Neptune Performance Measurement Concept and Tool

This paper presents the results of network performance tests at the Defense Data Network (DDN) System Test Facility (STF) in Reston, Virginia. The tests used Neptune, a proprietary network performance measurement system, as a measurement tool. Following a discussion of the need for and problems associated with network performance measurements, we describe the tests and present the results. Based on an analysis of the STF results, we draw conclusions about their value and about the general utility of this approach to network monitoring.