Optimized capacity planning and performance measurement through OPNET Modeler

This paper presents a number of performance assessment studies of the capacity planning operations on existing networks using OPNET Modeler. We have combined a novel custom-made planning tool and OPNET Modeler to redesign and evaluate an existing network through various redesign techniques, which involve relocating the existing nodes and consolidating clusters (sub-networks). The proposed tool is intended with the conscious to reduce the extra-traffic and the operational/maintenance cost of the network, where Simulated Annealing and Genetic Algorithm are utilized to search the redesign space to find enhanced network topologies. The commercial OPNET Modeler analyzes the performance of the redesigned topology at node (client) level through link utilization. Our simulation studies show a better trade-off by increasing the overall utilization of the redesigned network around 20%, thereby reducing the network maintenance cost accordingly.