2024 Global Cyber Confidence Index

Arrow pointing right
ExtraHop Logo
  • Productschevron right
  • Solutionschevron right
  • Why ExtraHopchevron right
  • Blogchevron right
  • Resourceschevron right

Network Protocols Glossary

What is a network protocol? Protocols are the rules of the road for how data exists and moves on the network. They allow many different systems and computers to communicate.

Internet Protocol Flow Information Export

What is Internet Protocol Flow Information Export?

IPFIX provides a crucial mechanism for network visibility and performance monitoring. By examining flow data, network architects can gain insights into traffic patterns, application behavior, and network congestion.


What is the purpose of IPFIX

IPFIX operates by creating flows. A flow is a group of packets that share common characteristics, such as source and destination IP addresses, port numbers, and protocol. Network devices monitor traffic and aggregate packet information into these flows. When a flow ends or reaches a predefined timeout, the flow data is exported to a collector.