Why Monitor Network Traffic?

• "Are music downloads swamping our network?"
• "Who is running an unauthorized web server on a non-standard port?"
• "Who typed the root password over the net in cleartext?"
• "How long is it taking our e-commerce system to process a customer order from start to finish?"
• "What generated that huge spike of traffic between 5:35am and 5:40am this morning?"
• "Exactly what happened during ­ and before ­ last night's attempted break-in?"

In other words:

• It's Good to Know What's on Your Network
  informed decision-making. moral rectitude.

• You May Be Legally Required To Know
  HIPAA and similar regulations

• Makes for Some Astonishing Discoveries and Recoveries
  surprise services. email from the past.

• Helps Explain What You are Doing
  why do you need another webserver? why use secure passwords?