Internet measurement and data analysis: topology, workload, performance and routing statistics

kc claffy
Cooperative Association for Internet Data Analysis - CAIDA
San Diego Supercomputer Center,
University of California, San Diego

We discuss the collection, analysis and visualization of four forms of Internet traffic data: network topology, workload, performance, and routing. Topology data describe network link infrastructure at a variety of `protocol' layers. Workload measurements involve the collection of traffic information from a point within a network, e.g., data collected by a router or switch or by an independent device passively monitoring traffic as it traverses a network link. Performance measurements involve the introduction of traffic into the network for the purpose of monitoring delay between specific end-points. Routing data includes data from Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) routing tables, which reflect the transit relationships between individual Autonomous Systems (ASes) at a given point in time. We describe highlights from these topic areas and their role in the state of Internet measurement and data analysis today.