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TAP Aggregation Enhancements

Test access point (TAP) aggregation provides N:M (any-to-any) packet replication, allowing you to capture different types of data in real time so that you quickly see what is happening in your network. Enhancements to the TAP aggregation feature provide timestamping and ACL filtering, as well as an updated hierarchy location for the TAP aggregation interfaces configuration.

TAP Aggregation ACL Filtering, Timestamps, and TAP Aggregation Interfaces Update

You can enhance data accuracy by inserting a timestamp into a TAP aggregation packet that shows exactly when the data packet was captured. You configure the TAP aggregation feature to insert a timestamp in packets at data capture, before the packets are sent to the tool interfaces for analysis. For timestamping to work, you must configure the PTP reference clock on the TAP aggregation switch, and PTP must be running when the timestamp is inserted. Your tap aggregation switch must also sync the PTP FPGA’s recovered time-of-day with the system chip’s time-of-day.

You can apply ingress access control list (ACL) user-defined filtering (UDF) filtering on tap interfaces, enabling you to selectively choose specific traffic to be sent to the tool interfaces on a TAP aggregation switch. (You can attach different analytical tools to different tool interfaces.) If the ACL match and the TAP aggregation rule conflict, the ACL match takes precedence.

Also on supported devices, you can now configure the TAP aggregation interfaces under the [edit interfaces] hierarchy level.

Table 1: Enhancements to the TAP Aggregation Feature

Feature/Update

Description

Notes

Timestamp option for TAP aggregation packets

Configure timestamping to see exactly when the data packet was captured.

Include the timestamp CLI statement in the configuration.

Ingress ACL UDF filtering function on a tap interface

Configure filtering on a tap interface to choose specific traffic to be sent to the tool interfaces.  

Tap group and tool group interfaces configuration change

Configure the TAP aggregation interfaces directly under the [edit interfaces] hierarchy.

Include the mode CLI statement in the configuration.
Note:

Support for 256-way equal-cost multipath (ECMP) provides a larger number of fabrics when more logical interfaces are on a spine and increases capacity to 512 next hops. This increase in possible connections improves latency and optimizes data flow.

Add Interfaces to a New TAP Aggregation Configuration

If you are configuring a new TAP aggregation setup, use these instructions when you configure the TAP aggregation interfaces:
  1. Add an interface to a tap group:
  2. Add an interface to a tool group:

Reconfigure the Interfaces Configuration in Your Existing TAP Aggregation Configuration

Reconfigure the interfaces in your existing TAP aggregation setup by following these steps:
  1. Delete any existing interface configuration under the [edit forwarding-options] hierarchy.
  2. Add an interface to a tap group:
  3. Add an interface to a tool group:

Configure Timestamping in TAP Aggregation

Before you begin, ensure that you have configured a PTP reference clock. See Precision Time Protocol (PTP) Overview.

Configure timestamping in your TAP aggregation setup:
Enable timestamping per interface:

Configure Ingress ACL Filtering in TAP Aggregation

Configure ingress ACL filtering on tap interfaces for your TAP aggregation setup. If the ACL rule conflicts with the TAP aggregation rule, the ACL rule takes precedence. See Overview of Firewall Filters (QFX Series).

Related Documentation