A north-south traffic flow is a term used to describe the communication between a user or device outside the network and a server or service inside the network. For example, a public internet user accessing a published web server is a north-south traffic flow. This type of traffic flow typically crosses the network perimeter and requires security measures such as firewalls and VPNs. References: CompTIA Network+ N10-008 Certification Study Guide, page 16; The Official CompTIA Network+ Student Guide (Exam N10-008), page
1-9.
North-south traffic flow refers to the flow of traffic between the internal network of an organization and the external world. This type of traffic typically flows from the internet to the organization's internal network, and back again.
Examples of north-south traffic flow include:
* A public internet user accessing a published web server
* A remote employee connecting to a VPN
* An email client sending email to an external server
* A customer connecting to an e-commerce website
References:
* CompTIA Network+ N10-008 Exam Objectives, Version 5.0, August 2022, page 12
* CompTIA Network+ Certification Study Guide, Seventh Edition, Todd Lammle, Sybex, 2022, page 17