Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for collecting data streams, such as data packets, on a network, such as the Internet, are disclosed. Evaluation of the metadata and the relationships can be performed algorithmically, as predetermined by an analyst or as provided as preset options by the network monitoring system (NMS). The collected data associated with the users of the network may be accessed by multiple analysts belonging to different groups having a NMS of their own. The system may allow access to multiple analysts belonging to separate groups by parsing through a single instance of the stored data. Multiple analysts belonging to different groups may allow to access to a single instance of the stored data.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for collecting data streams, such as data packets, on a network, such as the Internet, are disclosed. A metadata portion of at least one of the data streams is analyzed on the network and evaluated using a metadata processing engine to identify a relationship between at least two of the plurality of data streams, e.g., a relationship between multiple users of interest, a new user of interest, etc. Evaluation of the metadata and the relationships can be performed algorithmically, as predetermined by an analyst or as provided as preset options by the network monitoring system (NMS). An interface manager can receive the new user of interest, evaluate the new user of interest for redundancy against existing users of interest of the NMS; then communicate the new user of interest to at least one access device to collect data streams associated with the new user of interest.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for collecting data streams, such as data packets, on a network, such as the Internet, are disclosed. A metadata portion of at least one of the data streams is analyzed on the network and evaluated using a metadata processing engine to identify a relationship between at least two of the plurality of data streams, e.g., a relationship between multiple users of a network, regardless of whether the users are currently of interest or if they are not of interest. An interface manager can receive an information of a new user of interest, evaluate the new user of interest for redundancy against existing known users of interest of the NMS; then communicate the information of the new user of interest to at least one access device to collect data streams associated with the new user of interest.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for storing, retrieving, and managing data streams, such as data packets, on a network are disclosed. In one embodiment, a network monitoring system (NMS) includes an access device for retrieving data from a network, and a circular storage device coupled to the access device. The circular storage device is operative to retrieve a portion of a data stored in the circular storage device based on a query. The portion of the data retrieved is a broader subset of results of the query. A remote data processing device refines the portion of the data retrieved from the circular storage device based on the query. The circular storage device coupled to the access device may be further operative to overwrite the at least a portion of the data stream based on a set of criteria.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for collecting data streams, such as data packets, on a network, such as the Internet, are disclosed. Evaluation of the metadata and the relationships can be performed algorithmically, as predetermined by an analyst or as provided as preset options by the network monitoring system (NMS). The collected data associated with the users of the network may be accessed by multiple analysts belonging to different groups having a NMS of their own. The system may allow access to multiple analysts belonging to separate groups by parsing through a single instance of the stored data. Multiple analysts belonging to different groups may allow to access to a single instance of the stored data.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for collecting data streams, such as data packets, on a network, such as the Internet, are disclosed. A metadata portion of at least one of the data streams is analyzed on the network and evaluated using a metadata processing engine to identify a relationship between at least two of the plurality of data streams, e.g., a relationship between multiple users of interest, a new user of interest, etc. Evaluation of the metadata and the relationships can be performed algorithmically, as predetermined by an analyst or as provided as preset options by the network monitoring system (NMS). An interface manager can receive the new user of interest, evaluate the new user of interest for redundancy against existing users of interest of the NMS; then communicate the new user of interest to at least one access device to collect data streams associated with the new user of interest.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for collecting data streams, such as data packets, on a network, such as the Internet, are disclosed. A metadata portion of at least one of the data streams is analyzed on the network and evaluated using a metadata processing engine to identify a relationship between at least two of the plurality of data streams, e.g., a relationship between multiple users of a network, regardless of whether the users are currently of interest or if they are not of interest. An interface manager can receive an information of a new user of interest, evaluate the new user of interest for redundancy against existing known users of interest of the NMS; then communicate the information of the new user of interest to at least one access device to collect data streams associated with the new user of interest.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for intercepting data streams such as packets on a network. In one embodiment, the method includes: receiving at a network surveillance system (NSS), a target to be intercepted on the network; creating a target identification (target ID) for the target, wherein the target ID is unique to the NSS in order to track data streams of the target during subsequent processing, such as extraction of content and metadata, in the NSS; intercepting the data streams of the target on the network; tagging the data streams of the target that are intercepted from the network with a respective target ID; transmitting the data streams of the target to the NSS for subsequent analysis; and distributing the data streams across a scalable quantity of data processing engines in the NSS.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for routing a transaction. Initially, a resource is identified which is capable of servicing a transaction based upon resource data indicative of the capabilities of resources associated with a transactional processing system and a transaction request indicative of a request associated with the transaction. Upon identifying the resource capable of servicing the transaction, the transaction is supplied to the identified resource.