Traffic Analytics is a cloud-native solution that ingests and analyzes Network Security Group (NSG) flow logs. It provides rich visualizations and insights into traffic patterns, malicious flows, and security threats within your Azure environment. To use Traffic Analytics, you must first enable NSG flow logs for the network security groups associated with the virtual machines you wish to monitor. The flow logs serve as the raw data source that Traffic Analytics processes. Therefore, implementing NSG flow logs is the foundational and mandatory first step.

A. Connection monitor: This feature tests connectivity and measures latency between endpoints. It is not the data source for Traffic Analytics.

B. Packet capture: This is a diagnostic tool for capturing detailed network packet data for a limited time, used for deep-dive troubleshooting, not for continuous, aggregated analysis.

D. IP flow verify: This is a diagnostic tool used to verify if a specific traffic flow is allowed or denied by NSG rules, not a continuous logging mechanism.

1. Microsoft Learn

Azure Network Watcher documentation

"Traffic analytics": Under the "Prerequisites" section

it explicitly states

"To use traffic analytics

you need... A network security group (NSG) enabled for flow logging...". This confirms that NSG flow logs are a direct prerequisite.

Source: Microsoft Corporation. (2023). Traffic analytics. Microsoft Learn. Retrieved from https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/traffic-analytics#prerequisites

2. Microsoft Learn

Azure Network Watcher documentation

"Introduction to flow logging for network security groups": This document describes how NSG flow logs work and their purpose. The "Traffic Analytics" section highlights that "Traffic analytics is a native Azure service that uses the NSG flow logs to provide deep visibility of your network traffic."

Source: Microsoft Corporation. (2023). Introduction to flow logging for network security groups. Microsoft Learn. Retrieved from https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/network-watcher-nsg-flow-logging-overview#traffic-analytics

3. Microsoft Learn

Azure Network Watcher documentation

"Tutorial: Log network traffic to and from a virtual machine using the Azure portal": This tutorial guides the user through the process. Step 1 is "Enable NSG flow log

" and a later step is "Enable Traffic Analytics

" demonstrating the required sequence.

Source: Microsoft Corporation. (2023). Tutorial: Log network traffic to and from a virtual machine using the Azure portal. Microsoft Learn. Retrieved from https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/network-watcher-nsg-flow-logging-portal (See sections "Enable NSG flow log" and "Enable Traffic Analytics").