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pcaps:ixmgtool [2019/04/13 13:41]
veera [Example run]
pcaps:ixmgtool [2019/04/15 11:20] (current)
veera [Conclusion]
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-====== Merge multiple thin PCAP files into a single ​thick PCAP ======+====== Merge multiple thin PCAP files into a single ​fat PCAP ======
  
 When you install Trisul Network Analytics , you get a free command line tool called ''​trisul_ixmgtool''​ When you install Trisul Network Analytics , you get a free command line tool called ''​trisul_ixmgtool''​
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 ===== What is a FAT pcap file ===== ===== What is a FAT pcap file =====
    
-A FAT pcap file contains more unique flows and endpoints than a THIN pcap file.   +<​note>​A FAT pcap file contains more unique flows and endpoints than a THIN pcap file regardless of the actual bandwidth.    
 +</​note>​
  
 While testing NSM((Network Security Monitoring)) ​ platforms we look for FAT pcap files because it stresses the memory and performance of algorithms. ​ Given a 10GB //thin// PCAP file with just 1 flow, and a 1GB //​fat// ​ PCAP file with 100K flows - you should prefer the FAT file for testing. While testing NSM((Network Security Monitoring)) ​ platforms we look for FAT pcap files because it stresses the memory and performance of algorithms. ​ Given a 10GB //thin// PCAP file with just 1 flow, and a 1GB //​fat// ​ PCAP file with 100K flows - you should prefer the FAT file for testing.
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 ===== How is it different from mergecap ​ ===== ===== How is it different from mergecap ​ =====
  
-Mergecap ​ is a command line [[https://​www.wireshark.org/​docs/​man-pages/​mergecap.html|utility from the wireshark]] project. ​ It also combines multiple thin PCAP files into a single ​ fat PCAP file. But it preserves the timestamps, hence works to //fatten// the output PCAP if there is significant overlap in the time windows.+Mergecap ​ is a command line [[https://​www.wireshark.org/​docs/​man-pages/​mergecap.html|utility from the wireshark]] project. ​ It also combines multiple thin PCAP files into a single ​ fat PCAP file. But it preserves the timestamps, hence works to //fatten// the output PCAP //​only//  ​if there is significant overlap in the time windows.
  
-trisul_ixmgtool when run with the squish option , aligns the timestamps ​ of the files to the lowest timestamp and then processes the merge. ​ The following diagram illustrates the difference between mergecap and ixmgtool+trisul_ixmgtool when run with the squish option , aligns the timestamps ​ of the files to the lowest timestamp and then processes the merge. ​ The following diagram illustrates the difference between mergecap and ixmgtool.  ​
  
 {{:​pcaps:​ixmgtool.png |}} {{:​pcaps:​ixmgtool.png |}}
  
 +You can think of ixmgtool as combining the following three  operations
 +  - Find the lowest timestamp from all the pcap files, and compute the deltas for each file
 +  - Run ''​editcap -t delta''​ to transform the timestamps of each file
 +  - Run ''​mergecap''​ on the transformed pcap files
  
-====== trisul_ixmgtool ======+====== ​Using trisul_ixmgtool ======
  
 To get the free ixmgtool [[https://​trisul.org/​download|install Trisul Probe]] , you will find the trisul_ixmgtool in ''/​usr/​local/​bin''​ To get the free ixmgtool [[https://​trisul.org/​download|install Trisul Probe]] , you will find the trisul_ixmgtool in ''/​usr/​local/​bin''​
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 ===== Example run ===== ===== Example run =====
  
-Say you have put 10 files in a directory ​ and you want to create a single FAT file. +Say you have put 10 files in a directory ​ and you want to create a single FAT file.  If you are curious, we got these files from the good folks who run WRCCDC((The WRCCDC Cyber defense competition archives at https://​archive.wrccdc.org/​ ))
  
 <​code>​ <​code>​
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-To get a **really ​fat pcap** you can use the squish 10 option+To get a **really ​FAT pcap** you can use the ''​-squish10'' ​option. This creates 10 dummy flows for each flow by manipulating the source IP to 10 different IPs in the 10.0.0.x range. ​
  
  
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 ====== Conclusion ====== ====== Conclusion ======
  
 +trisul_ixmgtool ​ can be used to create FAT pcaps. These can be very useful for stressing NSM solutons. ​ Using the squish options you can create a mega thick PCAP file for testing by throwing all your PCAP testing files in single directory from varying timestamps and creating a single thick one. 
  
-The trisul_ixmgtool part of the Trisul ​NSM suite can be used for free to create FAT pcaps which can be very useful for stressing NSM solutons. ​ We use this in Trisul NSM to help users download PCAPs of various investigations +Hope this is useful to the NSM community
  
-Using the squish options you can create a mega thick PCAP file for testing by throwing all your PCAP testing files in single directory from varying timestamps and creating a single thick one.  
  
-Hope this is useful for the NSM community.  +To get the tool (it is free).  ​Install the Trisul Probe package for your platform from  the [[https://​trisul.org/​download|Trisul Download page]]
- +
- +
-To get the tool Install the Trisul Probe package for your platform from  the [[https://​trisul.org/​download|Trisul Download page]]+
  
  
pcaps/ixmgtool.1555162910.txt.gz · Last modified: 2019/04/13 13:41 by veera