We present NetGrok, a new tool for visualizing computer networks in real-time. NetGrok applies well-known information visualization techniques (overview, zoom & filter, details on demand) and employs a group-based graph layout and a treemap to visually organize network data. NetGrok also integrates these tools with a shared data store that can read PCAP formatted network captures, capture traces from a live interface, and filter the data set dynamically by bandwidth, number of connections, and time. We performed a user case study that demonstrates the benefits of applying these techniques to static and real-time streaming packet data. Specifically, NetGrok serves as an "excellent real-time diagnostic," enabling fast understanding of network traffic and easy problem detection.
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