Net::Flow(3)

NAME
Net::Flow - decode and encode NetFlow/IPFIX datagrams.

SYNOPSIS

  EXAMPLE#1 - Output Flow Records of NetFlow v5, v9 and IPFIX -
The following script simply outputs the received Flow Records after decoding NetFlow/IPFIX datagrams. It can parse the NetFlow v5, v9 and IPFIX. If it receive NetFlow v9/IPFIX datagrams, several Templates of NetFlow/IPFIX can be kept as ARRAY reference $TemplateArrayRef. By adding it as the input parameter, it can parse the NetFlow/IPFIX datagrams without templates. If received Packet has same Template Id, this Template is overwritten by new one.

use strict; use warnings;

use Net::Flow qw(decode); use Net::Flow::Constants qw(
    %informationElementsByName
    %informationElementsById ); use IO::Socket::INET;

my $receive_port = 4739;    # IPFIX port
my $packet; my %TemplateArrayRefs; my $sock = IO::Socket::INET->new(
    LocalPort => $receive_port,
    Proto => 'udp' );

my $sender; while ( $sender = $sock->recv( $packet, 0xFFFF ) ) {
    my ($sender_port, $sender_addr) = unpack_sockaddr_in($sender);
    $sender_addr = inet_ntoa($sender_addr);

        my ( $HeaderHashRef, $FlowArrayRef, $ErrorsArrayRef ) = ();

        # template ids are per src, destination, and observation domain.
        # Ideally the module will handle this, but the current API doesn't
        # really allow for this.  For now you are on your own.
        my ($version, $observationDomainId, $sourceId) = unpack('nx10N2', $packet);
        my $stream_id;
        if ($version == 9) {
                $stream_id = "$sender_port, $sender_addr, $sourceId";
        } else {
                $stream_id = "$sender_port, $sender_addr, $observationDomainId";
        }
        $TemplateArrayRefs{$stream_id} ||= [];
        my $TemplateArrayRef = $TemplateArrayRefs{$stream_id};
        ( $HeaderHashRef, $TemplateArrayRef, $FlowArrayRef, $ErrorsArrayRef ) = Net::Flow::decode( \$packet, $TemplateArrayRef );

        grep { print "$_\n" } @{$ErrorsArrayRef} if ( @{$ErrorsArrayRef} );

        print "\n- Header Information -\n";
        foreach my $Key ( sort keys %{$HeaderHashRef} ) {
                printf ' %s = %3d' . "\n", $Key, $HeaderHashRef->{$Key};
        }

        foreach my $TemplateRef ( @{$TemplateArrayRef} ) {
                print "\n-- Template Information --\n";

                foreach my $TempKey ( sort keys %{$TemplateRef} ) {
                        if ( $TempKey eq 'Template' ) {
                                printf '  %s = ' . "\n", $TempKey;
                                foreach my $Ref ( @{ $TemplateRef->{Template} } ) {
                                        foreach my $Key ( keys %{$Ref} ) {
                                                printf '   %s=%s', $Key, $Ref->{$Key};
                                        }
                                        print "\n";
                                }
                        } else {
                                printf '  %s = %s' . "\n", $TempKey, $TemplateRef->{$TempKey};
                        }
                }
        }

        foreach my $FlowRef ( @{$FlowArrayRef} ) {
                print "\n-- Flow Information --\n";

                foreach my $Id ( sort keys %{$FlowRef} ) {
                        my $name = $informationElementsById{$Id}->{name} // "$Id";
                        if ( $Id eq 'SetId' ) {
                                print "  $Id=$FlowRef->{$Id}\n" if defined $FlowRef->{$Id};
                        } elsif ( ref $FlowRef->{$Id} ) {
                                printf '  Id=%s Value=', $name;
                                foreach my $Value ( @{ $FlowRef->{$Id} } ) {
                                        printf '%s,', unpack( 'H*', $Value );
                                }
                                print "\n";
                        } else {
                                printf '  Id=%s Value=%s' . "\n", $name, unpack( 'H*', $FlowRef->{$Id} );
                        }
                }
        }
}

1;

__END__

# Local Variables: *** # mode:CPerl *** # cperl-indent-level:2 *** # perl-indent-level:2 *** # tab-width: 2 *** # indent-tabs-mode: t *** # End: *** # # vim: ts=2 sw=2 noexpandtab

  EXAMPLE#2 - Convert Protocol from NetFlow v5 to NetFlow v9 -
The following script converts NetFlow protocol from NetFlow v5 to NetFlow v9 as converter. At first, it decodes NetFlow v5 datagram. After that, these flow records are encoded into NetFlow v9 according to the particular Template which include sampling interval and sampling mode. And they are sent to the next Collector.

  use strict;
  use Net::Flow qw(decode encode);
  use IO::Socket::INET;

  my $receive_port = 9995;
  my $send_port    = 9996;

  my $packet        = undef;
  my $TemplateRef   = undef;
  my $MyTemplateRef = {
    'SetId'      => 0,
    'TemplateId' => 300,
    'Template'   => [
      { 'Length' => 4, 'Id' => 8  },    # sourceIPv4Address
      { 'Length' => 4, 'Id' => 12 },    # destinationIPv4Address
      { 'Length' => 4, 'Id' => 2  },    # packetDeltaCount
      { 'Length' => 4, 'Id' => 1  },    # octetDeltaCount
      { 'Length' => 2, 'Id' => 7  },    # sourceTransportPort
      { 'Length' => 2, 'Id' => 11 },    # destinationTransportPort
      { 'Length' => 1, 'Id' => 4  },    # protocolIdentifier
      { 'Length' => 1, 'Id' => 5  },    # ipClassOfService
      { 'Length' => 4, 'Id' => 34 },    # samplingInterval
      { 'Length' => 4, 'Id' => 35 },    # samplingAlgorithm
    ],
  };

  my @MyTemplates = ($MyTemplateRef);

  my $EncodeHeaderHashRef = {
    'SourceId'    => 0,         # optional
    'VersionNum'  => 9,
  };

  my $r_sock = IO::Socket::INET->new(
    LocalPort => $receive_port,
    Proto     => 'udp'
  );

  my $s_sock = IO::Socket::INET->new(
    PeerAddr => '127.0.0.1',
    PeerPort => $send_port,
    Proto    => 'udp'
  );

  while ( $r_sock->recv( $packet, 1548 ) ) {

    my $PktsArrayRef = undef;

    my ( $HeaderHashRef,
         undef,
         $FlowArrayRef,
         $ErrorsArrayRef )
      = Net::Flow::decode( \$packet, undef );

    grep { print "$_\n" } @{$ErrorsArrayRef} if ( @{$ErrorsArrayRef} );

    foreach my $HashRef ( @{$FlowArrayRef} ) {
      $HashRef->{"SetId"} = 300;
      $HashRef->{"34"} = pack( "N", $HeaderHashRef->{"SamplingInterval"} )
        if defined $HeaderHashRef->{"SamplingInterval"};
      $HashRef->{"35"} = pack( "N", $HeaderHashRef->{"SamplingMode"} )
        if defined $HeaderHashRef->{"SamplingMode"};
    }

    $EncodeHeaderHashRef->{"SysUpTime"} = $HeaderHashRef->{"SysUpTime"};
    $EncodeHeaderHashRef->{"UnixSecs"}  = $HeaderHashRef->{"UnixSecs"};

    ( $EncodeHeaderHashRef,
      $PktsArrayRef,
      $ErrorsArrayRef )
      = Net::Flow::encode( $EncodeHeaderHashRef,
                           \@MyTemplates,
                           $FlowArrayRef,
                           1400 );

    grep { print "$_\n" } @{$ErrorsArrayRef} if ( @{$ErrorsArrayRef} );

    foreach my $Ref ( @{$PktsArrayRef} ) {
      $s_sock->send($$Ref);
    }

  }

DESCRIPTION
The Flow module provides the decoding function for NetFlow version 5,9 and IPFIX, and the encoding function for NetFlow version 9 and IPFIX. It supports NetFlow version 9 (RFC3945) and NetFlow version 5 (http://www.cisco.com/) and IPFIX(RFC5101). You can easily make the Flow Proxy, Protocol Converter and Flow Concentrator by using the combination of both function, just like Flow Mediator (RFC6183). The Mediator would have multiple functions by utilizing intermediate process. And also, you can make the flexible Collector which can receive any Templates by using the Storable perl module.

For standard information elements (ElementID, Name, Data Type, Data Type Semantics, and Description) see http://www.iana.org/assignments/ipfix/ipfix.xml

  Important Note
Version 1.000 may break code that relies (or works around) the previously broken encoding of IPFIX options templates. NetFlow version 9 is not affected by this change. The semantics for ScopeCount are now consistent when encoding v9 or IPFIX.

FUNCTIONS

  decode method
  ( $HeaderHashRef,
    $TemplateArrayRef,
    $FlowArrayRef,
    $ErrorsArrayRef ) =
  Net::Flow::decode( \$Packets, $InputTemplateArrayRef );

It returns a HASH reference containing the NetFlow/IPFIX Header information as $HeaderHashRef. And it returns ARRAY references with the Template and Flow Record (each ARRAY element contains a HASH reference for one Template or Flow Record) as $TemplateArrayRef or $FlowArrayRef. In case of an error a reference to an ARRAY containing the error messages is returned as $ErrorsArrayRef. The returned $TemplateArrayRef can be input on the next received packet which doesn't contain Template to decode it.

Return Values

$HeaderHashRef
    A HASH reference containing information in case of IPFIX header, with the following keys:

      "VersionNum"
      "Length"
      "UnixSecs"
      "SequenceNum"
      "ObservationDomainId"

    A HASH reference containing information in case of NetFlow v9 header, with the following keys:

      "VersionNum"
      "Count"
      "SysUpTime"
      "UnixSecs"
      "SequenceNum"
      "SourceId"

    A HASH reference containing information in case of NetFlow v5 header, with the following keys:

      "VersionNum"
      "Count"
      "SysUpTime"
      "UnixSecs"
      "UnixNsecs"
      "FlowSequenceNum"
      "EngineType"
      "EngineId"
      "SamplingMode"
      "SamplingInterval"

    All values of above keys are shown as decimal.

    The following addtional keys are also available
      "TemplateResendSecs" # templates be resent at least this often (v9 and IPFIX)

    TemplateResendSecs defaults to the old behavior of always sendng template information. A setting between 60 and 300 seconds is a better interval for resending templates.

$TemplateArrayRef
    This ARRAY reference contains several Templates which are contained input NetFlow/IPFIX packet and $InputTemplateArrayRef. Each Template is given HASH references. This HASH reference provides Data Template and Option Template, as follows. A HASH reference containing information in case of Data Template, with the following keys:

      "SetId"
      "TemplateId"
      "FieldCount"
      "Template"

    A HASH reference containing information in case of Option Template, with the following keys:

      "SetId"
      "TemplateId"
      "OptionScopeLength"
      "OptionLength"
      "FieldCount"
      "ScopeCount"
      "Template"

    In case of IPFIX, "OptionScopeLength" and "OptionLength" are omitted.

    In case of IPFIX, 0 value of "FieldCount" has a particular meaning. if TemplateWithdrawMessage is received, "FieldCount" of corresponding Template would become value of 0. A HASH reference containing information in case of WithdrawTemplateMessage, with the following keys:

      "SetId"
      "FieldCount"
      "TemplateId"

    All values for above keys other than "Template" are shown as decimal. The value for "Template" is a ARRAY references. Each ARRAY element contains a HASH reference for one pair of "Id" and "Length". This pair of "Id" and "Length" are shown as Field type. The order of this ARRAY means the order of this Template to decode data. A HASH reference containing information for each field type, with the following keys:

      "Id"
      "Length"

    If Enterprise Number is given in the IPFIX packets, the value of "Id" is presented by concatenating string between the value of Enterprise Number and the value of Information Element Id. For example, if Enterprise Number is "3000" and Information Element Id is "100", the value of "Id" becomes "3000.100". In case of IPFIX, 65535 value of "Length" has a particular meaning. if "Length" is 65535, this field type means variable length field. The length of field in each Flow Record is different.

    The values for "Length","TemplateId","FieldCount" are shown as decimal.

$FlowArrayRef
    This ARRAY reference contains several HASH references for each Flow Record. This HASH reference provides Flow Record for Data Template and Option Template, as follows. A HASH reference contains "SetId" and Ids of Field type, as HASH key. The value for "SetId" is shown as decimal which means decoded TemplateId. The "Id" number means Field type. The value for "SetId" is shown as decimal. The value for "Id" number is shown as binary data. The value of each field is directly extracted from NetFlow/IPFIX packets without modification.

      "SetId"
      "Id"

    If one Flow Record has multiple Fields of same type, the value for Id number becomes a ARRAY references. Each ARRAY element is value shown as binary data. The order of this ARRAY means the order of multiple same Fields in one Flow Record.

  encode method
  ( undef, # $HeaderHashRef no longer necessary (see note)
    $PktsArrayRef,
    $ErrorsArrayRef )
    = Net::Flow::encode( $HeaderHashRef,
                         $TemplateArrayRef,
                         $FlowArrayRef,
                         $MaxSize,
                       );

Input parameters are same data structure returned from decode function. "$MaxSize" means maximum payload size. This function make several NetFlow payloads without exceeding the maximum size.

These values for the input $HeaderHashRef, such as "UnixSecs", "SysUpTime","SourceId" and "ObservationDomainId", are used in this method. The other values are ignored. These values for output $HeaderHashRef means header information of the latest IPFIX/NetFlow datagram.

NOTE (change in behavior starting with version 1.1):

encode used to return a modified copy of $HeaderHashRef. Now $HeaderHashRef is just modified in place. $HeaderHashRef is still returned, but it is already modified so there is no need to update it again. This change is intended to allow the module to more reliably track. If the old behavior is desired you can pass in a new anonymous hashref from created from $HeaderHashRef like this {%$HeaderHashRef}.

Return Values

$PktsArrayRef
    This ARRAY reference contains several SCALAR references for each NetFlow datagram which is shown binary. It can be used as UDP datagram.

BUGS
Managing of flow streams is left to the user.

AUTHOR
Atsushi Kobayashi <akoba@nttv6.net> http://www3.plala.or.jp/akoba/

Let me know your flow-based measurement system using Net::Flow.

MAINTAINER
Andrew Feren <acferen@gmail.com>

Let me know your flow-based measurement system using Net::Flow.

CONTRIBUTIONS
The source code since version 0.05 can be found on Github:

https://github.com/acferen/Net-Flow.git

Anyone interested in contributing is encouraged to submit patches.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This perl module was supported by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan.

In the considerations of variable length fields, I have received support from Philip Gladstone.

Thanks to Plixer International for their support.

COPYRIGHT
Copyright (c) 2007-2008 NTT Information Sharing Platform Laboratories

This package is free software and is provided "as is" without express or implied warranty. This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself, either Perl version 5.8.8 or, at your option, any later version of Perl 5 you may have available.