A flexible network monitoring tool based on a data stream management system

Network monitoring is a complex task that generally requires the use of different tools for specific purposes. This paper describes a flexible network monitoring tool, called PaQueT, designed to meet a wide range of monitoring needs. The user can define metrics as queries in a process similar to writing queries on a database management system. This approach provides an easy mechanism to adapt the tool as system requirements evolve. PaQueT allows one to monitor values ranging from packet level metrics to those usually provided only by tools based on Netflow or SNMP. PaQueT has been developed as an extension of Borealis Data Stream Management System. The first advantage of our approach is the ability to generate measurements in real time, minimizing the volume of data stored; second, the tool can be easily extended to consider several types of network protocols. We have conducted an experimental study to verify the effectiveness of our approach, and to determine its capacity to process large volumes of data.