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[New Product] Garland Introduces Scalable Visibility with Passive Fiber Modular Chassis up to 100G

May 18, 2017

“How do you scale your network infrastructure to support multiple monitoring tools (at varying network speeds) without adding additional infrastructure - while still ensuring data quality?”

This is the problem we have been hearing in the last few years. Data centers (D1 & D2) and enterprise networks have many challenges and two of the big ones are providing the IT department anytime access to full-duplex traffic, while guaranteeing full packet capture. Now layer on top of that a stack of 1G legacy monitoring tools in addition to the migration to 10G/40G and 100G speeds.

To this problem, we introduce a solution:

Garland Technology’s new Passive Fiber Modular Chassis.

A flexible, scalable and affordable high density solution for managing up to 24 links in a 1U box at network speeds of 1G/10G/40G/100G.

Save Budget by Reducing Bandwidth Upgrades

The Passive Fiber Modular Chassis is a high density, high performance data center solution that provides a flexible and scalable design allowing you to meet your network needs today and tomorrow. Passive TAPs as Garland Technology defines them are TAPs that will not cause the monitoring devices to lose link between one another if power is lost. For a deeper dive, read our Passive TAPs 101 series blog.

Chassis Features:

Supports: 1G/10G/40G/100G network speeds
Accomodates: 16 to 24 network TAP modules, based on configuration
(24 LC TAP Modules, 16 MPO/MTP® TAP Modules, 16 BiDi LC TAP Modules)

  • Durable, all steel construction for chassis and network TAP modules
  • No power, no heat, no IP address, no MAC address - 100% passive
  • Customize network TAPs to your networks needs
  • Change network TAP modes on-the-fly or in the future
  • Mix and match modules by media and/or speeds
  • Supports single-mode: OS1/OS2 and multi-mode: OM3/OM4 media for long range and short range environments
  • Supports Cisco BiDirectional optical technology
  • Available split ratios of: 90/10,80/20,50/50, 70/30, 60/40
  • Designed, manufactured and supported in the United States
  • View data sheet for complete specifications

Who's your Competitor? Why Choose a Garland Network TAP?

Zero Failures. 

Can Your Current Vendor Put That in Writing?

Our only focus is engineering best in class network test access products. When I’m asked the big ‘C’ question (which is always followed by the second question, ‘Why Garland?’), I tell people quite honestly we don’t have a direct competitor. There are no other network access companies that are dedicated to only providing network access products. 

‘Why Garland?’

Our singular commitment is to engineer best in class network test access products, because of this commitment we can make the bold statement of Zero failures.

Now, there are many other reasons vendors choose us, contact a member of my sales team to hear them all. But in this blog, I want you to understand the quality of materials and the level of testing/validation that goes into each product we design and manufacture:

  • All network TAPs are tested and validated with live data before they leave our manufacturing facility in Texas.
  • TAPs are compatible with all monitoring devices, including: analyzers, probes, intrusion prevention systems, deep packet inspection, lawful intercept, content filtering, SIEM, and feeding network packet broker solutions.

1G and 10G Multi-mode Fiber TAPs:

  • OM4 technology supports OM3 + OM4, providing higher performance and less dB loss.
  • 100% utilization with new prism based fiber splitters by eliminating bit errors and dropped packets.
  • LC multi-mode fiber support supports 1 Gigabit-SX and 10 Gigabit-SR
  • TAP modules are constructed of durable stainless steel

1G, 10G, 40G, and 100G Single-mode Fiber TAPs:

  • LC Single-mode LR (long range) and ER (extended range) fiber will support 1 Gigabit-LX, 10 Gigabit-LR, 40 Gigabit-LR4, 40 Gigabit-ER4, and 100 Gigabit-LR4
  • No upgrades needed for bandwidth upgrades
  • TAP modules are constructed of durable stainless steel

40G and 100G Multi-mode MTP-12-SR4 TAPs:

  • Supports 100G-SR4 @ 8 x 10Gbps data lanes
  • Supports  40G-SR4 @  8 x 25Gbps data lanes
  • MTP® brand connectors have the lowest dB loss per connector through a proprietary design that features: several ferrule grades, removable housing, recessed oval pin keepers
  • OM4 technology supports OM3 + OM4, providing higher performance and less dB loss.
  • 100% utilization with new prism based fiber splitters by eliminating bit errors and dropped packets.
  • TAP modules are constructed of durable stainless steel

100G Multi-mode MTP-24-SR10 TAPs:

  • Supports 100G-SR10 @ 20 x Gbps data lanes
  • MTP® brand connectors have the lowest dB loss per connector through a proprietary design that features: several ferrule grades, removable housing, recessed oval pin keepers
  • OM4 technology supports OM3 + OM4, providing higher performance and less dB loss.
  • 100% utilization with new prism based fiber splitters by eliminating bit errors and dropped packets.
  • TAP modules are constructed of durable stainless steel

40G-SR-BiDi | Supports Cisco BiDirectional Optical Technology

  • OM4 technology supports OM3 + OM4, providing higher performance and less dB loss.
  • 100% utilization with new prism based fiber splitters by eliminating bit errors and dropped packets.
  • TAP modules are constructed of durable stainless steel

Want to learn more? Let us provide a 10 minute, no obligation live demo of the Chassis.

Schedule a Demo

See Everything. Secure Everything.

Contact us now to secure and optimized your network operations
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Heartbeats Packets Inside the Bypass TAP

If the inline security tool goes off-line, the TAP will bypass the tool and automatically keep the link flowing. The Bypass TAP does this by sending heartbeat packets to the inline security tool. As long as the inline security tool is on-line, the heartbeat packets will be returned to the TAP, and the link traffic will continue to flow through the inline security tool.

If the heartbeat packets are not returned to the TAP (indicating that the inline security tool has gone off-line), the TAP will automatically 'bypass' the inline security tool and keep the link traffic flowing. The TAP also removes the heartbeat packets before sending the network traffic back onto the critical link.

While the TAP is in bypass mode, it continues to send heartbeat packets out to the inline security tool so that once the tool is back on-line, it will begin returning the heartbeat packets back to the TAP indicating that the tool is ready to go back to work. The TAP will then direct the network traffic back through the inline security tool along with the heartbeat packets placing the tool back inline.

Some of you may have noticed a flaw in the logic behind this solution!  You say, “What if the TAP should fail because it is also in-line? Then the link will also fail!” The TAP would now be considered a point of failure. That is a good catch – but in our blog on Bypass vs. Failsafe, I explained that if a TAP were to fail or lose power, it must provide failsafe protection to the link it is attached to. So our network TAP will go into Failsafe mode keeping the link flowing.

Glossary

  1. Single point of failure: a risk to an IT network if one part of the system brings down a larger part of the entire system.

  2. Heartbeat packet: a soft detection technology that monitors the health of inline appliances. Read the heartbeat packet blog here.

  3. Critical link: the connection between two or more network devices or appliances that if the connection fails then the network is disrupted.

NETWORK MANAGEMENT | THE 101 SERIES