Abstract: A receive or listen only Physical Interface Device (Phy). The receive or listen only Phy is configured to have a front end configured to only receive data from a communications network. The receive only Phy may be implemented a part of a tap device including a first network port for receiving a first network signal having a first format; a receive only Phy for converting the first network signal into a second signal format; and a transmit and receive Phy for receiving the first network signal in the second signal format and converting it into the first signal format.

Abstract: A passive full-duplex bidirectional ZPL tap includes first and second network ports and tap ports. A signal separator is configured to receive a data stream from at least one of the first or second network ports and pass through the data stream and configured to obtain a first signal portion comprising at least the first signal component and obtain a second signal portion comprising at least the second signal component. A DSP stage is configured to substantially remove any second data component from the first signal portion and to substantially remove any first data component from the second signal portion. A first receive only Phy is configured to receive the first signal portion and provide the first signal portion to the first tap port and a second receive only Phy is configured to receive the second signal portion and provide the second signal portion to the second tap port.

Abstract: The principles of the present invention relate to passive full-duplex bidirectional Zero Packet Loss (ZPL) network taps that include single, dual, or dual differential couplers that are placed in the communication path between two network devices that communicate using a full-duplex bidirectional data stream that include a first and a second data component. The bidirectional couplers are configured to at least partially obtain a second data stream that includes at least the first data component and to obtain a third data stream that includes at least the second data component. In some embodiments, the bidirectional couplers may include a signal separation module or stage that is configured to further separate the first and second data components.

Abstract: A passive full-duplex bidirectional ZPL tap includes first and second network ports and first and second tap ports. A passive signal separator is configured to receive a data stream from at least one of the first or second network port and pass through the data stream and a first signal portion comprising at least the first signal component and a second signal portion comprising at least the second signal component. A first receive only physical interface device (Phy) is configured to receive the first signal portion from the signal separator and provide the first portion to the first tap port and a second receive only Phy is configured to receive the second signal portion from the signal separator and provide the second signal portion to the second tap port.

Abstract: A network tap device array including one or more passive full-duplex bidirectional ZPL network tap devices is disclosed. The array enables data from multiple nodes in a communications network to be tapped and forwarded to a plurality of monitoring devices. In one embodiment the network tap device array includes a chassis that is configured to receive a plurality of passive full-duplex bidirectional ZPL network tap devices. Each passive full-duplex bidirectional ZPL network tap device includes network ports for passing network data via communication cables and tap ports for forwarding the tapped network data to the monitoring device. In another embodiment, a sub-chassis includes a plurality of passive full-duplex bidirectional ZPL network tap devices and an aggregator that aggregates tapped data from each of the tap devices. The aggregator then forwards the aggregated data to the monitoring device. The sub-chassis can be included in a chassis that is configured to receive multiple populated chassis.

Abstract: A networking system is provided. The networking system may include a diagnostic module. The diagnostic module may perform any of a variety of network diagnostic functions. A diagnostic module may include an oscillator module. The oscillator module may be configured to provide a variety of clock signals to support a variety of network protocols and/or data rates.

Abstract: A networking system is provided. The networking system may include a diagnostic module. The diagnostic module may perform any of a variety of network diagnostic functions. The diagnostic module may include an analysis module, which may receive messages and perform any of a variety of network diagnostic functions using the messages it receives. The diagnostic module may include a logic module, which may receive network messages having a first format or structure, may process the network messages it receives into network messages having a second format or structure, and may send the processed messages to the analysis module. The logic module may receive the network messages from an aggregated link.

Abstract: A networking system is provided. The networking system may include a diagnostic module. The diagnostic module may perform any of a variety of network diagnostic functions. The diagnostic module may include an analysis module, which may receive messages and perform any of a variety of network diagnostic functions using the messages it receives. The analysis module may receive messages and generate a set of one or more statistics using the received messages. The analysis module may generate a signal configured to trigger a bit sequence capture.

Abstract: A networking system is provided. The networking system may include a diagnostic module. The diagnostic module may perform any of a variety of network diagnostic functions. The diagnostic module may include an analysis module, which may receive messages and perform any of a variety of network diagnostic functions using the messages it receives. The diagnostic module may include a logic module, which may receive network messages having a first format or structure, may process the network messages it receives into messages having a second format or structure, and may send the processed messages to the analysis module.

Abstract: A networking system is provided. The networking system may include a diagnostic module. The diagnostic module may perform any of a variety of network diagnostic functions. The diagnostic module may include an analysis module, which may receive messages and perform any of a variety of network diagnostic functions using the messages it receives. The diagnostic module may include a logic module, which may receive network messages having a first format or structure, may process the network messages it receives into messages having a second format or structure, and may send the processed messages to the analysis module. The second format or structure may include any combination of a timestamp, a truncated portion of a network message, inter-packet meta-data, processing meta-data, and other suitable information.