1st International ICST Conference on Simulation Tools and Techniques for Communications, Networks and Systems

Research Article

TopGen - internet router-level topology generation based on technology constraints

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  • @INPROCEEDINGS{10.4108/ICST.SIMUTOOLS2008.3008,
        author={Ingo  Scholtes and Jean  Botev and Markus  Esch and Alexander  H\o{}hfeld and Hermann  Schloss and Benjamin  Zech},
        title={TopGen - internet router-level topology generation based on technology constraints},
        proceedings={1st International ICST Conference on Simulation Tools and Techniques for Communications, Networks and Systems},
        publisher={ICST},
        proceedings_a={SIMUTOOLS},
        year={2010},
        month={5},
        keywords={Internet Network Topology Topology Generation Router},
        doi={10.4108/ICST.SIMUTOOLS2008.3008}
    }
    
  • Ingo Scholtes
    Jean Botev
    Markus Esch
    Alexander Höhfeld
    Hermann Schloss
    Benjamin Zech
    Year: 2010
    TopGen - internet router-level topology generation based on technology constraints
    SIMUTOOLS
    ICST
    DOI: 10.4108/ICST.SIMUTOOLS2008.3008
Ingo Scholtes1,*, Jean Botev1,*, Markus Esch2,*, Alexander Höhfeld1,*, Hermann Schloss1,*, Benjamin Zech1,*
  • 1: Systemsoftware and Distributed Systems, University of Trier, D-54286 Trier, Germany.
  • 2: Faculty of Sciences, Technology & Communication, University of Luxembourg, 1359 Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
*Contact email: scholtes@syssoft.uni-trier.de, botev@syssoft.uni-trier.de, markus.esch@uni.lu, hoehfeld@syssoft.uni-trier.de, schloss@syssoft.uni-trier.de, zech@syssoft.uni-trier.de

Abstract

In order to realistically simulate algorithms or evaluate P2P overlay topologies, a detailed model of the underlying router topology is required. Since actively measuring this topology is extremely laborious and furthermore a waste of network resources, traditionally topology generators are used in order to create synthetic router-level graphs. For this, usually graph models are selected that are known to generate graphs which are similar to the actual Internet in respect to a certain metric like e.g. vertex degree distribution. These models are often superseded or adjusted when new metrics are being introduced which better differentiate between graphs. Furthermore it has been shown, that graphs that are similar in respect to e.g. vertex degree distribution can be very different from a structural point of view. In this paper Top-Gen, a generic, extensible and easy-to-use topology generation platform is presented. It contains a topology generation module which bases the generation of router-level graphs on the Internet's underlying principles and the technological constraints of routers rather than trying to effectuate similarity in respect to a certain metric. Apart from describing TopGen's general topology generation approach, graphs created with its Internet topology module are evaluated and found to be encouragingly similar to real-world datasets in various respects.