Net Optics iTap GigaBit Port Aggregator tap is a cool device that I expect to test soon. I participated in a Think Tank where the concept of an “intelligent tap” was first introduced. Port aggregators are vulnerable to dropping traffic when the total bandwidth load exceeds the capacity of the output interface. With the iTap, you can see immediate and ongoing traffic statistics that ensure you’re observing and collecting what you expect. It would be cheaper to buy a dumb tap, though!”]
Source: https://taosecurity.blogspot.com/2006/03/net-optics-introduces-itap-this.html