[CentOS] looking for some advice to monitor network usage in office

Wed Mar 25 08:52:23 UTC 2009
Spook ZA <spookza at gmail.com>

Hi Rudy

2009/3/25 Rudi Ahlers <rudiahlers at gmail.com>:
> Hi all,
>
> I've been asked by a college to setup a monitor to monitor a Windows
> network, but on internet usage. They want to have detailed usage, i.e.
> on a per IP / PC basis, and if possible to get stats for every
> protocol, and see over a period of time what goes on.
>
> My first though wat ntop, which does all of this, but it doesn't save
> the data in a DB, so if the server reboots the stats are reset to 0. I
> also can't get Cacti to give me stats per IP & per protocol (unless
> someone knows how todo this).
>
> I don't yet know the full network layout, but I have a feeling they're
> using ADSL, and have a Windows Small Business server with ISA, and
> possible Exchange as well. So, I'm either going to put a CentOS box
> between the Windows box & ADSL router, or maybe even setup a CentOS
> Vmware Virtual PC, force all the network to route via the VPS.
>
> Does anyone have some suggestions / experience in setting up something
> like this?
>
> P.S. Please don't look at the fact that there's Windows on the
> network. I use Linux for business purposes, not as a hobby, and we
> also use Mac & Windows where the situation calls for it.
>
> --
>
> Kind Regards
> Rudi Ahlers

If your firewall / border gateway is running linux, have a look at:

 http://www.networkuptime.com/tools/netflow/

You need an exporter that will export linux netflow records and
software that will collect and present the resultant data.

Regards,
  Andrew.