leverage sFlow data from routers and switches. Their sFlow Agent software can sniff packets off a network interface card and convert them into sFlow packets if you do not have a sFlow enabled switch or router but want to test what sFlow can bring to the table.

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