Glossary

SPAN Port

A SPAN port copies traffic from switch ports to a monitoring port - like listening in on network conversations.

What is SPAN Port?

Switch feature that mirrors traffic from one or more ports to a monitoring port for analysis.

Why Should You Care?

SPAN ports enable traffic analysis without additional hardware, though they can miss traffic under heavy load.

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Real-World Example

A SPAN port feeds IDS sensors with mirrored traffic from critical server VLANs.

How to Protect Against SPAN Port

  1. 1.

    Configure SPAN for critical traffic monitoring

  2. 2.

    Consider TAPs for complete capture requirements

Related Terms

Network Tap, Monitoring, Ids

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