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SPAN

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FeIix edited this page May 9, 2026 · 4 revisions

Switched Port Analyzer (SPAN), or port mirroring, is a feature on managed network switches that copies traffic from specific source ports or VLANs and sends it to a destination port for monitoring, troubleshooting, or security analysis.

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(learningnetwork.cisco.com)

Terminology Description
Source (SPAN) port A port that is monitored with use of the SPAN feature.
Source (SPAN) VLAN A VLAN whose traffic is monitored with use of the SPAN feature.
Destination (SPAN) port A port that monitors source ports, usually where a network analyzer is connected.
Reflector Port A port that copies packets onto an RSPAN VLAN.
Monitor port A monitor port is also a destination SPAN port in Catalyst 2900XL/3500XL/2950 terminology.
Local SPAN The SPAN feature is local when the monitored ports are all located on the same switch as the destination port.
Remote SPAN (RSPAN) Some source ports are not located on the same switch as the destination port.

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