Spanning port

Recently i come in touch wiht word spinning port. If any one could tell me what's that word mean and how to create spinning port.

Also what's the use of it?

Are you sure it was not "spanning port" instead?

I've never heard the term "spinning port".

Haha, Spinning RJ-45 connection with rims LOL! :lol:

Are you sure it was not "spanning port" instead?

I've never heard the term "spinning port".

Pherheps, i made a spell mistake it was spanning port. sorry for the mistake

Ah it's ok. I edited the title of the thread to be accurate.

A Switched Port Analyzer (SPAN) port is a capability of some switches to configure in a way that will send copies of all the data passing from the ports, to a specific port. In other words, to have the switch behave like a hub for a specific port. This is particularly useful if you intend to connect an Intrusion Detection System to your network. Many switches disallow data to be transmited from a spanning port, which prevents the IDS from taking any direct role in affecting the traffic exchanged through the rest of the ports. Other switches don't have that limitation so, in example, the IDS can even disrupt current connections that are suspicious -appart from just reconfiguring the firewall to deny new connections with the criteria of the suspected.

For information on how to configure a port as spanning, refer to the documentation of the particular equipment, if it supports it. Notice however that configuring more tnan one port as spanning is usually not permited and it could create problems if done.

A SPAN port is also useful if you need to monitor or packet capture the traffic going to/from a specific host in a switched LAN. (The other way of course is to put a hub or tap in line with the device and monitor there instead). Cisco and a few other manufacturers also allow you to do remote SPAN ports across a stacked or trunked set of switches which is really useful for moitoring kit on different floors or in another building. The other common name for a SPAN port is a mirror or switch mirror so look out for that one too