36CHAPTER 3: COLLECTING DATA
Figure 3 Collected Data is added to a Relational Database
Map
Reporter
Collector
Relational database
7 Application Layer
6 Presentation Layer
5 Session Layer
4 Transport Layer
3 Network Layer
2 MAC Layer
1 Physical Layer
From the collected data, you can build up a picture of normal levels of network traffic and typical network usage. You can then configure event rules which provide you with information about the traffic on your network and network security. When these rules are exceeded, Traffix Manager generates events which can be viewed in the Map or in graphs. See Chapter 9, “Using Event Rules” for more information about configuring events, and Chapter 8, “Displaying Traffic in Graphs”.
The contents of the relational database can be retrieved by the Map and Reporter processes. The Map retrieves data for a given period and displays it graphically. You can manipulate the display, grouping network devices and filtering traffic, to view your network in any way you want. See Chapter 4, “Grouping Network Devices in the Map” for more information.
The Reporter uses the same data to generate scheduled reports, which can then be distributed as HTML files for viewing by a web browser or to your printer. See Chapter 11, “Overview of Reporting” for more information.
