Allied Telesis AlliedWare Plus Operating System Version 5.4.4C (x310-26FT,x310-26FP,x310-50FT,x310-50FP) - Manual (Page 2082)

sFlow Introduction and Configuration
Software Reference for x310 Series Switches
80.2 AlliedWare Plus TM Operating System - Version 5.4.4C C613-50046-01 REV A
sFlow Introduction
sFlow®
1
provides the ability to monitor traffic in data networks containing switches and
routers. A network employing sFlow typically comprises a number of network (sFlow)
agents that accumulate sampled data and traffic counter information. The agents then
forward this data to a collector. The collector then analyses the information supplied by its
agents in order to compile and display statistical profiles of the network and its traffic. The
sFlow feature on your switch provides the sFlow Agent capability.
1. sFlow® is a registered trademark belonging to InMon Corp, San Francisco, CA.
Figure 80-1 on page 80.2 shows a basic sFlow network structure. The three network
switches also function as sFlow agents. Each agent switch captures samples of the traffic
passing through its monitored ports, and sends these samples together with counter
information back to the sFlow collector. The agents sample data from a number of switch
ports, each acting as an sFlow data source.
Figure 80-1: Basic sFlow Network
sFlow Datagrams
sFlow Datagrams sFlow Datagrams
sFlow
Network
Analysis R
Traffic Data
Traffic Analysis
sFlow-1_1eps
sFlow source ports sFlow source ports
sFlow Agent Switches
sFlow Collector / Management Station