In order to achieve a 100% guaranteed view of all network traffic and fulfil today’s access and visibility requirements, the network infrastructure must incorporate network TAPs (Test Access Points). Network Visibility solutions are only as good as the data that they receive; Network TAPs represent the foundation of an effective and reliable visibility infrastructure. The question that follows is, naturally, what exactly is a Network TAP and what does it offer that makes it a more effective data source than alternatives such as Port Mirroring and SPAN (Cisco’s Switched Port Analyzer)?