VisuSniff: A Tool For The Visualization Of Network Traffic
Rainer Oechsle, Oliver Gronz, Markus K. Schuler · 2002
VisuSniff (Visual Sniffer) is a tool for the better understanding of lower layer protocol software (within the operating system kernel) and distributed application software. VisuSniff captures all the data which is sent or received by a network device (an Ethernet adapter, e.g.), and visualizes the captured data in a well structured and understandable way. First an overview diagram shows all captured communication relationships. By clicking on specific items in the overview diagram (hosts, ports, communication relationships), the interesting information can be selected easily. A sequence diagram then visualizes all exchanged data packets chronologically for the selected items. After clicking on an interaction arrow in the sequence diagram, a visual representation of the exchanged data packet is shown. The packet data is presented in a way which is typically used in lectures and text books. Currently, we are working on visualizing Java remote method invocations including all the transmitted arguments and return values.