Accelerating Simulation of Large-Scale IP Networks: A Network Invariant Preserving Approach

— In this paper, we propose a simulation framework, TranSim, that reduces the rate at which packet-events are generated, in order to accelerate large-scale simulation of IP networks with TCP/UDP traffic. Conceptually, we transform an IP network into an alternate network that generates a smaller number of packet events, carry out simulation in the “transformed” network, and then extrapolate simulation results for the original network from those obtained in the “transformed” network. We formally prove that if the network invariant — the bandwidthdelay product — is preserved, the network dynamics, such as the queue dynamics and the packet dropping probability at each link, and TCP dynamics, such as the congestion window, RTTs, and rate dynamics, remain unchanged in the process of network transformation. We have implemented TranSim in ns-2, and conducted an empirical study to evaluate it against packet level simulation, with respect to the capability of capturing transient, ...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2006
• Where: INFOCOM
• Authors: Hwangnam Kim, Hyuk Lim, Jennifer C. Hou
• Keywords: Communications, INFOCOM 2006, Ip Network, Network Dynamics, Packet Level Simulation