This paper explores the challenges and alternatives for packet capture in a vSphere environment with IP storage (NFS, iSCSI) datastores over a 10G network, and presents the design of a self-assembled 10G packet capture solution that can be built using commercial components relatively inexpensively.
This solution is optimized for common troubleshooting scenarios where short duration packet captures can satisfy most analysis requirements. We recommend vSphere customers deploying ESX IP storage over 10G networks to include 10G packet capture systems as a best practice to ensure network visibility.
