David Aldrich wrote:
Hi
I need to build a test environment to
communicate with a hardware device that has a 10Gbe comms port and that
uses a SFP+ connector. I will debug the connection using Wireshark.
So I need a 10Gbe NIC for a Windows/Linux PC,
and that NIC should have a SFP+ connector.
Hello David,
Typically, monitoring a 10Gb link involves using a tap (or a switch
with a SPAN port). Are you using copper or fiber? Depending on the
load you expect on the 10Gb link, you might even need a filtering tap.
Would anyone like to recommend a suitable NIC
please?
If you have a decent tap and can filter the data you care about to less
than 1Gbps, you can filter the 10G in the tap and feed it to your
Wireshark system over a 1G link.
If you have to have a 10Gbps NIC, there are plenty
to choose from, and just about all of them are based on one of a
few Intel controllers. If you have a budget that permits, there are
several companies that make 10Gbps boards specifically designed for
packet capture, but they can be pricey from what I understand.
Will there be any issues with monitoring such a
connection using Wireshark?
Windows systems usually have more overhead than allowed for effective
high bandwidth capture - I suspect you'd have better luck with the
Linux base for running Wireshark on heavy loads.
The biggest question you should answer before starting this quest is
what kind of loads will you (ultimately) need to monitor? That will
help determine what kind of equipment you'll need to consider for your
final solution.
Good luck,
Patrick Klos
Klos Technologies,
Inc.
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