Network sniffer for monitoring and reporting network information that is

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and system for locating available information in a network environment by a user in a node. In a system aspect, within a node in the network, the present invention includes a network sniffer and an access sniffer. The access sniffer includes an access element and an access interface. The access element preferably includes a memory and a database. The access element accesses the network sniffer and filters out unavailable information by using information such as address and port numbers gathered by the network sniffer. Unavailable information includes information which is non-public or beyond the privilege level of the particular user. The access element evaluates data streams which are public information to determine if the data streams meet a predetermined criteria. If the data streams meet the predetermined criteria, then the data is saved in the database. The access element transfers only the information available to the particular user to the access interface. The access element can time itself for a limited amount of time for execution. Once the predetermined time period has expired, the access element is complete and it can save and transfer the appropriate information to the access interface.