Monitor bandwidth usage?

[aceO07]

I'm running a server and want to track bandwidth that's being used by clients. Is there a program that can monitor how much bandwidth is being used?

My requirements are:
1. Track bandwidth usage only for certain IP address, or exclude certain ones.
2. Have realtime data

That's about it. Basically I want to track bandwidth usage for everybody except my own computers.

 

[azev]

You can use managed switch to monitor the bandwidth uses on each port where your server is connected.

 

[aceO07]

Originally posted by: azev
You can use managed switch to monitor the bandwidth uses on each port where your server is connected.

I want to monitor bandwidth by IP addres, not port.

I can go to the server locally and run the Win2K server "Performance" program to track the TCP send/received. However, I don't want to go to the server each time I need to check. I'd refer to check remotely via Terminal Server, and that ruins the monitoring since I'll also be using the TCP bandwidth myself while I'm checking... Therefore I need something that will can measure everything except my IP address (or any that I exclude).

 

[pookguy88]

good question, i would like to know too

 

[nweaver]

ntop on a mirrored port

Go with the cvs version on linux.

www.ntop.org

 

[aceO07]

Originally posted by: nweaver
ntop on a mirrored port

Go with the cvs version on linux.

www.ntop.org

Looks interesting. Lots of great information and graphs that could be useful. I'm not a big fan of the fact that it's a webserver and I have to use a browser to check my stats. I already run other services on that server and I'd prefer to not have webserver on there too.

I would really just like to have a program like that however, it will display stats w/o having to use a browser to access it. Just want to leave that program running on the server that I'm trying to monitor and then check it once in a while.

 

[nweaver]

you can connect to localhost and not use network bandwidth...


also, I would set it up on a separate linux box on a spanned port, and then you connect to the linux box to view the pages, and you don't effect the server's network usage at all.

 

[aceO07]

Originally posted by: nweaver
ntop on a mirrored port

Go with the cvs version on linux.

www.ntop.org

Do you use this? I set it up for Windows XP but I can't get to this screen.. http://www.ntop.org/ntop2s.jpg

Do you know how to get there? That's the most important information for me. The throughput per hour, day, week info would be great for me.

 

[nweaver]

Use it on a linux box......the windows version seems not nearly as stable, and you can't get the CVS version. The latest CVS adds some cool widgits. If you are using a high end layer 3 device, you might be able to export netflows to NTOP too.


I have never used the windows version, have no info.

 

[aceO07]

I think I'd have to pay for the win32 version to get real functionality. Unfortunately, we don't have any linux machines in the office.

I wonder if I could get ethereal to do the same thing..

 

[nweaver]

not without serious work...trust me, that is why I learned about NTOP.

Take an old crappy P2 400, get about 256 or 512 and isolate what ntop sees. Put RH9 on it and away you go. It's worth the little bit of effort in the long run.

 

[Joemonkey]

anything out there for free to monitor bandwidth in a corporate environment?