PCAP stands for packet capture. It’s used in many different ways, but one common use case is analyzing traffic between two hosts or servers. To understand how to use PCAPs effectively, we must know what they are and why they are helpful.

Packets are the smallest units of information sent across networks. A single packet contains one piece of data—such as an IP address, TCP port number, or HTTP request header—that travels over multiple physical connections. Each packet typically takes up less than a kilobyte of memory, making it easy to store and transmit.

A packet capture tool allows you to monitor and record packets as they travel across a computer network. This lets you see what’s happening behind the scenes of your organization’s network infrastructure. You could even use a packet capture tool on your home network to analyze bandwidth.

More info: improve your work performance