Swing: realistic and responsive network traffic generation

ABSTRACT

This paper presents Swing, a closed-loop, network-responsive traffic generator that accurately captures the packet interactions of a range of applications using a simple structural model. Starting from observed traffic at a single point in the network, Swing automatically extracts distributions for user, application, and network behavior. It then generates live traffic corresponding to the underlying models in a network emulation environment running commodity network protocol stacks. We find that the generated traffic is statistically similar to the original traffic. Furthermore, to the best of our knowledge, we are the first to reproduce burstiness in traffic across a range of time-scales using a model applicable to a variety of network settings. An initial sensitivity analysis reveals the importance of our individual model parameters to accurately reproduce such burstiness. Finally, we explore Swing's ability to vary user characteristics, application properties, and wide-area network conditions to project traffic characteristics into alternate scenarios.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  C. Computer Systems Organization
  C.2 COMPUTER-COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
      C.2.1 Network Architecture and Design
          Subjects: Network communications

Additional Classification:
  G. Mathematics of Computing
  G.1 NUMERICAL ANALYSIS
      G.1.2 Approximation
          Subjects: Wavelets and fractals

  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.6 SIMULATION AND MODELING
      I.6.5 Model Development
          Subjects: Modeling methodologies

General Terms:
Algorithms, Design, Theory

Keywords:
burstiness, modeling, structural model, traffic generator, wavelet scaling