This article helps in understanding the differences between Exporter Traffic and Traffic Pattern and what are they used for.

 

 Exporter TrafficTraffic Pattern
Setup(tick) provided by default(tick) requires custom setup
Based on(tick) physical infrastructure(tick) logical definition
Nodes(tick) exporters and interfaces(tick) Traffic Patterns, Subnet Sets and Subnets
Monitors(tick) traffic on routers, L3 switches and interfaces(tick) specific (custom defined) traffic
Analysis focus(tick) whole traffic on specific physical infrastructure(tick) specific traffic between two networks
Level of expertise(tick) fast setup and easy to understand(tick) complex setup and harder to understand

 

In general you will use:

  • Exporter Traffic when you are interested in monitoring the bandwidth of an interface or exporter (whole traffic passing through the physical infrastructure)
  • Traffic Patterns to isolate a specific type of traffic (traffic via specific ports, protocols, AS etc.): YouTube Traffic, certain service traffic, blocked traffic etc.
  • Traffic Patterns with Subnet Sets to monitor whole or specific traffic per logical unit: company departments, regional company offices, member organisations, data centre traffic etc.