Traffic analysis and characterization of Internet user behavior

Internet usage has changed, and the demands on the broadband access networks have increased, both regarding bandwidth and QoS. Characterizing the traffic, as seen by a broadband access network, can help understanding both the demands of today and the demands of tomorrow. In this paper we analyze traffic measurements from a Swedish municipal broadband access network and derive corresponding user behavior models. The paper focuses on Internet usage in terms of traffic patterns, volumes and applications. Also, user activity characteristics, as session lengths and traffic rate distributions, are analyzed and modeled. Notably, the resulting models for user session lengths turn out different than traditionally assumed.