Detection of network infrastructure problems using artificial traffic

Author

Dandurand, L. ; Nourry, G.R. ; Rahman, M.H.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., R. Mil. Coll. of Canada, Kingston, Ont., Canada

Volume

2

fYear

1998

fDate

24-28 May 1998

Firstpage

822

Abstract

This paper introduces the approach of monitoring the characteristics of artificial network traffic for detecting routing infrastructure pathologies. The experimental set-up used to develop some aspects of this approach is presented. It consists of several hosts connected to a medium size IP network. These hosts exchange special packets and monitor a selected set of characteristics of this traffic. Based on measurements of characteristics such as packet return-trip time and loss rate, the system extrapolates acceptable traffic behaviour and establishes thresholds that indicate potentially suspect traffic behaviour. Traffic measurements are verified against these thresholds, and the system generates an alarm if a significant discrepancy is observed. The thresholds are continuously adjusted in order to accommodate changing congestion conditions in the network. Other special packets may be sent in order to identify more precisely the nature and location of the problem

Keywords

computer networks; packet switching; telecommunication congestion control; telecommunication network routing; telecommunication security; telecommunication traffic; transport protocols; IP network; alarm; artificial network traffic; artificial traffic; computer network security; experimental set-up; extrapolation; loss rate; measurements; network congestion conditions; network infrastructure problems detection; packet exchange; packet return-trip time; routing infrastructure pathologies; thresholds; traffic behaviour; traffic measurements; traffic monitoring; Computer networks; Educational institutions; IP networks; Loss measurement; Monitoring; Pathology; Protection; Routing protocols; Telecommunication traffic; Time measurement;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Electrical and Computer Engineering, 1998. IEEE Canadian Conference on

Conference_Location

Waterloo, Ont.

ISSN

0840-7789

Print_ISBN

0-7803-4314-X

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/CCECE.1998.685624

Filename

685624