Network port mirroring
Open vSwitch supports port mirroring features out-of-the-box. This feature is exactly similar to the port mirroring capability available on the new-generation physical switches. With port mirroring, network administrators can get an insight into what kind of traffic is flowing on the network and implement traffic analysis systems such as IDS/IPS. It is also helpful in troubleshooting network-related issues in the virtual infrastructure.
The basic purpose of port mirroring is to replicate layer 3 traffic flowing from one or more virtual ports to a designated port. It's easy to implement but take the following into consideration before you go ahead and configure it:
A virtual machine with port mirroring enabled uses more host CPU and RAM as compared to other virtual ports.
Port Mirroring may reduce the network latency if not implemented correctly.
Be aware that enabling port mirroring reduces user privacy. Plain passwords will be clearly visible to analysis tools.
