Top 8 Network Visibility Solutions for Financial Services in 2026

Financial institutions operate some of the most demanding networks in the world. Real-time transaction processing, encrypted data flows, strict regulatory frameworks, and zero tolerance for packet loss make network visibility a foundational requirement — not an optional upgrade. Regulations including the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II (MiFID II), Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS), and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) mandate continuous monitoring, incident reporting, and verifiable audit trails. Choosing the wrong visibility infrastructure means blind spots in exactly the environments regulators demand you watch. This guide compares eight vendors delivering network Test Access Points (TAPs), packet brokers, and full packet capture solutions purpose-suited to the speed, compliance, and uptime requirements of financial services.

At a Glance: Network Visibility Vendors for Financial Services

1. Network Critical

Network Critical's SmartNA-PortPlus™ combines network TAP and packet broker functionality in a single modular chassis — a deployment advantage that directly reduces rack footprint, capital expenditure, and management overhead in dense financial data centers.

The platform scales from 48 to 194 ports across 1G, 10G, 25G, 40G, and 100G speeds. The SmartNA-PortPlus HyperCore™ extends visibility to 400G with 32 QSFP-DD interfaces, supporting the throughput demands of high-frequency trading environments and core banking interconnects. The SmartNA-XL™ adds advanced compliance-specific features including packet slicing, payload masking, and header stripping — functions essential for organizations handling Payment Card Industry (PCI) data or subject to data residency obligations.

Drag-n-Vu™ software provides a single-pane graphical interface for filter and port-map configuration, with a RESTful Application Programming Interface (API) for automated, machine-driven reconfiguration — enabling dynamic response to traffic anomalies without manual intervention. Network TAPs across the range deliver 100% packet capture with zero packet loss, and passive fiber options require no power, creating no additional points of failure on latency-sensitive links.

For financial services teams requiring zero-trust perimeter security, INVIKTUS™ provides network-layer access control that keeps sensitive servers invisible to unauthorized traffic — with no IP or Media Access Control (MAC) address exposure and a Lock & Leave configuration model suited to compliance-driven environments.

Proven Results:

• HSBC: Deployed SmartNA TAPs and Passive Fiber TAPs globally — from the UK to Hong Kong — achieving zero latency on monitoring technologies and real-time financial performance visibility across their entire infrastructure.
• Vodafone: Achieved 100% accurate traffic visibility on key links and reduced customer churn rates through continuous Quality of Service (QoS) monitoring across a multi-generation mobile network.
• BP: Enabled centralized monitoring of critical Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) systems across refinery buildings using Passive Fiber TAPs with no power requirement and no network impact.

2. Gigamon

Gigamon's Deep Observability Pipeline feeds network-derived intelligence to security, compliance, and observability tools across physical, virtual, and hybrid cloud environments. Seven of the world's top ten banks rely on Gigamon to secure and manage their hybrid cloud infrastructure.

The platform supports PCI-DSS 4.0 and DORA compliance by providing complete visibility into data in motion and enabling real-time traffic analysis for incident reporting. Gigamon Precryption® technology delivers plaintext visibility into encrypted communications — including lateral east-west traffic — without requiring decryption at each tool. GigaVUE Cloud Suite extends visibility across AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud Platform, covering workloads in virtual machines, containers, and Kubernetes environments. G-TAP passive and active series provide the physical access layer, supporting speeds up to 400G with battery backup options for business continuity.

Financial institutions using Gigamon report up to 50–60% savings on tool spend through deduplication, filtering, and centralized decryption that reduce the volume of traffic each monitoring tool receives.

3. Keysight Technologies

Keysight's Vision Series Network Packet Brokers (NPBs) and TAPs are built on a test equipment heritage that demands zero packet loss as a baseline requirement. The platform supports speeds from 1G to 400G with hardware-accelerated filtering and SSL/TLS decryption.

The Dynamic Filter Compiler automatically resolves filter rule conflicts without manual intervention, reducing misconfiguration risk in environments where compliance configurations must be exact. AI-assisted visibility tools provide enhanced memory and storage optimization for large-scale financial deployments. Flex Tap Secure+ supports lawful interception requirements applicable in regulated financial markets. Support for Cisco Bidirectional (BiDi) optics ensures compatibility with the high-density data center infrastructure common in financial institutions. Keysight's extensive product inventory supports rapid deployment timelines for organizations responding to audit requirements or infrastructure upgrades under DORA obligations.

4. Endace

Endace specializes in always-on, 100% accurate packet capture with nanosecond-resolution timestamping — capabilities specifically required by financial trading regulations including MiFID II, Regulation National Market System (RegNMS), and SOX. EndaceProbe appliances deliver continuous full packet capture at 100G and beyond, with up to three petabytes of packet storage in the EP-94C8-G5 high-capacity models.

Endace's DAG technology captures real-world traffic at full line rate without dropping packets, providing the definitive forensic evidence that regulators and security teams need for incident investigation. EndaceProbe integrates directly with leading Security Information and Event Management (SIEM), Security Orchestration, Automation and Response (SOAR), Intrusion Detection System (IDS), and performance monitoring platforms via the Endace Fusion Partner ecosystem — including Palo Alto Networks, Fortinet, Splunk, and Cisco. For high-frequency trading environments, nanosecond-accurate timestamps meet the precision required for trade surveillance, algorithmic tuning, and compliance reporting. EndaceProbes are certified to Common Criteria/NIAP NDcPP v2.2e and NIST FIPS 140-3 security standards, and are listed on the US Department of Defense Information Network Approved Products List (DoDIN APL).

Endace has served global banks, high-frequency traders, insurance firms, and government financial regulators for more than 20 years.

5. NETSCOUT

NETSCOUT combines network packet brokering with service assurance in a single integrated platform, addressing both the visibility and application performance monitoring requirements that financial institutions carry simultaneously. The nGenius® Packet Flow Switch (PFS) 5000 series operates at speeds up to 400G and feeds traffic to NETSCOUT's InfiniStream® appliances for continuous analysis.

External Powersafe TAPs (EPTs) deliver inline security access with SSL/TLS decryption capability for passive and inline security tools. The nGenius PFS Fabric Manager provides centralized management across the monitoring fabric. NETSCOUT has published specific DORA compliance guidance, positioning the nGenius platform as a tool for the continuous monitoring, gap analysis, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) risk framework documentation that DORA mandates. Physical and virtual TAPs extend monitoring to cloud environments including Microsoft Azure via vTAPs, providing visibility across hybrid deployments common in modern financial institutions.

6. Niagara Networks

Niagara Networks' Open Visibility Platform delivers carrier-grade Network Packet Brokers (NPBs), bypass switches, and TAPs supporting 1G to 400G links. The platform is deployed in mission-critical financial markets worldwide, designed for the Network Operations (NetOps) and Security Operations (SecOps) agility that financial institutions need to respond to evolving threats and regulatory change.

Hybrid Packet Broker and Bypass platforms combine inline bypass switching, TAP functionality, and packet brokering in a single system — maintaining traffic flow during tool failures or power events without interruption. TLS decryption and payload masking features support compliance with data handling obligations under PCI-DSS and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Traffic management configurations span one-to-one, one-to-many, many-to-one, and many-to-many port mapping — all load balanced across the monitoring fabric. Niagara's solutions are designed and manufactured in Silicon Valley, with a unified orchestration layer for centralized management across physical and virtual infrastructure.

7. Cubro Network Visibility

Cubro's Network Packet Brokers deliver 8-byte timestamping with nanosecond resolution — a feature of direct relevance to financial institutions requiring precision timing for transaction sequencing, audit trails, and MiFID II compliance reporting. The accuracy ensures timestamps remain correct when stored in financial databases and used for post-trade analysis.

Cubro's NPB portfolio supports speeds up to 400G and covers extensive tunneling protocols including Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS), Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE), NVGRE, Virtual Extensible Local Area Network (VXLAN), CFP, ERSPAN, and GPRS Tunneling Protocol (GTP) — addressing the overlay network architectures used in multi-site financial data center deployments. The G5+ series uses a programmable architecture with high-performance ARM Central Processing Units (CPUs) for on-board functions including deduplication and NetFlow generation. Vitrum, Cubro's centralized management software, provides a single-pane-of-glass interface across all deployed Cubro devices. Individual product testing and certification is standard across the Cubro range, making it a strong fit for compliance-driven procurement processes.

8. APCON

APCON's IntellaView platform delivers chassis-based Network Packet Brokering with application-aware processing for financial services environments where granular traffic classification drives both security and compliance decisions. The HyperEngine processor provides real-time packet processing at 100G line rate.

APCON automatically detects over 1,600 applications and 400 protocols, enabling financial institutions to apply precise monitoring policies by application type, port, or protocol — without manually defining every filter rule. Modular chassis configurations range from 1RU to 9RU, with 400G QSFP-DD connections and multiple breakout speeds to match the port density requirements of large trading floors and core banking data centers. Centralized management and advanced analytics provide the audit-ready reporting that compliance frameworks including PCI-DSS and SOX require. APCON's reputation for reliability and uptime makes it well-suited to financial institutions where unplanned monitoring gaps carry regulatory consequences.

How to Choose the Right Network Visibility Solution for Financial Services

Selecting network visibility infrastructure for a financial institution involves tighter constraints than a standard enterprise deployment. Compliance mandates, latency requirements, and audit obligations each narrow the field of viable options.

Compliance and Regulatory Alignment

Different frameworks impose different technical requirements. MiFID II mandates nanosecond-accurate timestamping for trade records. DORA requires continuous ICT monitoring, documented incident response, and third-party risk oversight. PCI-DSS demands packet-level evidence of cardholder data flows and access controls. Before evaluating vendors, map your regulatory obligations to specific visibility capabilities — timestamping precision, payload masking, SSL/TLS decryption, and audit log retention are not universally available across all platforms.

Latency Sensitivity

High-frequency trading and real-time payment processing environments cannot absorb added latency from monitoring infrastructure. Passive fiber TAPs introduce near-zero latency and require no power — making them the correct choice for links where even microseconds of delay carry financial or regulatory consequences. Active TAPs and inline packet brokers suit environments where advanced processing (decryption, deduplication, filtering) justifies the marginal overhead.

Zero Packet Loss Requirements

Regulators do not accept monitoring gaps. Any solution that drops packets under load — including Switch Port Analyzer (SPAN) ports on congested switches — creates compliance exposure. Verify that your chosen platform provides guaranteed zero packet loss at the throughput levels your network actually carries, not just under lab conditions. Architectures with non-blocking switching fabrics and dedicated monitoring paths are the right baseline for financial services deployments.

Scalability Without Infrastructure Replacement

Financial networks grow. Core banking systems add capacity, trading platforms expand to new asset classes, and cloud adoption creates new monitoring domains alongside existing on-premises infrastructure. Choose a network visibility solution with a scale-out architecture that lets you add ports and throughput incrementally — without replacing existing chassis or reconfiguring monitoring policies from scratch. This directly reduces capital expenditure and the operational risk of disruptive upgrades during live trading hours.

Hybrid Cloud and Encrypted Traffic Coverage

The majority of financial network traffic is now encrypted, and a growing share runs through cloud infrastructure. Your visibility platform needs:

• SSL/TLS decryption at scale, feeding plaintext traffic to monitoring tools
• Virtual TAP or cloud-native agents covering AWS, Azure, or private cloud workloads
• East-west traffic visibility for lateral threat detection within data center environments
• Centralized management that treats physical and virtual monitoring as a single fabric

Total Cost of Ownership

Entry-level platform costs are rarely the dominant factor in financial services visibility deployments. Calculate total cost of ownership across tool consolidation savings (fewer monitoring tools required when traffic is filtered and deduplicated upstream), power and rack costs (passive TAPs require neither), management overhead (intuitive graphical interfaces reduce engineer time), and the compliance cost of monitoring gaps. Platforms that combine TAP and packet broker functionality in a single chassis typically deliver lower total cost than separate point solutions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the Difference Between a Network TAP and a Packet Broker in Financial Services?

A network TAP creates a passive physical copy of live traffic without affecting the production network. A packet broker sits between TAPs and monitoring tools, aggregating, filtering, and distributing that traffic to the right tools at the right time. Financial institutions typically deploy both: TAPs for physical access on critical links, and packet brokers to manage how that traffic is distributed to Security Information and Event Management (SIEM), Intrusion Detection System (IDS), and performance monitoring platforms without overwhelming each tool.

Do Financial Institutions Need Nanosecond Timestamping?

MiFID II requires investment firms and trading venues to synchronize clocks to within 100 microseconds of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and timestamp records accordingly — with more stringent requirements for algorithmic trading. Standard network monitoring timestamps are insufficient for regulatory trade surveillance. Solutions including Endace EndaceProbe and Cubro's NPBs provide nanosecond-resolution hardware timestamping that satisfies MiFID II and similar trade record obligations.

How Does Network Visibility Support DORA Compliance?

DORA mandates continuous monitoring of ICT systems, documented incident detection and response procedures, and verifiable audit trails. Network packet brokers and TAPs provide the packet-level evidence that supports each of these obligations — capturing 100% of traffic on critical links, feeding real-time data to detection tools, and preserving forensic records for post-incident reporting. Platforms that include SSL/TLS decryption and payload masking further support DORA's requirements for monitoring encrypted communications while protecting data under GDPR.

Can SPAN Ports Replace Dedicated TAPs in Financial Networks?

SPAN ports are not a reliable substitute for dedicated TAPs in financial services environments. SPAN ports drop packets under high traffic load, cannot capture certain error frames, and share switch resources with production traffic — creating the risk of monitoring gaps at exactly the moments when network events are most likely. Dedicated hardware TAPs capture 100% of traffic passively, with no impact on production links and no dependency on switch resources. For compliance purposes, a monitoring gap caused by SPAN port saturation is indistinguishable from a gap caused by a breach or failure.

What Throughput Do Financial Services Networks Typically Require?

Core banking interconnects and financial data center links commonly run at 10G to 100G today, with high-frequency trading co-location environments and large clearing institutions increasingly deploying 400G infrastructure. Your visibility platform should support your current link speeds with headroom for growth. Platforms including the SmartNA-PortPlus HyperCore™ and solutions from Gigamon, Keysight, NETSCOUT, Niagara, Cubro, and APCON support up to 400G, covering both current and near-term financial network requirements.

Is Zero-Trust Security Compatible With Network TAP Deployments?

Zero-trust architectures and hardware TAP deployments are complementary. TAPs provide passive visibility into traffic flows without being addressable or hackable — they have no IP or MAC address and cannot be compromised by network-layer attacks. Zero-trust solutions like INVIKTUS™ can be deployed alongside TAP infrastructure to enforce access controls at the network layer, making sensitive servers invisible to unauthorized traffic while TAPs continue to provide full monitoring visibility to authorized security tools.

Build Your Financial Services Visibility Architecture With Network Critical

Financial institutions need visibility infrastructure that matches the precision, reliability, and compliance requirements of the networks it monitors. Network Critical's hybrid TAP and packet broker platform delivers 100% packet capture with zero packet loss, scales incrementally from 1G to 400G without replacing existing infrastructure, and includes compliance-specific features — payload masking, header stripping, and packet slicing — that directly support PCI-DSS, DORA, and MiFID II obligations. Deployments at HSBC, Vodafone, and BP demonstrate the platform's performance in demanding, regulated environments where monitoring gaps carry real consequences.

To discuss your network visibility requirements or arrange a free network audit, speak to the Network Critical team.