[Madlug] Networking Question?

[Moody Ahmad]

Thanks a lot for the input and suggestions !!!

Here is our setup:
1. 27 libraries feed into hq via T1 lines. Each library has a cisco  
router.
2. HQ provides internet connection for all the libraries as well as a  
library
    automation server, and MS Exchange server.
3. I don't have details yet on how the network is laid out at HQ -  
switches,
    routers, etc.

The current plan from all the input:

1. Set up a Linux server on the backbone ethernet. Depending on the
     network topology, may need multiple ethernet cards on the server to
     connect to multiple segments. I'll start with picking up the  
beefiest machine /
    server from SWAP surplus.
2. On the server, run
     - rancid to collect data from the branch libraries' routers.  
http://www.shrubbery.net/rancid/
     - mrtg for viewing router data. http://oss.oetiker.ch/mrtg/
       I am a bit confused about the overlap between rancid and mrtg.  
Need to do a bit more
      digging here.
    - argus for traffic flow monitoring. http://qosient.com/argus/
    - wireshark for packet sniffing, network analysis. http:// 
www.wireshark.org/
      I am a bit confused about the overlap between argus and  
wireshark. I guess I'll need
      to look at those in a bit more detail.

So, if I understand the setup then I should be able to see
1. Overall traffic volume
2. Traffic volume going to the internet
3. Traffic volumes for the Exchange and Library Automation server
4. Each branch library network segment volume.
5. Network traffic volume characterized by protocol type: http, udp,  
ftp, ...


Can I get more details on the network traffic to see if video traffic  
is eating up a lot of the bandwidth?

Thanks again for your help!!

Moody