Netspy - Contextual Network Telemetry Analyzer

A unified CLI tool that provides MCP (Model Context Protocol) server capabilities for real-time network connectivity analytics with AI-powered insights and OpenAI function calling integration.

🚀 Features

Core Capabilities

• Real-time Network Monitoring: Track connection attempts, patterns, and packet drops
• Process-Specific Analysis: Query by PID or process name
• AI-Powered Insights: Advanced OpenAI function calling with contextual tool orchestration
• Interactive & Programmatic: Both CLI and API interfaces available
• Multiple Output Modes: Summary, detailed listings, pattern analysis, and AI insights

AI Integration Highlights

• OpenAI Function Calling: LLM automatically selects and chains multiple analysis tools
• Contextual Tool Orchestration: Dynamic tool selection based on query context
• Comprehensive Analysis: Multi-tool data synthesis for actionable insights
• Natural Language Queries: Ask questions in plain English about network behavior

🏗️ Architecture

┌─────────────────┐    ┌─────────────────┐    ┌─────────────────┐
│   netspy CLI    │───▶│   MCP Server    │───▶│  eBPF Server    │
│  (MCP Client)   │    │  (Internal)     │    │ (HTTP API)      │
└─────────────────┘    └─────────────────┘    └─────────────────┘
                              │
                              ▼
                       ┌─────────────────┐
                       │  OpenAI API     │
                       │   (Function     │
                       │    Calling)     │
                       └─────────────────┘

Function Calling Flow

User Query → Conversation Manager → OpenAI API → Function Calls → MCP Tools → Results → Final Response

1. User Input: Natural language query about network behavior
2. OpenAI Processing: LLM analyzes query and determines needed tools
3. Function Calls: System executes appropriate MCP tools with validated parameters
4. Result Integration: Tool outputs are fed back to the LLM
5. Final Response: Comprehensive analysis based on real data

📋 Prerequisites

1. eBPF Network Monitor Server: Build from ebpf-server repository

   git clone git@github.com:SRodi/ebpf-server.git
   cd ebpf-server
   make build  # Compiles both Go code AND eBPF programs
   

2. Root Privileges: Required for eBPF operations on the server

3. OpenAI API Key: Required for AI insights (set OPENAI_API_KEY environment variable)

   export OPENAI_API_KEY=your_openai_api_key_here
   

🛠️ Installation

go build -o netspy ./cmd/netspy

🎯 Quick Start

# 1. Start the eBPF API server (run once and keep running)
cd /path/to/ebpf-server
sudo ./bin/ebpf-server --http --port 8080

# 2. Set OpenAI API key
export OPENAI_API_KEY=your_key_here

# 3. Generate some network traffic
curl -s http://google.com

# 4. Use contextual analysis
./netspy
netspy-mcp> contextual "analyze my system"

💬 Usage Examples

Contextual Analysis (Recommended)

The AI-powered analysis automatically selects and chains multiple tools:

# Interactive mode with contextual analysis
./netspy
netspy-mcp> contextual "What's happening with my network connections?"
netspy-mcp> contextual "Are there any packet drops or connection issues?"
netspy-mcp> contextual "Analyze the network behavior of process nginx"

# Command line mode
./netspy --tool contextual_analysis --query "Analyze my network activity"
./netspy --tool contextual_analysis --query "How is curl behaving?" --process curl

Traditional Tool Commands

# Interactive mode
./netspy
netspy-mcp> summary --pid 1234 --duration 120
netspy-mcp> list --process curl --max-events 20
netspy-mcp> analyze --process nginx
netspy-mcp> insights "curl made 5 connections in 60 seconds"

# Single command mode
./netspy --tool get_network_summary --pid 1234 --duration 120
./netspy --tool list_connections --process curl --max-events 15
./netspy --tool analyze_patterns --process ssh

🔧 Available Tools

Core Analysis Tools

• get_network_summary: Aggregated connection statistics for processes
• list_connections: Recent network connection events with filtering
• get_packet_drop_summary: Packet loss analysis for connectivity issues
• list_packet_drops: Detailed packet drop events
• analyze_patterns: Connection pattern analysis and behavioral insights

AI-Powered Tools

• contextual_analysis: Advanced AI analysis with automatic tool selection
• ai_insights: Generate insights from provided summary text

📊 Sample Output

Intelligent Analysis

### Contextual Analysis

netspy-mcp> contextual "analyze my system"

### Comprehensive Network Analysis

1. **Network Summary**:
   - Over the last 60 seconds, there were **10 outbound connection attempts** recorded.

2. **Detailed Connection Events**:
   - A total of **29 connection events** were logged recently.
   - Notable connections include:
     - **10 connections** to `127.0.0.1:8080` by the process `netspy`.
     - Additional connections to DNS servers and local processes.

3. **Packet Drops**:
   - There have been **3 packet drops** across all processes in the last 60 seconds.

4. **Connection Patterns**:
   - **Top Destinations**: Local connections dominate with 8 connections to `:0`
   - **Protocols Used**: Predominantly TCP (9 connections) and UDP (12 connections)

### Insights & Recommendations:
- **Monitor `netspy`**: Heavy localhost usage detected
- **Investigate Packet Drops**: Monitor for recurring losses
- **Consider Network Capacity**: Optimize settings if under heavy load
- **Regular Monitoring**: Implement ongoing monitoring for these metrics

Traditional Commands

netspy-mcp> summary --process curl
Process 'curl' made 5 outbound connection attempts over the last 60 seconds

netspy-mcp> list --max-events 5
Recent connection events (15 total):
  21:05:53 | 127.0.0.1:8080 | TCP | netspy
  21:03:38 | (local socket) | UNIX | snapd
  21:01:08 | (local socket) | UNIX | snapd
  20:58:42 | 192.168.120.2:53 | UDP | systemd-resolve
  20:56:15 | 172.217.164.78:443 | TCP | curl

🎛️ Command Line Options

General Options

• --server URL: eBPF server URL (default: http://localhost:8080)
• --verbose: Enable verbose logging
• --help: Show help information

Tool Execution

• --tool TOOL: Run specific MCP tool and exit
  • Available tools: get_network_summary, list_connections, get_packet_drop_summary, list_packet_drops, analyze_patterns, ai_insights, contextual_analysis

Tool Parameters

• --pid PID: Process ID to monitor
• --process NAME: Process name to monitor
• --duration SECONDS: Duration in seconds (default: 60)
• --max-events COUNT: Maximum events to retrieve (default: 100)
• --summary-text TEXT: Summary text for AI insights
• --query TEXT: Natural language query for contextual analysis

🤖 AI Function Calling Details

How It Works

The system automatically registers all MCP tools as OpenAI functions, enabling the LLM to:

• Automatically select relevant tools based on user queries
• Chain multiple tools for comprehensive analysis
• Validate parameters and handle errors gracefully
• Maintain conversation context across interactions

Function Parameters

Each tool accepts these parameters (all optional unless specified):

Network Analysis Functions:

• pid (integer): Process ID to analyze
• process_name (string): Process name to analyze
• duration (integer, default: 60): Duration in seconds to analyze
• max_events (integer, default: 10): Maximum number of events to return

AI Functions:

• query (string, required for contextual_analysis): Natural language query
• summary_text (string, required for ai_insights): Summary text to analyze

Key Improvements

1. No Tool Context Integration → Live Tool Access

   • ✅ LLM has direct access to live network data through function calls

2. Missing Function Calling → Full OpenAI Function Support

   • ✅ Proper OpenAI function calling with parameter validation
   • ✅ All 7 MCP tools registered as OpenAI functions

3. Static Approach → Dynamic Tool Usage

   • ✅ LLM contextually selects and chains multiple tools
   • ✅ Demonstrated: 4 tools used automatically for system analysis

4. Limited Context → Structured Context Management

   • ✅ Multi-turn conversations with full context retention

🔧 Troubleshooting

"Connection refused" or failed connection

• Ensure the eBPF API server is running with --http --port 8080
• Test server health: curl http://localhost:8080/health
• Check that nothing else is using port 8080

"No connections found" when server has data

• Ensure the eBPF API server is running and generating data
• Generate some traffic: curl -s http://google.com
• Use netstat -tlnp | grep 8080 to verify server is listening

"permission denied"

• Use sudo for the eBPF server - eBPF operations require root privileges
• netspy client can run without sudo when using HTTP API mode

OpenAI API errors

• Check that OPENAI_API_KEY environment variable is set
• Verify API key is valid and has sufficient credits
• Check rate limits if experiencing frequent failures

"open bpf/connection.o: no such file or directory"

• Build server with make build in ebpf-server repository
• Server needs compiled eBPF programs, not just Go binary

👨‍💻 Developer Usage

MCP Integration

import "github.com/srodi/netspy/internal/mcp"

// Create MCP client with embedded server
mcpClient := mcp.NewMCPClient("http://localhost:8080", true)

// Start interactive mode
ctx := context.Background()
err := mcpClient.StartInteractiveMode(ctx)

// Or execute single command
arguments := map[string]any{
    "pid": 1234,
    "duration": 120,
}
result, err := mcpClient.RunSingleCommand(ctx, "get_network_summary", arguments)

OpenAI Integration

import "github.com/srodi/netspy/internal/openai"

// Create contextual network analyst
analyst := openai.NewContextualNetworkAnalyst(mcpExecutor)

// Analyze with natural language
analysis, err := analyst.AnalyzeNetworkQuery(ctx, "What's happening with my network?")

// Process-specific analysis
analysis, err := analyst.AnalyzeProcess(ctx, "nginx", 0, 60)

🏗️ Architecture Details

Core Components

1. Function Call Manager (internal/openai/functions.go)

   • Automatic MCP tool discovery and registration
   • OpenAI function definition generation
   • Parameter validation and type conversion
   • Error handling for function execution

2. Conversation Manager (internal/openai/client.go)

   • Multi-turn conversation management
   • Automatic function call detection and execution
   • Tool result integration back into conversation
   • Using gpt-4o-mini for optimal function calling

3. Intelligent Network Analyst (internal/openai/analyst.go)

   • Context-aware query processing
   • Automatic tool selection and chaining
   • Specialized network analysis prompting
   • Conversation history management

4. MCP Server (internal/mcp/server.go)

   • Model Context Protocol implementation
   • Tool registration and execution
   • HTTP communication with eBPF server

🔮 Future Enhancements

The architecture supports easy extension for:

• Additional MCP tools (automatically discovered)
• Custom analysis workflows
• Different AI model providers
• Streaming responses
• Function call caching
• Multi-modal inputs (images, files)

🚀 Performance

• Function Call Latency: Sub-second tool execution
• Tool Coverage: 100% of MCP tools available to LLM
• Model Efficiency: Using gpt-4o-mini for optimal function calling
• Zero Code Duplication: Automatic tool discovery eliminates duplicate definitions

📜 License

This project is part of the network telemetry ecosystem and integrates with the ebpf-server for comprehensive network monitoring capabilities.