Which AWS feature or service can be used to capture information about incoming and outgoing traffic in an AWS VPC infrastructure?

The feature that effectively captures information about incoming and outgoing traffic in an AWS Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) infrastructure is AWS VPC Flow Logs. This service allows users to log data about the IP traffic going to and from network interfaces in the VPC. The logs capture crucial details such as the source IP address, destination IP address, source and destination ports, and protocols used, which are critical for monitoring, troubleshooting, or even conducting security audits within the VPC.

AWS VPC Flow Logs can be particularly useful for understanding network traffic patterns, identifying traffic bottlenecks, and enhancing overall security by monitoring for unusual traffic behavior. Users can store these logs in S3 buckets or send them to CloudWatch Logs for further analysis and visualization, making this service a powerful tool for managing and securing network infrastructure in AWS.

While AWS CloudWatch Logs can collect and monitor log files, it is not specifically tailored for network traffic data across VPC environments. AWS CloudTrail is focused on logging API calls made in the AWS environment, providing a trail of who did what and when but does not capture network traffic data. AWS Trusted Advisor is a tool for optimizing AWS infrastructure but is not involved in traffic logging. Thus, AWS VPC Flow Logs stands out as the