Network emulation is a hybrid experimentation technique intended to bridge the gap between the two other classical experiment methodologies: the popular network simulation and the demanding real-world testing. Just as with simulation, the communication conditions in the emulated network are strictly controlled, thus providing flexibility and repeatability. Similar to real-world testing, experiments are performed using real network equipment and applications, and therefore the results are closer to reality and the observations are directly applicable to practical situations. Hence, network emulation is a powerful methodology for evaluating network equipment, protocols and applications, be it for research and education purposes or for performance assessments before deployment in production networks.
This book thoroughly describes the technique of network emulation and compares it with both network simulation and real-world testing. The first part, after discussing and comparing the three techniques in general, introduces the existing tools for network emulation. Currently available emulators are either commercial (from companies such as Candela Technologies, Packet Storm Communications, Shunra) or open source (dummynet, NISTNet, netem). For each tool the book analyzes its strengths and weaknesses from several points of view: realism, usability, etc. The second part of the book presents, as a case study, the network emulator that the author has developed, nicknamed QOMET. After comparing it with the tools that were already presented before, the author illustrates the effective use of network emulation by several examples of experiments that his team carried out using QOMET.
Key Features:
- Covers comprehensively the field of network emulation, including the differences with respect to other experiment techniques and a detailed review of possible approaches
- Discusses not only the emulation of wired networks but also that of wireless networks (WLANs, active RFID tags, IEEE 802.15.4), for which the technique of network emulation is even more important
- Presents a detailed case study of a network emulation testbed, QOMB, including the description of several series of practical experiments conducted on QOMB