How to Begin Implement Wide Area Networks Projects in NS3

To begin executing a Wide Area Network (WAN) project using NS3 environment, we concentrate on replicate a network including numerous geographically detached nodes that are associated with high-speed links, which is normally covering large distances. Below are sequential steps to get started:

Steps to Begin Implementing a Wide Area Networks Projects in NS3

Understand Wide Area Networks

A WAN normally contains:

Core Network Nodes: Routers and switches are making the backbone.
Edge Nodes: Nodes are associating end-users to the core network.
Links: High-capacity interaction connections like fiber optics, satellite, and so on.
Protocols: WAN technologies such as MPLS, BGP, OSPF, or custom routing protocols.

Define Project Objectives

Focus on the certain project objectives of WAN:

Replicate the WAN traffic flow and routing protocols such as OSPF, BGP.
Measure the performance parameters such as throughput, latency, jitter, and packet loss.
Learn about the WAN optimization mechanisms like load balancing or MPLS.
Design fault tolerance or multi-path routing.

Install and Set Up NS3

Install NS3: We should download and install the new version of NS3 on the system.
Study related modules:
- Point-to-Point: It is used for backbone links.
- Internet Stack: For IP-based networking.
- Routing Protocols: OSPF, BGP, or custom static/dynamic routing are routing protocols.

Design the WAN Architecture

Key Components:

Core Routers:
- Backbone routers are associating various zones.
Edge Routers:
- Nodes are interconnecting the users to core network.
Links:
- Point-to-Point connections used for core and edge links.
Traffic Model:
- Replicated traffic pattern among the edge nodes or areas.

Implement the Simulation

Step A: Create WAN Nodes

Make WAN nodes that are denoting core and edge routers.

NodeContainer coreRouters, edgeRouters;

coreRouters.Create(4); // 4 Core Routers

edgeRouters.Create(8); // 8 Edge Routers

Step B: Configure Links

Core Network Links:
- High-speed connections among the core routers.

PointToPointHelper coreLink;

coreLink.SetDeviceAttribute(“DataRate”, StringValue(“10Gbps”));

coreLink.SetChannelAttribute(“Delay”, StringValue(“5ms”));

NetDeviceContainer coreDevices;

coreDevices = coreLink.Install(coreRouters.Get(0), coreRouters.Get(1));

Edge Network Links:
- Connections are associating edge routers to core routers in the network.

PointToPointHelper edgeLink;

edgeLink.SetDeviceAttribute(“DataRate”, StringValue(“1Gbps”));

edgeLink.SetChannelAttribute(“Delay”, StringValue(“10ms”));

NetDeviceContainer edgeDevices;

edgeDevices = edgeLink.Install(edgeRouters.Get(0), coreRouters.Get(0));

Step C: Install Internet Stack

We need to install the Internet stack at all router.

InternetStackHelper internet;

internet.Install(coreRouters);

internet.Install(edgeRouters);

Step D: Configure IP Addresses

Allocate an IP addresses for every link.

Ipv4AddressHelper ipv4;

ipv4.SetBase(“10.1.1.0”, “255.255.255.0”);

Ipv4InterfaceContainer coreInterfaces = ipv4.Assign(coreDevices);

ipv4.SetBase(“10.1.2.0”, “255.255.255.0”);

Ipv4InterfaceContainer edgeInterfaces = ipv4.Assign(edgeDevices);

Step E: Set Up Routing

Static Routing:
- Set up routes among the core and edge routers manually.

Ipv4StaticRoutingHelper staticRouting;

Ptr<Ipv4StaticRouting> coreRouting = staticRouting.GetStaticRouting(coreRouters.Get(0)->GetObject<Ipv4>());

coreRouting->AddNetworkRouteTo(Ipv4Address(“10.1.2.0”), Ipv4Mask(“255.255.255.0”), 1);

Dynamic Routing:
- For dynamic routing, we want to utilize routing protocols such as OSPF or BGP. For instance, allow OSPF protocol.

OspfHelper ospf;

internet.SetRoutingHelper(ospf);

Step F: Install Traffic Applications

Source Application:
- Replicate traffic that designing application from one edge router to another.

OnOffHelper onOff(“ns3::UdpSocketFactory”, InetSocketAddress(edgeInterfaces.GetAddress(1), 9));

onOff.SetAttribute(“DataRate”, StringValue(“500Mbps”));

onOff.SetAttribute(“PacketSize”, UintegerValue(1024));

ApplicationContainer sourceApp = onOff.Install(edgeRouters.Get(0));

sourceApp.Start(Seconds(1.0));

sourceApp.Stop(Seconds(10.0));

Sink Application:
- Configure a PacketSink for receiving traffic at the destination router.

PacketSinkHelper sink(“ns3::UdpSocketFactory”, InetSocketAddress(Ipv4Address::GetAny(), 9));

ApplicationContainer sinkApp = sink.Install(edgeRouters.Get(1));

sinkApp.Start(Seconds(1.0));

sinkApp.Stop(Seconds(10.0));

Configure Simulation Parameters

Configure simulation time and then we can run it.

Simulator::Stop(Seconds(20.0));

Simulator::Run();

Simulator::Destroy();

Evaluate Performance

Metrics:
- Estimate the performance parameters such as throughput, latency, jitter, and packet loss.
Export Results:
- Transfer data records into external tools such as Python, MATLAB, or Excel for visualization.
Visualization:
- Envision the packet flows to leverage NetAnim tools in real-time.

Advanced Features

WAN Optimization:
- Execute the load balancing or MPLS for enhanced performance analysis.
Fault Tolerance:
- Replicate link or node failures and estimate the retrieval approaches of network.
QoS Mechanisms:
- Execute traffic prioritization or rate limiting to learn the quality of service mechanisms.
Realistic Traffic Models:
- Make use of traffic applications such as BulkSend or trace-based traffic generators.

Sample Complete Code Framework

#include “ns3/core-module.h”

#include “ns3/network-module.h”

#include “ns3/internet-module.h”

#include “ns3/point-to-point-module.h”

#include “ns3/applications-module.h”

using namespace ns3;

int main() {

// Create Nodes