network traffic analyzer

[Phil Meyer]

Michael Cronenworth wrote:
> I'm looking for a web based (graphs) solution for (real-time) network 
> traffic on a Linux (Fedora) router. I currently use iptraf to catch 
> bandwidth usage and type of usage, but I'd love a more accessible 
> interface.

What you are looking for has existed a few times as commercial 
applications.  In every case that I am aware of, these type of software 
packages have been purchased by companies that make network management 
systems.  In one case, some of those elements were incorporated into HP 
Openview, but in others, those features that I liked best were simply 
canned, and never seen again.

At one job site, I helped manage a network of over 100 disk-less SUN 
workstations.  I installed an agent on each one, and was able to have a 
small graph on my screen for each.  I could switch to that desktop and 
instantly have an idea of traffic patterns, by protocol, for every 
workstation.  heck, I could tell when a printer was out of paper, and 
who created the print job!  The workstation would continually try to 
send the job, thus creating a recognizable pattern in the network traffic.

That application was amazing, and no longer exists.  Like the rest, it 
was bought by a larger company, and killed.

The closest thing to that now days is ether-ape.  However, the 
limitations and scope are very different.  If a version of ether-ape 
could be made to monitor multiple hosts via snmp at once, well then ...

Good Luck!