
Ixia Visibility Solutions provide real-time, end-to-end dynamic network intelligence for physical, virtual, SDN and NFV based infrastructure, delivering the control, coverage and performance in a seamless fashion to protect and improve crucial networking, data center and cloud business assets.
Industry leading Ixia Network Packet Brokers (NPB) deliver intelligent, sophisticated and programmable network flow optimization providing visibility and security coverage to businesses assets and help IT teams quickly resolve application performance bottlenecks, trouble shoot problems, improve data center automation, better utilize expensive network analysis and security tools and help better business execution because of the improved understanding of the network and data center.
Ixia's best-in-class Vision portfolio of network packet brokers are easy-to-use, perform under pressure and offer true application intelligence.
Thought Leadership
Brochure
What is a Packet Broker (and why do you need one)?

IXIA'S Network Packet Brokers
Scalable, Lossless visibility solutions for all your network needs
Key Features
- Dedicated hardware acceleration provides a Zero packet loss architecture
- Filering of traffic so that each monitoring or inline securty tool receives exactly the right data
- SSL decryption to quickly detect emerging threats encrypting exploits within application traffic
- Dynamic filter compiler handles all filter rule complexities automatically - no overlapping filter rule headaches
- Aggregation of traffic from multiple TAPs or SPAN ports
- Load-balancing of traffic to mulitple analysis tools
- L7 application awareness efficiently allows for packet processing based on unique applications
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Visibility Intelligence | |||||||
NetStack | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
PacketStack | X | X | X | X | X | ||
SecureStack | X | X | |||||
AppStack | X | X | X | ||||
Chassis & Ports | |||||||
Rack Units | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
1G/10G Support | X | 10G only | X | X | X | 10G only | X |
40G Support | X | X | X | X | X | ||
100G Support | X | X | X | ||||
Mode of Operation | |||||||
Inline Capable | X | X | X | X | |||
Out-of-Band Capable | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
Simultaneous Inline & Out-of-Band | X | X | X | X |
Visibility Intelligence
Used with a network packet broker, dynamic network intelligence stack features allow you to modify, mold and transport traffic specific to tool needs. To learn more, click on each stack.
Visibility Management
Ixia offers an easy-to-use, intuitive click-and-drop NPB interface to allow operators to make connections from taps or SPAN ports to their connected tools. The configuration of filters is streamlined and easy, with overall setup requiring minimal time and effort, even for large shops and complicated networks. No professional services or expensive training is required to learn and implement the Ixia visibility solutions. This eliminates the need to use time-consuming command line interface (CLI) or web user interface (WebUI) dialogs, or invest hours or days designing complex logic.
Ixia Fabric Controller (IFC) is a SDN controller for visibility that is allows multiple network packet brokers to work collectively within a single plan of glass. IFC extends a full set of API controls and integrates with Cisco ACI, as well as other SDN architectures.
Inline vs Out-of-Band
There are two different ways to deploy network packet brokers:
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Inline Security inspect live traffic before it hits your data center network. Tools are grouped serially before traffic enters your production data center enabling real-time traffic inspection and active threat prevention.
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Out-of-Band Monitoring provides Passive Traffic Inspection, detection and recording for routine analysis. Tools perform passive traffic inspection, detection, and recording for routine analysis. This model is used extensively in detailed threat analysis, but does not enable any active prevention safeguards or countermeasures.