NetFlow is an industry-standard protocol for network traffic collection[2].
NetFlow is a protocol used to collect metadata on IP traffic flows traversing a network device.
Developed by Cisco Systems, NetFlow is used to record metadata about IP traffic flows traversing a network device such as a router, switch, or host. A NetFlow-enabled device generates metadata at the interface level and sends flow data information to a flow collector, where the flow records are stored to enable network traffic analytics and management. A network operator can use NetFlow data to determine network throughput, packet loss, and traffic congestion at a specific interface level. NetFlow data also supports other network-level monitoring use cases such as Denial of Service (DDoS) detection and BGP peering.
Reference List
- https://www.kentik.com/kentipedia/what-is-netflow-overview/#:~:text=NetFlow%20is%20a%20protocol%20used,router%2C%20switch%2C%20or%20host.
- Claise B, Sadasivan G, Valluri V, Djernaes M (2004) Cisco systems netflow services export version, 9