Overview

geotop is a sophisticated htop-style real-time network and log monitoring tool that features a live global geolocation map. This project allows users to effectively monitor network traffic and log data, making it an essential tool for network administrators and developers.

Key Features

• Dual Ingestion Engine: geotop can simultaneously sniff raw packets using pnet and tail nginx/apache access logs, consolidating both streams into a unified event bus.
• Auto-Resolving Geolocation: With a bundled IP2Location LITE-DB11 wrapper, geotop automatically detects locations versus proxies. The initial run automatically downloads and extracts the necessary database, ensuring seamless operation.
• Lock-Free Hot Reload: Database changes are managed through atomic swaps, allowing geotop to refresh without blocking lookups during runtime.
• Proxy/VPN Detection: It features optional detection capabilities for proxies, VPNs, datacenters, and Tor traffic, enhancing the monitoring capabilities.
• Dynamic Map Rendering: The high-resolution dynamic map utilizes ratatui-image, adapting to different terminal protocols for optimal display.
• Intuitive UI Layout: The interface includes three panels in an htop-style format: the top displays the map, the bottom shows a live connection log, and the right side features metrics on top talkers, throughput sparklines, and key statistics.
• Connection Visualization: Notably, connections are visually represented as glowing dots on the map that pulse and fade, with a home location indicator marking the user’s position.
• User Interaction: The application supports keyboard shortcuts for operations like pausing and clearing logs, enhancing user experience.
• Native GUI Mode: When running with the --gui flag, users can access a fully interactive visual dashboard that supports zooming and panning.
• Configurable Dashboard: The configuration options allow for personalized adjustments, including marker styles, colors, and label visibility, ensuring that geotop meets specific needs in various environments.

How It Works

Launching geotop initiates comprehensive traffic monitoring:

sudo -E geotop --all-interfaces  # for monitoring all interfaces
geotop -f /var/log/nginx/access.log  # for log tailing

Data is processed and visualized in real-time, allowing users to keep track of network activity and potential issues as they arise.

System Requirements

geotop operates efficiently within any environment possessing a modern terminal emulator, making it versatile for various setups.

User Documentation

For deeper insights about customizable options and advanced features, users are encouraged to consult the geotop README. Here, a comprehensive guide including configuration examples, troubleshooting tips, and extensive command-line usage is available.

Conclusion

geotop stands out as an advanced tool for network monitoring, providing essential insight through an engaging visualization of live data. With its rich feature set and user-friendly interface, it simplifies the monitoring process, making it more accessible and efficient for all users.