Network Traffic Analysis

Definition - What does Network Traffic Analysis mean?

Network traffic analysis is the process of recording, reviewing and analyzing network traffic for the purpose of performance, security and/or general network operations and management.

It is the process of using manual and automated techniques to review granular-level detail and statistics within network traffic.

Techopedia explains Network Traffic Analysis

Network traffic analysis is primarily done to get in-depth insight into what type of traffic/network packets or data is flowing through a network. Typically, network traffic analysis is done through a network monitoring or network bandwidth monitoring software/application. The traffic statistics from network traffic analysis helps in:

Understanding and evaluating the network utilization
Download/upload speeds
Type, size, origin and destination and content/data of packets

Network security staff uses network traffic analysis to identify any malicious or suspicious packets within the traffic. Similarly, network administrations seek to monitor download/upload speeds, throughput, content, etc. to understand network operations.

Network traffic analysis is also used by attackers/intruders to analyze network traffic patterns and identify any vulnerabilities or means to break in or retrieve sensitive data.