Test Access Point devices for network monitoring

Is the use of hardware-based implementations of TAP (network monitoring) common in IT-networks on duty in for-profit organizations?

Concept of SIEM needs be worked out in course of one training, I wonder how much one should apply TAP-hardware in concept proposal. I tend to refrain from use of given technical means (in this case TAP-hardware) or to reduce such to possible minimum if feasibility of their use is low due to rare availability of products or if concept should not be in common use as of time being.

Alternatively I will grab for SPANs in switches, routers, other infrastructural components.

Sure, one should also distinguish two questions: * availability on market of the given kind of solution * population level in networks in operation

There is a lot of related material in web, most of them however treat the matter merely theory level.