1. A method for automatically analyzing a traffic flow for a plurality of network elements on a network, each of the plurality of network elements being connected to the network through a hardware connector, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a physical topology map of the network; (b) selecting a selected plurality of network elements on the network according to said physical topology map, such that said selected plurality of network elements are distributed in the network; (c) setting the hardware connector of each of said selected plurality of network elements to detect packets flowing through the network; (d) analyzing each detected packet to determine at least a source address and a destination address for said detected packet; (e) sorting said source addresses and destination addresses for said detected packets to determine traffic information between each pair of network elements exchanging at least one packet, such that the traffic flow for said plurality of network elements is determined; (f) comparing said physical topology map to said traffic information: (g) if there is a discrepancy between said physical topology map and said traffic information, detecting a suspected change in said physical topology of the network; (h) examining said suspected change by exchanging test packets between a plurality of the network elements; and (i) if said suspected change is an actual change, altering said physical topology map according to said test packets.