ECE6110 - CAD For Computer Networks

Instructor

Dr. George F. Riley
Office: Klaus 3360
Office hours: Thu/Fri 2-4pm, other times by email
Email: riley@ece.gatech.edu

Course Summary

ECE6110 is a graduate course which introduces students to the concepts used in simulations of computer networks. We will cover a wide range of issues in computer network simulation, and try to understand both how to create simulations and how to interpret results. We use a number of network simulation tools, including ns3 and/or GTNetS, for out of class projects. At the completion of the semester, students will have a detailed understanding of computer network simulation and how to apply it networking research.

Teaching Philosophy

Teaching is interactive! Students are strongly encouraged to participate in class and offer opinions on the issues being discussed. I encourage (and expect) you to participate actively in the learning process. In particular, I welcome your comments and questions as we cover material in class. One-way lectures quickly becoming boring, both for you and for me. Also, I have found that students often learn more from other students comments than from the instructor! By asking lots of questions, your understanding of the material will be deepened significantly, and the course will be much more fun! From time to time there will be readings for a class session; these will be posted on the class web page below in a downloadable format. Students are expected to download and read the assigned readings before class.

Computing Resources

We have a newly installed linux-based computing cluster known as the Jinx cluster. This platform is the recommended platform for completing all of theThis platform is the recommended platform for completing all of the class projects, although you are free to use your personal laptops or desktops, as long as they have linux and appropriate libraries. The link above describes the jinx cluster and how to access it.

Textbook

There is no textbook for this class. We will use research papers as required for our reading and discussion.

Course Outline

The list of topics to be covered is tentative, but expected to include the following:

Network Simulation Basics

  • Creating topologies
  • Defining data flows
  • Defining queuing disciplines
  • Trace file analysis methods
  • Using network animation

    Introduction to Simulation

  • Discrete Event Simulation (DES)
  • Simulating Networks with DES
  • Modeling Network Elements
  • Levels of abstratction

    Parallel and Distributed Simulation

  • Conservative vs. Optimistic Simulation Methods
  • Time Management in Conservative Simulation
  • Event Distribution Methods

    Overview of Network Simulation Tools

  • GTNetS
  • ns3
  • ns2
  • Opnet
  • SSF
  • GloMoSim

    Using Parallel/Distributed GTNetS

  • Defining submodels
  • Defining cross simulator links
  • Defining cross simulator data flows
  • Using Ghost Nodes
  • Initiating multi-process simulations

    Measuring Network Performance via Simulation

  • Performance Metrics
  • Goodput, Throughput, Loss, Delay, Jitter, etc.
  • Factors Affecting Performance
  • Predicting Affect of Changes

    The Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)

  • Modeling TCP
  • Existing TCP Variations
  • Factors Affecting TCP Performance
  • New TCP variations
  • Congestion Avoidance in TCP
  • Using TCP over satellite links
  • Using simulation to measure TCP performance

    Multicast

  • Multicast group management
  • Source based trees vs. Core based trees
  • Modeling multicast in network simulations
  • Measuring multicast routing protocol overhead

    Simulating Routing Prototocols

  • Routing in Network Simulators
  • Modeling EIGRP and BGP

    Active Queue Management (AQM) and queueing Disciplines

  • DropTail, RED, Priority, WFQ, SCFQ, others
  • Implementation of active queues in network simulators
  • Measuring the affect of AQM

    Streaming Video/Audio Models

  • Creating a MPEG video model
  • Measuring MPEG performance
  • Performance tradeoffs in streaming applications

    Modeling Web Browsing

  • Using request/response distribution models
  • Using page distribution models
  • Measuring HTTP Performance

    Getting Help

    There will be one teaching assistant for this course. He will do all grading of out of class projects and should be your first point of contact when you have questions about assignments or grading.
  • Teaching Assistant: Farhan Aziz faziz3@gatech.edu
  • Office hours: Mon 12:00 - 1:30, Monday 4:30 - 6:00 Wed 12:00 - 1:30, Wed 4:30 - 6:00, Klaus 1446

    Grading

    Project 1 10%
    Project 2 10%
    Project 3 20%
    Midterm 20%
    Final Project 30%
    Class Participation 10%
    Total 100%

    Syllabus

      Day    Month     Date     Description     Handout     Due Date  
    MonAug22   Introduction to Network Simulation 

    WedAug24   Introduction to Network Simulation (cont.) 

    MonAug29   Download ns-3    http://www.nsnam.org 



      ns-3 tutorial    ns-3-tutorial.pdf 



      John Abrahams combined ns3 and animator    ns-3-ece-6110-gatech.tgz 



      Wiki instructions for the animator    http://www.nsnam.org/wiki/index.php/NetAnim 
    WedAug31   Using ns-3 continued 

    MonSep5   NO CLASS    HOLIDAY 
    WedSep7   Guest Lecture by John Abraham the ns-3 animator 

    WedSep7   TCP Througput Comparisions    Lab 1 assigned    Sept 14 
    MonSep12   Discussion of Lab 1 




      John Abrahams drop-tail-queue example    dumbbell-animation-dtq.cc 



      John Abrahams TCP Variant example    dumbbell-animation-tcpvariant.cc 
    WedSep14   TCP Congestion Avoidance Paper    VanJacobsonCongestionAvoidance.pdf 
    MonSep19   TCP Variations    TCPflavors.pdf 
    WedSep21   Random Early Detection Queuing    Floyd-Red.pdf 
    MonSep26   Tuning RED for Web Traffic    TuningRedLong.pdf 
    WedSep28   Bruce Mah HTTP Study    MahHttp.pdf 
    WedSep28   RED vs Drop TailComparisions    Lab 2 assigned    Oct 10 



      NIx-Vector Routing    RileyStatelessRouting.pdf 
    MonOct3   Difficuties Simulating the Internet    FloydDifficultiesSimulatingInternet.pdf 



      Can We Simulate the Internet?    RileySimulatingInternet.pdf 
    WedOct5   Modeling Internet Worms    Riley-Sharif-Worms.pdf 



      Worm Containment    Hafez-Containment.pdf 



      Sample midterm exam from prior class    mt1-example.pdf 
    MonOct10   Mid Term Exam 

    WedOct12   Effect of Ethernet Detail    EthernetDetail.pdf 



      Ethernet Detail Revisited    EthernetRevisited.pdf 
    MonOct17   Fall break 

    WedOct19   Wireless Simulation Overview 

    WedOct19   Wireless Throughput    Lab 3 assigned    Nov 4 2012 
    MonOct24   MIT Roofnet Paper    WirelessMeasurements.pdf 



      Experimental Evaluation of Wireless Assumptions    experimental_wireless.pdf 
    WedOct26   Wireless Simulator Accuracy    ManetSimulatorAccuracy.pdf 



      Comparing Wireless Simulators    DheerajWirelessComparison.pdf 



      Final Projects Posted    finalproj.pdf 
    MonOct31   Measurement Based Physical Layer Modeling    PhysicalModel.pdf 



      Another Experimental Validation of Wireless    Direct-Execution-Wireless-Nicol.pdf 
    WedNov2   Dynamic Source Routing    DSRMultihop.pdf 



      Detailed modeling of OFDM    Detailed-OFDM-Modeling-Bagrodia.pdf 
    MonNov7   Wireless Capacity Limits    GuptaKumarWireless.pdf 
    WedNov9   More Efficient Wireless Simulation    WirelessLamp.pdf 



      Effect of Details on Wireless    WirelessDetail.pdf 
    MonNov14   Distributed Simulation    ghosts.pdf 



      Distributed Simulation with NS3    DistNS3.pdf 
    WedNov16   NO CLASS - Instructor out of town 

    MonNov21   Fluid Modeling-Jaafar    Riley-Jaafar-Fluid.pdf 
    WedNov23   Fluid Modeling-Kiddle    p143-kiddle.pdf 



      Fluid Modeling-Towsley    Towsley-Fluid-sim.pdf 



      Fluid Models    wodes02.pdf 
    MonNov28   Packet Reordering in the Internet    Partridge-PacketReordering.pdf 
    WedNov30   Flash Worms    FlashWorms-Staniford.pdf 



      Simulating the Compact Flash Worm    cflash.pdf 



      Worm Containment    Hafez-Containment.pdf 
    MonDec5   Final Project Presentations 

    WedDec7   Final Project Presentations 

    WedDec9   Final Project Presentations Klaus 1116W 11-2pm 

    Contact Information:

    riley@ece.gatech.edu
    School of Electrical and Computer Computing
    Georgia Institute of Technology
    Atlanta, GA 30332-0250

    Last Modified: Aug 18, 2008