Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) provide essential network flow analysis and real-time monitoring of network traffic, with the ability to identify suspicious patterns that may indicate a security threat or unauthorized activity. Although log management systems can capture and store logs pertaining to network events, they typically do not analyze the actual network flows. Network Access Control (NAC) systems are designed to control access to network resources but are not primarily used to analyze traffic patterns. Lastly, Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are used to securely connect to a network over the internet but do not typically provide detailed analysis of network traffic patterns.