Towards network triangle inequality violation aware distributed systems

Many distributed systems rely on neighbor selection mechanisms to create overlay structures that have good network performance. These neighbor selection mechanisms often assume the triangle inequality holds for Internet delays. However, the reality is that the triangle inequality is violated by Internet delays. This phenomenon creates a strange environment that confuses neighbor selection mechanisms. This paper investigates the properties of triangle inequality violation (TIV) in Internet delays, the impacts of TIV on representative neighbor selection mechanisms, specifically Vivaldi and Meridian, and avenues to reduce these impacts. We propose a TIV alert mechanism that can inform neighbor selection mechanisms to avoid the pitfalls caused by TIVs and improve their effectiveness. Categories and Subject Descriptors C.2.m [Computer-Communication Networks]: Miscellaneous General Terms Measurement, Performance, Experimentation Keywords Internet delay space, triangle inequality violations...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2007
• Where: IMC
• Authors: Guohui Wang, Bo Zhang, T. S. Eugene Ng
• Keywords: IMC 2007, Internet Delay, Internet Technology, Neighbor Selection Mechanisms, Triangle Inequality