Flow Collector Lite (specifically known as SoftPI Flow Collector Lite) is a lightweight Windows-based software utility designed to collect, aggregate, and report network traffic flow data. It serves as a centralized syslog/flow server for network administrators to monitor bandwidth usage. Core Functionality
Data Collection: It gathers information about network traffic flows from exporters like switches, routers, and firewalls.
Protocol Support: The Lite version strictly processes NetFlow v5 (developed by Cisco Systems) and RFlow protocols.
Storage Options: Collected data can be saved into a Microsoft SQL Server database, a MySQL database, or exported directly into comma-separated text (.CSV) files. Built-In Reporting Engine
The program features an administration tool with a graphic user interface (GUI) paired with a Microsoft-based reporting engine. It generates 9 built-in visual reports, including:
Applications Pie Chart: Displays a breakdown of IP destination ports.
Equipment Traffic Distribution: Tracks data distribution across different nodes. Restrictions Compared to the Pro Version
The Lite version is intended for small networks or evaluation purposes. According to the SoftPI Flow Collector Developer Documentation, it enforces the following limits:
Max of 3 data sources (e.g., up to 3 routers or access points).
No support for advanced protocols like NetFlow v9 or IPFIX (which require the paid commercial version).
Are you looking to download and set up Flow Collector Lite for a test environment, or are you trying to troubleshoot an existing NetFlow v5 setup? SoftPI Flow Collector
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