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N2K Scalability Study by Simulation Using OPNET: Jun Wang
N2K Scalability Study by Simulation Using OPNET: Jun Wang
Jun Wang
NCSA, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
wangj@ncsa.uiuc.edu
1. Introduction
Fig. 1 illustrates a roadmap of modeling, simulating and analyzing N2K by using OPNET.
CENTRIXS will be used as the basis for our study. There are four major steps to achieve the
research goal key management scalability study:
Modeling CENTRIXS in OPNET;
Modeling N2K and PKI on top of CENTRIXS model in OPNET;
Analytical model and performance study;
Feedback/refinement to the N2K design.
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At this step, we need to model individual routers, switches, hubs, workstations, laptops, links, etc.
Many of these individual components may be found in the OPNET node library. However, some of
them are special devices or are not in the library so that we need to develop them from scratch.
2.3.1. FTP
The existing FTP application module in OPNET mimics FTP applications in the Internet. It has the
following major parameters: command mix (Get/Total ratio), inter-request time, file size, and type
of service (TOS). By choosing different values for these parameters, we can model different traffic
load and traffic pattern for FTP applications.
2.3.2. HTTP
The existing HTTP application module in OPNET simulates web-browser based access in the
Internet. It has the following major parameters: HTTP specification (HTTP 1.0 or 1.1), page
interarrival time, page properties (including object size, number of objects, and location etc.
parameters), server selection (including initial repeat probability and pages per server two
parameters), and TOS.
2.3.3. E-mail
This module simulates email access in the Internet. It includes the following major parameters:
send interarrival time, send group size, receive interarrival time, receive group size, email size,
TOS, etc. By configuring the email size parameter, we can mimic email accesses with attachments.
2.3.6. Remote-login
This module can be used to model telnet, SSH, or some other types of remote login access in the
Internet. It has the following major attributes: Inter-Command Time, Terminal Traffic, Host Traffic,
TOS, etc.
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session is two-way, i.e. each node sends its video stream to its peer and receives the video stream
from its peer at the same time.
Note that if a custom application client/server is used, a task node (using the Task Config
module) must be used to define a specific task, before the task can be used for defining the
application and then the related profiles.
Also note that at the step of defining applications and profiles, only virtual node names are used.
These virtual node names (e.g. a virtual name for an FTP server) will be resolved at configuring
specific application client nodes (e.g. an FTP client node) under its Destination Preferences
attributes which create mappings between virtual names and actual names. Meanwhile, at an actual
server node that supports the associated application (e.g. the FTP server node), its Server Address
should be configured as its actual name. This actual name should match the actual name used at the
corresponding client node under the Destination Preferences attribute. The use of virtual names
provides a layer of abstraction, so that one profile can be used by multiple specific application
sessions.
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2.4. Building CENTRIXS
At this step, we need to integrate the individual components, subnets, traffic patterns, and
application profiles together to form the model for the entire CENTRIXS.
3. Current status
We have been working on the CENTRIXS simulation model for a couple of months. We have
managed to find/build most of the individual components in CENTRIXS. We have built a testbed
system in OPNET which consists of two Type-2 subnets. Different application profiles and traffic
patterns have also been developed. Based on the testbed, we have conducted several simulations
and some preliminary simulation results have been obtained to test the model. However, we also
encountered some problems during this process. For example, some detailed information needed
for modeling is still missing, and how to model some special devices, such as some IP encryption
devices or some special links, is not clear.
4. Problems
1) How to model the Internet cloud? Two possible ways:
a) Using multiple BGP routers to build an Internet cloud;
b) Using an existing IP cloud module: can set up the drop rate, etc, for example.
2) I don't have all the information. For example, link capacities among subnets (or domains).
3) OPNET uses a huge amount of memory if the simulated size goes up. Can cause thrashing
(actually has been observed).
5. Demonstration scenarios
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We ran a simulation for 2000 seconds (simulated time) and it took 17m20s actual time (1040s),
which gives a simulated/actual ratio about 1.9.
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The following table summarizes how different applications are configured.
Obj (B)/
Application Int-arrvl (s) Term.(B/c) / Get/Total # Obj/ Frame (file) Size / Group size
Host (B/c) Page per Srv Rate (B/s)
Custom 0.375 / 900 160 5000 (S) /1024 (C)
Remote-login N(30,5) Exp(60) / --- --- --- ---
N(25,25)
HTTP Exp(60) --- --- 1 / 5 / Exp(10) --- ---
128x240pix (34560
Videoconf. 15 frame/s --- --- --- bytes) / 518,400 ---
B/s
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FTP Exp(120) --- 50% --- N(1E4,1E6) B ---
Email Exp(360) --- --- --- --- 3
Database Exp(12) --- --- --- 512 B ---
VoIP 1 frame / pkt --- --- --- --- G.729
We ran a simulation for 10000 seconds (simulated time) and it took 1h51m25s actual time (6685s),
which gives a simulated/actual ratio about 1.5. The simulation results are shown in the following
figure partially.
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5.3. Testing a network with two Type-1 subnets
In this scenario, we build a network consisting of two Type-1 subnets. The following figure depicts
the setup of the two subnets connected by an Internet cloud. Note that node actual address in
OPNET has to be unique, otherwise, a compilation error will occur. For example, in the HQ
subnet, the FTP server has an actual name (TPAL address) FTP Server. Then, the FTP server in
the JTF subnet cannot use FTP Server as its actual name. I changed it to FTP Server JTF.
Likewise, I had to change the actual name for every server in the JTF subnet and change the
Destination Preferences under each client accordingly.
We ran a simulation for 2000 seconds (simulated time) and it took 41m43s actual time (2503s),
which gives a simulated/actual ratio about 0.8.