Which tool injects packets and provides various observation points along the packet's path between two NSX-T managed objects?

The tool that injects packets and provides various observation points along the packet’s path between two NSX-T managed objects is Traceflow. Traceflow is specifically designed to help troubleshoot and monitor network traffic in NSX-T environments. By injecting test packets into the network and tracing their path, it allows administrators to view the flow of traffic and identify where it might be experiencing failures or delays. This is particularly useful for understanding and diagnosing issues within a virtualized network.

Traceflow operates by creating a simulated traffic flow, enabling the visualization of the entire packet journey, including any interventions by security policies and the behavior of other network components along that path. It gives insights into which logical switches, routers, or firewalls the packets traverse, making it an invaluable tool for understanding and diagnosing network connectivity issues in NSX-T.

In contrast, the other tools mentioned, while related to network observation and management, do not provide the same level of packet injection and real-time path tracing as Traceflow does. For instance, IPFIX is primarily used for exporting flow data rather than actively tracing packets, while Port Mirroring and SPAN (Switched Port Analyzer) are methods for monitoring traffic on physical or virtual ports without injecting packets into the flow itself.