NetFlow vs sFlow Which One is Better For Traffic Analysis?

NetFlow versus sFlow Packet sampling is hardware based and is performed by switching ASICs, achieving wire speed performance. ... Obviously, sFlow is better in traffic visibility than NetFlow. It makes sFlow good at massive DoS attacks detection, as the sampled network patterns are sent on the fly to the sFlow collector.

1. What is the difference between sFlow and NetFlow?
2. Does NetFlow affect performance?
3. Does Cisco support sFlow?
4. What is the difference between NetFlow and Ipfix?
5. Does NetFlow use SNMP?
6. What is sFlow used for?
7. Is NetFlow TCP or UDP?
8. How does NetFlow work Cisco?
9. What is Ipfix used for?
10. How do I monitor NetFlow Traffic?
11. What port does NetFlow use?

What is the difference between sFlow and NetFlow?

SFlow is a pure packet sampling technology. ... The most notable difference of SFlow vs NetFlow is that SFlow is network layer independent and has the ability to sample everything and to access traffic from OSI layer 2-7, while NetFlow is restricted to IP traffic only.

Does NetFlow affect performance?

NetFlow, due to being handled by the software, may cause performance issues when enabled on devices handling huge volumes of traffic. sFlow theoretically can be enabled on even 100 Gb networks and still not affect performance.

Does Cisco support sFlow?

Cisco added support for the sFlow standard in the latest NX-OS 5.0(3)U4(1) release for Nexus 3000 series switches. ... If you are familiar with RMON probes, sFlow is functionally equivalent to deploying an RMON probe for each switch port.

What is the difference between NetFlow and Ipfix?

IPFIX also allows for variable length fields, whereas NetFlow is a lot more rigid in the nature of its fields, which can make transmitting information that varies wildly, or just happens to change a lot in expected format (URLs, usernames, etc.), a lot easier.

Does NetFlow use SNMP?

SNMP and NetFlow Support by Vendors

Even the new generation of network devices that support NetFlow still support SNMP. The Cisco flow switching concept that the NetFlow is based on was introduced around 1996. Therefore, NetFlow is a much younger protocol and is not implemented in all network devices.

What is sFlow used for?

sFlow is a multi-vendor, packet sampling technology used to monitor network devices including routers, switches, host devices and wireless access points. sFlow is an embedded technology – it is implemented through dedicated hardware chips embedded in the router/switch.

Is NetFlow TCP or UDP?

NetFlow records are traditionally exported using User Datagram Protocol (UDP) and collected using a NetFlow collector. The IP address of the NetFlow collector and the destination UDP port must be configured on the sending router. A common value is UDP port 2055, but other values like 9555 or 9995, 9025, 9026 etc.

How does NetFlow work Cisco?

NetFlow is a network protocol system created by Cisco that collects active IP network traffic as it flows in or out of an interface. The NetFlow data is then analyzed to create a picture of network traffic flow and volume — hence the name: NetFlow.

What is Ipfix used for?

IPFIX is an industry standard protocol for transmitting IP flow data from network devices, such as servers, switches and routers to “collector” systems for network monitoring and analysis.

How do I monitor NetFlow Traffic?

Monitor NetFlow data more efficiently

NetFlow data can provide valuable data about network traffic and utilization. For effective NetFlow monitoring, a device operating as a flow exporter collates data packets into flows and sends flow records to one or more NetFlow collection servers.

What port does NetFlow use?

The NetFlow standard (RFC 3954) does not specify a specific NetFlow listening port. The standard or most common UDP port used by NetFlow is UDP port 2055, but other ports, such as 9555, 9995, 9025, and 9026, can also be used. UDP port 4739 is the default port used by IPFIX.