How to Begin Implement Network Protocol Testing in NS3

To begin Network Protocol Testing using NS3 which needs to design a framework or approach for estimating and authenticating the certain network protocol’s performance and exactness. It has network performance parameters such as throughput, latency, packet loss, and protocol-specific behavior in diverse network conditions.

Now we are going to provide the brief implementation procedures to achieve this process in ns3:

Steps to Begin Implement Network Protocol Testing in NS3

Step 1: Define Testing Objectives

1. Protocol to Test:
   • Detect the protocol layer such as MAC, Network, Transport, or Application.
   • Decide on a protocol like AODV, OLSR, TCP, UDP, or a custom protocol.
2. Key Metrics:
   • Performance: Performance parameters are throughput, latency, jitter, packet delivery ratio, packet loss.
   • Scalability: Network behavior with maximizing the volume of nodes or traffic.
   • Reliability: Flexibility to breakdowns or high traffic loads.
3. Testing Scenarios:
   • Changing traffic models like constant, bursty, random.
   • Static or mobile nodes.
   • Various network topologies such as star, mesh, tree.

Step 2: Familiarize Yourself with NS3 Testing Frameworks

1. Simulation Environment:
   • For devices (Wi-Fi, CSMA), routing (AODV, OLSR), and traffic generators, we may utilize inherent patterns of NS3.
2. Tracing and Logging:
   • Make use of AsciiTraceHelper and PcapHelper for packet-level tracing.
   • For high-level parameters such as throughput and delay with FlowMonitor.
3. NS3 Unit Testing Framework:
   • Leverage test framework of NS3 for unit tests and regression tests in src/test/.
   • Prolong ns3::TestCase for creating custom tests.

Step 3: Setup the Simulation Environment

1. Create a Topology:
   • Make a network topology with NodeContainer and helper classes (PointToPointHelper, CsmaHelper, WifiHelper).
2. Install Protocol Stack:
   • Set up the IP stack by leveraging InternetStackHelper.
   • Integrate routing protocols to utilize helpers such as AodvHelper or OlsrHelper.
3. Generate Traffic:
   • We will need to apply OnOffApplication, UdpEchoClient, or PacketSink to replicate the traffic sources and sinks.

Step 4: Write a Protocol Testing Script

Example: Throughput Testing for a Routing Protocol

#include “ns3/core-module.h”

#include “ns3/network-module.h”

#include “ns3/internet-module.h”

#include “ns3/flow-monitor-helper.h”

#include “ns3/aodv-module.h”

#include “ns3/applications-module.h”

using namespace ns3;

int main (int argc, char *argv[]) {

// Command-line arguments for scalability

uint32_t nNodes = 10;

double simulationTime = 10.0;

CommandLine cmd;

cmd.AddValue (“nNodes”, “Number of nodes”, nNodes);

cmd.AddValue (“simulationTime”, “Simulation duration (seconds)”, simulationTime);

cmd.Parse (argc, argv);

// Create nodes

NodeContainer nodes;

nodes.Create (nNodes);

// Configure Wi-Fi

YansWifiChannelHelper wifiChannel = YansWifiChannelHelper::Default ();

YansWifiPhyHelper wifiPhy = YansWifiPhyHelper::Default ();

wifiPhy.SetChannel (wifiChannel.Create ());

WifiHelper wifi;

wifi.SetRemoteStationManager (“ns3::AarfWifiManager”);

WifiMacHelper wifiMac;

wifiMac.SetType (“ns3::AdhocWifiMac”);

NetDeviceContainer devices = wifi.Install (wifiPhy, wifiMac, nodes);

// Install Internet stack

InternetStackHelper stack;

AodvHelper aodv;

stack.SetRoutingHelper (aodv); // Install AODV

stack.Install (nodes);

Ipv4AddressHelper address;

address.SetBase (“10.0.0.0”, “255.255.255.0”);

Ipv4InterfaceContainer interfaces = address.Assign (devices);

// Set up traffic

UdpEchoServerHelper echoServer (9); // Port 9

ApplicationContainer serverApps = echoServer.Install (nodes.Get (nNodes – 1)); // Last node

serverApps.Start (Seconds (1.0));

serverApps.Stop (Seconds (simulationTime));

UdpEchoClientHelper echoClient (interfaces.GetAddress (nNodes – 1), 9);

echoClient.SetAttribute (“MaxPackets”, UintegerValue (1000));

echoClient.SetAttribute (“Interval”, TimeValue (Seconds (0.1))); // 10 packets per second

echoClient.SetAttribute (“PacketSize”, UintegerValue (1024)); // 1 KB

ApplicationContainer clientApps = echoClient.Install (nodes.Get (0)); // First node

clientApps.Start (Seconds (2.0));

clientApps.Stop (Seconds (simulationTime));

// Monitor traffic

FlowMonitorHelper flowmonHelper;

Ptr<FlowMonitor> monitor = flowmonHelper.InstallAll ();

// Run simulation

Simulator::Stop (Seconds (simulationTime));

Simulator::Run ();

// Analyze results

monitor->CheckForLostPackets ();

Ptr<Ipv4FlowClassifier> classifier = DynamicCast<Ipv4FlowClassifier> (flowmonHelper.GetClassifier ());

std::map<FlowId, FlowMonitor::FlowStats> stats = monitor->GetFlowStats ();

for (auto &flow : stats) {

Ipv4FlowClassifier::FiveTuple t = classifier->FindFlow (flow.first);

NS_LOG_UNCOND (“Flow ” << flow.first << ” (” << t.sourceAddress << ” -> ” << t.destinationAddress << “)”);

NS_LOG_UNCOND (”  Tx Packets: ” << flow.second.txPackets);

NS_LOG_UNCOND (”  Rx Packets: ” << flow.second.rxPackets);

NS_LOG_UNCOND (”  Throughput: ” << (flow.second.rxBytes * 8.0 / simulationTime / 1024) << ” kbps”);

}

Simulator::Destroy ();

return 0;

}

Step 5: Compile and Run

1. Build the Code:

./waf configure

./waf build

1. Run the Simulation:

./waf –run your-script

Step 6: Analyze Results

1. Use Tracing Tools:
   • Allow packet capture through PcapHelper.
   • Examine the performance metrics like packet delays, loss, and retransmissions.
2. Evaluate Metrics:
   • Throughput: Estimate the inherited bytes over time.
   • Latency: Compute the end-to-end delay for packets.
   • Packet Delivery Ratio (PDR): Assess the packet delivery using (Received Packets / Sent Packets) * 100.

Step 7: Extend Testing

1. Custom Protocols:
   • Experiment custom protocols that are executing to leverage the Ipv4RoutingProtocol or other NS3 classes.
2. Scalability Testing:
   • Modify node count, traffic intensity, or topology complexity for testing scalability.
3. Fault Injection:
   • Replicate the link failures, node mobility, or high traffic loads to experiment the flexibility.

Step 8: Automate Testing

Program the protocol testing with the support of NS3’s test framework:

1. Make a test case through prolonging the TestCase.
2. Create a script for authenticating the behaviour of protocol.
3. Incorporate the test case into test suite of NS3.

These projects focus on how to execute and extend the Network Protocol Testing in NS3 through the above implementation procedure. We are ready to expand it advanced with addition information.