Network Visibility: Security Applications of Network TAPs, Brokers and Bypass Switches

Security starts with awareness, but what happens when critical traffic slips through unnoticed? For security teams and network administrators alike, network visibility isn’t just a luxury—it’s a necessity. As threats become more sophisticated, ensuring complete, real-time access to network traffic is the first step in defending against malicious activity. This is where technologies like Network TAPs, Network Packet Brokers, and Bypass Switches come into play.

What is Network Visibility?

Network visibility refers to the ability to monitor all traffic flowing across a network—north-south (between users and data centers) and east-west (between internal systems, users and endpoints). Without it, blind spots emerge, leaving room for attackers to move undetected.

Visibility tools like Network TAPs (Test Access Points), Network Packet Brokers (NPBs), and Bypass Switches are the foundation for building a resilient, secure, and high-performance network. Each plays a unique role in feeding security appliances the data they need to function effectively.

Network TAPs: Your First Line of Insight

Network TAPs (Test Access Points) are dedicated hardware devices designed to deliver a real-time, unfiltered copy of network traffic. Placed in-line between network segments, TAPs allow all data to flow through uninterrupted while simultaneously duplicating that traffic for monitoring and security tools. Unlike other methods that may filter or miss packets under load, TAPs provide a complete and accurate view of every packet traversing the network—ensuring your tools receive 100% of the data, with zero interference, loss, or blind spots.

Security Use Cases:

Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) rely on clean, complete traffic to detect anomalies.

Forensics and packet capture solutions use TAPs to store traffic for analysis after an incident.

Decryption appliances can tap into SSL/TLS sessions for deep inspection.

Network TAPs are available from vendors like Garland Technology, Cubro, Profitap and Keysight.

Network Packet Brokers: Smart Traffic Management

Gaining visibility is just the first step—managing that traffic effectively is where the real challenge begins. This is where Network Packet Brokers (NPBs) come into play. These smart, purpose-built devices aggregate traffic from multiple sources, then filter, de-duplicate, and reformat it before sending it to your security and monitoring tools. 

By delivering only the relevant data in the optimal format, NPBs reduce tool overload, eliminate unnecessary noise, and ensure that each system receives precisely what it needs to operate at peak efficiency.

Security Use Cases:

Traffic filtering: Send only relevant data to specific security appliances to reduce overload. 

Load balancing: Distribute traffic across multiple tools for redundancy and scalability. 

Packet deduplication and header stripping: Eliminate noise and unnecessary metadata that can bog down inspection.

Bypass Switches: High Availability for In-line Security

Bypass Switches, unlike TAPs and Network Packet Brokers, are purpose-built for in-line security tools—such as firewalls, intrusion prevention systems (IPS), and secure web gateways—that actively inspect and control live traffic. Because these tools sit directly in the path of network data, any failure or maintenance downtime can disrupt the flow of traffic and impact availability. Bypass switches solve this challenge by intelligently redirecting traffic around the in-line device if it becomes unresponsive or needs to be taken offline. This ensures continuous uptime, minimizes risk, and allows security teams to maintain and upgrade in-line defenses without interrupting business operations.

Security Use Cases:

Fail-safe failover: If an in-line appliance fails or is taken down for maintenance, bypass switches keep traffic flowing uninterrupted.

Heartbeat monitoring: Ensure that in-line tools are healthy and responsive.

Scheduled updates and maintenance windows: Perform patching or upgrades without interrupting traffic.

The Power of an Integrated Visibility Fabric

Individually, TAPs, Brokers, and Bypass Switches solve specific problems. Together, they form a visibility fabric—a unified, scalable approach to traffic monitoring that supports both performance and security initiatives.

If you’re struggling with visibility gaps or underperforming security tools, it’s time to rethink your monitoring strategy. Contact the Telnet Networks sales team to learn how we can help you deploy the right mix of Network TAPs, Network Packet Brokers, and Bypass Switches  from market leading and innovative partners like Garland Technology, Cubro, Profitap and Keysight to secure your infrastructure from the ground up.

Why Cheap Standalone Clocks Cost You More: The Case for Synchronized & PoE Clocks

Accurate and synchronized timekeeping is crucial for maintaining operational efficiency in any organization. While inexpensive standalone clocks might seem appealing due to their low upfront cost, they often fall short in delivering the reliability and synchronization required in professional settings. Investing in synchronized clock systems, such as those offered by Sapling, Novanex and Bodet, ensures consistent and precise timekeeping across your entire facility.

The Limitations of Standalone Clocks

Standalone clocks, especially those priced around $30, come with several drawbacks:

  • Manual Adjustments: These clocks require individual setting and regular adjustments, especially during Daylight Saving Time changes or after power outages. This process is time-consuming and prone to inconsistencies.
  • Time Drift: Over time, standalone clocks can drift unpredictably, leading to discrepancies that can cause confusion and disrupt synchronized activities.
  • Maintenance Challenges: With each clock operating independently, ensuring uniformity in time display becomes a maintenance burden, increasing the likelihood of errors.

Advantages of Synchronized Clock Systems

Synchronized clock systems address these issues by providing a unified and accurate time display throughout your facility:

  • Uniform Time Display: All clocks receive time data from a central source, ensuring everyone follows the same accurate time, which is crucial for coordination and efficiency.
  • Automatic Adjustments: These systems automatically adjust for Daylight Saving Time and correct themselves after power outages, eliminating the need for manual intervention.
  • Reduced Maintenance: With centralized control, maintenance efforts are minimized, and the risk of time discrepancies is significantly reduced.

Power over Ethernet (PoE) Clocks: A Modern Solution

Novanex Synchronized Clock Systems

PoE (Power over Ethernet) clocks, such as those from Novanex, offer a streamlined solution for synchronized timekeeping while simplifying installation and maintenance. These clocks are particularly beneficial for businesses, schools, hospitals, and other large facilities where accurate timekeeping and ease of management are essential.

Single Cable Installation
PoE technology allows both power and data to be transmitted through a single Ethernet cable. This eliminates the need for separate electrical wiring or power outlets near each clock, reducing installation complexity, labor costs, and potential electrical hazards. Since the clocks receive both power and network connectivity from the same cable, they can be installed in a variety of locations without requiring major infrastructure changes.

Energy Efficiency & Low Maintenance
By drawing power directly from the network, PoE clocks remove the need for batteries or standalone power adapters, reducing energy consumption and minimizing the hassle of battery replacements. This not only contributes to cost savings over time but also ensures consistent and uninterrupted operation without the risk of power loss due to dead batteries.

Seamless Scalability & Network Integration
PoE clocks easily integrate into existing network infrastructures, making them highly scalable for deployments across small and large facilities alike. They can be centrally managed and synchronized with network time servers, ensuring all clocks display the same accurate time across different locations. This is especially useful in environments where precise timekeeping is critical, such as schools for bell schedules, healthcare facilities for patient care coordination, or corporate offices for meeting and shift scheduling.

Sapling Synchronized Clocks: A Trusted Choice

Sapling Synchronized Clock Systems

Sapling offers a range of synchronized clock systems designed to meet the diverse needs of schools, healthcare facilities, corporate offices, and other organizations that require precise, reliable timekeeping. By leveraging advanced technology, Sapling ensures that its clocks remain accurate, easy to install, and simple to maintain.

Wireless Simplicity with Wi-Fi Connectivity
Sapling’s Wi-Fi Clock System is designed for hassle-free installation and seamless operation. Unlike traditional wired clock systems, these clocks connect to an existing Wi-Fi network and receive accurate time data from either an internet-based or in-house NTP (Network Time Protocol) server. This eliminates the need for dedicated wiring between clocks, reducing installation complexity and costs. Whether deployed in new buildings or retrofitted into existing infrastructure, Sapling’s Wi-Fi clocks provide a flexible, scalable solution for synchronized timekeeping.

Advanced Technology for Accuracy & Reliability
Sapling integrates cutting-edge technology to ensure its clocks maintain precision and consistency. Features such as automatic time updates, self-adjusting daylight savings time settings, and real-time synchronization with NTP servers help eliminate time drift and manual adjustments. This level of automation is particularly beneficial in environments where accurate timekeeping is crucial, such as hospitals for coordinating medical procedures, schools for managing class schedules, and businesses for optimizing productivity.

Versatile Solutions for Diverse Needs

Beyond Wi-Fi clocks, Telnet Networks offers a variety of synchronized clock systems, including wired, wireless RF, and PoE options, allowing organizations to choose the best solution for their specific environment. With a commitment to innovation and reliability, Sapling provides high-quality timekeeping solutions that enhance operational efficiency, improve punctuality, and ensure seamless synchronization across facilities.

While inexpensive standalone clocks might offer short-term savings, they often lead to increased maintenance and time discrepancies. Investing in synchronized clock systems, such as those from Sapling and Novanex, ensures accurate, reliable, and maintenance-free timekeeping, ultimately enhancing operational efficiency and coordination across your facility and organization.

Profitap Cloud TAP: Unlocking Full Network Visibility in Kubernetes Environments

Cloud TAP

Achieving comprehensive visibility into network traffic across diverse environments is a critical challenge for IT teams. Profitap‘s Cloud TAP emerges as a cutting-edge solution, empowering network engineers, DevOps teams, and IT professionals to monitor, filter, and capture traffic with unparalleled precision, all without disrupting existing deployments or workflows. ​

Profitap Cloud TAP is meticulously designed to provide complete insight into network traffic across Kubernetes clusters, whether on-premise, in public cloud environments like Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure or Google Cloud, or within hybrid environments. This ensures that organizations can maintain robust oversight of their containerized applications, regardless of deployment complexity. ​

Key Features of Profitap Cloud TAP

  • Full Visibility and Granular Filtering: Cloud TAP enables the tapping, filtering, and encapsulation of traffic from Kubernetes clusters with granularity ranging from service to pod level. By monitoring container services directly, it eliminates the need to delve into deployment specifics, streamlining the monitoring process. ​
  • Kernel-Level Mirroring: Deploying tapping points directly at the host kernel level allows for the mirroring of traffic in and out of critical applications. This approach requires no modifications to pods, containers, or application configurations, ensuring seamless integration into existing infrastructures. ​
  • Smart Traffic Encapsulation: Cloud TAP offers intelligent traffic encapsulation capabilities, facilitating efficient data transport to monitoring tools and enhancing the overall analysis process. ​

Advantages Over Traditional Network TAPs

While traditional network TAPs, such as Profitap’s ProfiShark series, provide reliable traffic capture with features like hardware timestamping and non-intrusive access, they are primarily tailored for physical network infrastructures. In contrast, Cloud TAP is specifically engineered to address the unique challenges of monitoring virtualized and containerized environments common in hyperscaler and other cloud environments, offering a more adaptable solution for modern cloud-centric architectures.

Beyond adaptability, Profitap Cloud TAP offers enhanced scalability and flexibility over traditional TAPs. It enables organizations to monitor traffic across distributed cloud environments without requiring additional hardware, reducing both deployment complexity and costs. Seamlessly integrating with cloud-native security and performance monitoring tools, Cloud TAP provides real-time visibility into east-west and north-south traffic within virtual networks—ensuring comprehensive monitoring even in dynamic environments where traditional TAPs may fall short.

By combining deep traffic monitoring, granular filtering, and effortless integration, Profitap Cloud TAP empowers organizations to maintain optimal performance and security across their cloud-based applications without disrupting existing deployments. This makes it a powerful solution for businesses seeking robust, scalable visibility into their virtualized and containerized infrastructures.