Garland Technology vs. Gigamon
See why IT teams are turning their networks Green!
How Does Garland Technology Compare to Gigamon?
As NetOps and SecOps teams face countless challenges from evolving network environments, 24/7 security and performance analysis to compliance and risk assessments. Garland Technology and Gigamon handle these challenges differently.
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- Garland Technology remains solely focused on providing the highest quality, most efficient, and easy to use network TAPs and network packet brokers. Period.
- Gigamon has changed over the years into a cloud visibility, analytics and network detection and response (NDR) platform, that includes network TAPs and packer brokers.
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With Gigamon's evolution, Garland hasn't lost focus with continued innovation in network TAP technology, and have naturally filled the gaps by complementing existing Gigamon deployments, ultimately improving the ROI on the initial investment.
Whether you are enhancing an existing Gigamon deployment or adding network TAPs and packet brokers to your next network project, Garland Technology wants you to know where we excel in doing what we do best, and hopefully work with you in the near future.
Passive Fiber Optical TAPs
The basis of network visibility fabrics are network TAPs, as they provide complete packet visibility that high-performance monitoring and security solutions require.
Passive fiber optical network TAPs create complete, full bandwidth copies of all the traffic seen on a network link and require no power or management. Passive TAPs are usually on the standard checklist for most network TAP vendors of course, but that is where the similarities end. Not only does Garland continue development on advancing fiber TAP technology, incorporating OM5 and BiDi technologies, but we rigorously test each TAP before shipping them out, ensuring no failures in the field.
Here are some of our key benefits over Gigamon’s passive TAPs.

Garland Passive Network TAPs |
Gigamon Passive Network TAPs |
|
---|---|---|
Passive TAPs |
• SelectTAP: Modular Chassis |
G-TAP M Series |
Speeds / feeds |
1G/10G/25G/40G/100G/400G |
1G/10G/40G/100G |
Supports 25G for Multimode |
|
X |
Supports 100G BiDi |
|
X |
Media |
OS1/OS2, OM1/OM2/OM3/OM4/OM5 |
Not specified |
Supports OM5 |
|
X |
Split ratios |
Offers 50/50, 60/40, 70/30, 80/20, 90/10 or custom split ratios |
Offers only 50/50 and 70/30 split ratios |
High Density |
Yes [28 or 56 TAPs in 1U] |
Yes [36 in 1U] |
Form factor |
Portable, 1U Modular Chassis, 1U High Density, Industrial |
1U Modular |
Garland Passive Network TAPs
Passive TAPs
• SelectTAP: Modular Chassis
• Passive Fiber Network TAPs
• BiDi Passive Fiber TAPs
• RegenTAP: Passive
Speeds / feeds
1G/10G/25G/40G/100G/400G
Supports 25G for Multimode
Supports 100G BiDi
Media
OS1/OS2, OM1/OM2/OM3/OM4/OM5
Supports OM5
Split ratios
Offers 50/50, 60/40, 70/30, 80/20, 90/10 or custom split ratios
High Density
Yes [28 or 56 TAPs in 1U]
Form factor
Portable, 1U Modular Chassis, 1U High Density, Industrial
Gigamon Passive Network TAPs
Passive TAPs
G-TAP M Series
GigaTAP G Series
Speeds / feeds
1G/10G/40G/100G
Supports 25G for Multimode
X
Supports 100G BiDi
X
Media
Not specified
Supports OM5
X
Split ratios
Offers only 50/50 and 70/30 split ratios
High Density
Yes [36 in 1U]
Form factor
1U Modular
Active Network TAPs
Active network TAPs also create complete full bandwidth copies of network traffic but are powered devices that allow additional functionality over passive TAPs. Failsafe technology ensures these devices, like passive TAPs, do not affect the live network.
Garland has pioneered active TAPs, incorporating packet broker functionality into network TAPs to help engineers and architects better optimize and have multi-use options for their unique needs.
To accomplish TAP aggregation, regeneration, and advanced filtering with Gigamon, you will need to buy their TAP and packet broker platform.
Here are some of our key benefits over Gigamon’s active TAPs.

Garland Active Network TAPs |
Gigamon Active Network TAPs |
|
---|---|---|
Active TAP Lines |
• Copper Network TAP |
G-TAP A Series |
Speeds / feeds |
100M/1G/10G/40G |
1G/10G |
Media |
• Copper RJ45 |
• Copper RJ45 |
Form factor |
• "Pocket size" Field TAP |
• 1U Module |
High Density |
4 TAPs [1U]; 12 TAPs [2U]; 2 TAPs in 1U Half Rack |
1U Module |
Mode Function Supported |
• Tap 'Breakout |
Tap 'Breakout' |
Supports Failsafe |
Passive and Failsafe options |
Failsafe |
OEO design [optical to electric to optical] |
Passive and Failsafe options |
X |
Supports Media Conversion |
|
X |
Utilization Alerts for overs-subscription |
|
X |
Supports Advanced Features |
Filtering, Aggregation, Load Balancing, Packet slicing, Packet injection |
X |
Supports Link failure Propagation (LFP) |
|
X |
Supports Links Speed Synchronization |
Copper |
X |
Battery backup |
No battery – Following standards, hazard proof |
On-board battery |
Garland Active Network TAPs
Active TAP Lines
• Copper Network TAP
• RegenTAP
• AggregatorTAP
• UniversalTAP: Aggregator
• XtraTAP: All-In-1 [Filtering]
Speeds / feeds
100M/1G/10G/40G
Media
• Copper RJ45
• USB
• Fiber [LR, SR, 100Base-FX/LX]
• SFP/SFP+/QSFP+
Form factor
• "Pocket size" Field TAP
• Portable
• 1U Half Rack
• 1U or 2U Modular Chassis
• Simple easy to use GUI management
High Density
4 TAPs [1U]; 12 TAPs [2U]; 2 TAPs in 1U Half Rack
Mode Function Supported
• Tap 'Breakout
• Aggregation
• Bypass
• Regeneration
• Advanced filtering options
Supports Failsafe
Passive and Failsafe options
OEO design [optical to electric to optical]
Passive and Failsafe options
Supports Media Conversion
Utilization Alerts for overs-subscription
Supports Advanced Features
Filtering, Aggregation, Load Balancing, Packet slicing, Packet injection
Supports Link failure Propagation (LFP)
Supports Links Speed Synchronization
Copper
Battery backup
No battery – Following standards, hazard proof
Gigamon Active Network TAPs
Active TAP Lines
G-TAP A Series
Speeds / feeds
1G/10G
Media
• Copper RJ45
• SFP+
Form factor
• 1U Module
• GUI support not specified
High Density
1U Module
Mode Function Supported
Tap 'Breakout'
Supports Failsafe
Failsafe
OEO design [optical to electric to optical]
X
Supports Media Conversion
X
Utilization Alerts for overs-subscription
X
Supports Advanced Features
X
Supports Link failure Propagation (LFP)
X
Supports Links Speed Synchronization
X
Battery backup
On-board battery
Industrial Network TAPs
Simply put – Gigamon’s platform is designed for IT architectures.
Garland has spent years working with OT customers and government agencies to design specialized network TAPs to work in their unique environments and requirements, providing small rugged metal form factors, environmentally and temperature resistant, including unidirectional data diode design to protect and aggregate TAP and SPAN traffic.
Here are some of our key benefits over Gigamon’s industrial TAPs.

Garland Specialized Network TAPs |
Gigamon Active Network TAPs |
|
---|---|---|
Form factor |
• "Pocket size" Field TAP |
• Standalone Modules |
DIN Rail mountable |
|
X |
Media conversion |
100Base-FX, 100BASE-LX, LC to RJ45 Copper or SFP/SFP+ |
SFP/SFP+ |
TAP Aggregation |
2:1, 4:1, 11:1 |
X |
TAP Regeneration |
1x3, 1x5 |
X |
SPAN Aggregation |
8:1 |
X |
SPAN Regeneration |
1:3 |
X |
Unidirectional Data Diode Design |
|
X |
Extreme temperature TAPs |
-40C to +85C / -40F to +185F |
32°F to 104°F (0°C to 40°C) |
Harsh environment TAP connectors |
Secure Mighty Mouse connectors |
X |
Garland Specialized Network TAPs
Form factor
• "Pocket size" Field TAP
• Portable
• 1U Half Rack
• 1U or 2U Modular Chassis
DIN Rail mountable
Media conversion
100Base-FX, 100BASE-LX, LC to RJ45 Copper or SFP/SFP+
TAP Aggregation
2:1, 4:1, 11:1
TAP Regeneration
1x3, 1x5
SPAN Aggregation
8:1
SPAN Regeneration
1:3
Unidirectional Data Diode Design
Extreme temperature TAPs
-40C to +85C / -40F to +185F
Harsh environment TAP connectors
Secure Mighty Mouse connectors
Gigamon Active Network TAPs
Form factor
• Standalone Modules
• 1U Modular
DIN Rail mountable
X
Media conversion
SFP/SFP+
TAP Aggregation
X
TAP Regeneration
X
SPAN Aggregation
X
SPAN Regeneration
X
Unidirectional Data Diode Design
X
Extreme temperature TAPs
32°F to 104°F (0°C to 40°C)
Harsh environment TAP connectors
X
Inline Bypass
Gigamon bypass TAPs are an embedded capability within the GigaVUE HC Series of visibility nodes in their packet brokers. Inline Security shouldn’t be an afterthought.
In recent years, Garland Technology has devoted considerable R&D resources to innovate and manufacture an industry leading catalog of inline bypass TAPs and packet brokers.
Architects turn to inline bypass TAPs as a fundamental best practice for incorporating inline security tools like WAFs, IPS, firewalls and SSL decryption into your network. A Bypass TAP provides the ability to manage your inline tool any time without having to take down the network or impact business availability for maintenance or upgrades – ending downtime.
No only did Garland’s Co-founder and CTO Jerry Dillard invent bypass TAP technology, but we now have a complete line of EdgeSafe bypass TAPs from 1-100G and the innovative EdgeLens Inline Packet Brokers, designed to simplify the modern security stack, managing both inline and out-of-band tools in one.
Here are some of our key advantages over Gigamon’s bypass TAPs.

EDGESAFE & EdgeLens BYPASS |
GIGAVUE-HC SERIES BYPASS |
|
---|---|---|
Speeds / feeds |
1G/10G/40G/100G |
1G/10G/40G/100G |
Form Factor |
Portable, 1U Half Rack, 1U Chassis, 1U/2U Modular Chassis |
1U Modular |
External vs All-In-One Platform |
Extensive Bypass options: |
• No External Bypass options |
Heartbeat Technology |
Configurable Heartbeats |
Heartbeats |
Additional Features |
• Aggregation |
• Aggregation |
Development |
• CTO developed the first bypass technology |
X |
EDGESAFE & EdgeLens BYPASS
Speeds / feeds
1G/10G/40G/100G
Form Factor
Portable, 1U Half Rack, 1U Chassis, 1U/2U Modular Chassis
External vs All-In-One Platform
Extensive Bypass options:
• External Bypass
• Modular Bypass
• High Availability Bypass
• Hybrid Bypass TAP/NPB Solutions
Heartbeat Technology
Configurable Heartbeats
Additional Features
• Aggregation
• Filtering
• Load Balancing
• Regeneration
• Before & After Historical Lookback
• High Availability (HA)
• Tool Chaining
Development
• CTO developed the first bypass technology
• Continued Innovation
GIGAVUE-HC SERIES BYPASS
Speeds / feeds
1G/10G/40G/100G
Form Factor
1U Modular
External vs All-In-One Platform
• No External Bypass options
• All-in-One connected backplane
• Failure risks
• Scalability issues
*Upgrades often require additional chassis
Heartbeat Technology
Heartbeats
Additional Features
• Aggregation
• Filtering
*Addition license upgrade for load balancing
Development
X
Traffic Aggregation Network Packet Brokers
After TAP visibility, traffic aggregation is the next way we enhance existing Gigamon deployments. We accomplish this by our ‘deconstructed’ and purpose-built approach to packet brokers. We designed our PacketMAX packet brokers to serve the purpose you need and not try to oversell you a ‘platform.’
Garland’s PacketMAX Advanced Aggregators provide aggregation, filtering, load balancing and tunneling, in 1U half rack, 1U and 2U form factors, without license or port fees, giving teams the ability to optimize their network traffic without bloating the budget.
Here are some reasons why people are choosing PacketMAX over Gigamon’s traffic aggregators.

PACKETMAX ADVANCED AGGREGATOR |
GIGAVUE TA SERIES |
|
---|---|---|
Speeds / feeds |
1G/10G/25G/40G/100G |
1G/10G/40G/100G |
Available Ports |
• 48x 1G / 4x 10G |
• 48x 1G / 4x 10G |
Core Functions |
• Aggregation |
• Aggregation |
Additional Features |
• Supports session-aware configurable-hash based load balancing |
• Load Balancing |
Additional Features |
1K filters included |
Basic filters [Ingress is 256, Egress is 20] included |
Additional Features |
Includes VLAN/MPLS stripping, VLAN tagging, GRE Tunneling, Data Burst Buffering |
X |
Compact Form Factor |
1U with 13" depth |
1U with 19.25 in depth |
PACKETMAX ADVANCED AGGREGATOR
Speeds / feeds
1G/10G/25G/40G/100G
Available Ports
• 48x 1G / 4x 10G
• 48x 1/10G / 6x 40G
• 32x 40G / 100G
• 64x 40G / 100G
*No additional port licenses
Core Functions
• Aggregation
• Filtering
• Load Balancing
• Regeneration
Additional Features
• Supports session-aware configurable-hash based load balancing
• Round Robin Load Balancing
Additional Features
1K filters included
*No additional license fees
Additional Features
Includes VLAN/MPLS stripping, VLAN tagging, GRE Tunneling, Data Burst Buffering
Compact Form Factor
1U with 13" depth
Unique design for Flyaway kits
GIGAVUE TA SERIES
Speeds / feeds
1G/10G/40G/100G
*No support for 25G
Available Ports
• 48x 1G / 4x 10G
• 32x 40G
• 32x 40G / 100G
• 64x 40G / 100G
Core Functions
• Aggregation
• Filtering
Additional Features
• Load Balancing
Additional Features
Basic filters [Ingress is 256, Egress is 20] included
*Additional license upgrade
Additional Features
X
Compact Form Factor
1U with 19.25 in depth
Advanced Features Network Packet Brokers
Like our Advanced Aggregators, the PacketMAX Advanced Features provide aggregation, filtering, load balancing and tunneling, but also includes deduplication, packet slicing, time stamping, GRE, L2GRE, ERSPAN, VxLAN Tunneling in 1U and 2U form factors,
All features come fully available, without license or port fees, giving teams the ability to optimize their network traffic without bloating the budget.
Here are some of our advantages over Gigamon’s advanced features.

PACKETMAX: ADVANCED FEATURES |
GIGAVUE-HC SERIES |
|
---|---|---|
CapEx vs OpEx |
• No additional port/feature license fees |
Additional features require GigaSMART– priced per feature, so gets more expensive as you add |
Scalability |
• Modular solutions developed for future growth |
• All-in-One connected backplane |
Performance |
Dedicated purpose-built devices, designed for performance |
GigaSMART has restricted processing speed; possible performance strain |
Features |
• Deduplication |
*Individual license upgrade |
User Friendly |
Open Vendor: Supports multi-source agreement (MSA) transceivers/optics, no vendor lock-in |
Supports Gigamon transceivers/optics only |
PACKETMAX: ADVANCED FEATURES
CapEx vs OpEx
• No additional port/feature license fees
• All features included
Scalability
• Modular solutions developed for future growth
• Deploy what you need, when you need it
Performance
Dedicated purpose-built devices, designed for performance
Features
• Deduplication
• Time Stamping
• Packet Slicing
• Round Robin Load Balancing
• Passes physical layer errors • GRE/ERSPAN/VXLAN
User Friendly
Open Vendor: Supports multi-source agreement (MSA) transceivers/optics, no vendor lock-in
GIGAVUE-HC SERIES
CapEx vs OpEx
Additional features require GigaSMART– priced per feature, so gets more expensive as you add
Scalability
• All-in-One connected backplane
• Failure risks
• Scalability issues
*Upgrades often require additional chassis
Performance
GigaSMART has restricted processing speed; possible performance strain
Features
*Individual license upgrade
User Friendly
Supports Gigamon transceivers/optics only
LOU RABON
FOUNDER / CEO, CYBER DEFENSE GROUP
Before we found Garland our options were limited. It’s either we go to a huge provider like Gigamon, which is super expensive, and doesn’t give you a custom solution [like Garland].