Napatech Network Adapters have a unique set of features for extracting information from the layer 2-4 network traffic. The information from these features is used by the Napatech Network Adapter itself, for providing advanced Frame Processing and Content Processing, and is also made available to the customer's application to further accelerate it:
- Frame Decoding: Napatech Network Adapters are unique in the market for having built-in decoding of 26 protocol and encapsulation combinations on layer 2-4.
- Packet Descriptors (incl. PCAP): The output of the Frame Decoder is forwarded in Packet Descriptors appended to each frame, including offset information on layer 3, 4 and 5 (payload), so the user application can skip traversing the header, if needed.
- Hash Key Generation: For identifying frame flows between devices and applications, hash keys are generated on-board.
- Coloring/Tagging: Creates and assigns a tag ("color") to frames matching a specific set of criteria specified by a filtering expression.
- Frame Statistics: Napatech Network Adapters generate RMON (RFC2819) network statistics extended to also cover Jumbo frames.