What is the difference between ingress and egress traffic?

Ingress traffic refers specifically to incoming data that is sent to a network or system from external sources. This could include data being sent to a server, requests from users accessing applications, or any type of information that enters a network boundary. Understanding ingress traffic is essential for managing bandwidth, setting up firewalls, and ensuring that the right data flows into a network properly and securely.

Egress traffic, on the other hand, pertains to outgoing data that leaves a network or system. This can include responses to requests, data sent to external systems, or anything that exits the defined network perimeter. Monitoring egress traffic is crucial for managing data flows out of the network and ensuring compliance with security policies.

Identifying ingress as incoming data and egress as outgoing data is fundamental in network management and design, as it allows professionals to optimize performance and enhance security controls for both types of traffic.