Just received a question on an internal distribution list:

What is Lab Management doing on the Network? I am seeing traffic like:

Lab Management            QueryLabSystemDeploymentTasks         Date     Machine_name  IP_Address Mac_Address           Team Foundation (QTController.exe, 11.0.50727.1, Other, SKU:9)  QueryLabSystemDeploymentTasks        

Lab Management            QueryLabEnvironments              Date  Machine_name    IP_Address  Mac_Address           Team Foundation (QTController.exe, 11.0.50727.1, Other, SKU:9)  QueryLabEnvironments           

Lab Management            QueryTestMachines       Date  Machine_name       IP_Address Mac_Address           Team Foundation (QTController.exe, 11.0.50727.1, Other, SKU:9)  QueryTestMachines      

Test Management           FindController   Date  Machine_name            IP_Address  Mac_Address           Team Foundation (QTController.exe, 11.0.50727.1, Other, SKU:9)    FindController  

 

If you have a Test Controller configured for your TFS instance you may see network traffic like: QueryLabSystemDeploymentTasks, QueryTestMachines, QueryLabEnvironments etc. 

These packets are to be expected and are the synchronization calls from the test controller managing different tasks such as pulling down the deployment tasks (for managing Build-Deploy-test workflows), adding new standard environments, deleting standard environments, adding machines,  deleting machines and for new automation test runs that have been queued. 

Note: You should be seeing these only if you have test controller configured for your TFS instance.