RVIP: an indistinguishable approach to scalable network simulation at real time

Abstract

AbstractIn the hybrid simulation research, we investigate a new approach to build software virtual networks (SVNs) that are indistinguishable from their equivalent real live networks (LNs). We define the concept of ‘Network's Interactive Turing Test' based on the similar concept used in the artificial intelligence areas. Our goal is to actualize the interactive and indistinguishable real–virtual interface pair (RVIP) for large‐scale computer network simulations. By RVIP's support, a single SVN is indistinguishable from its equivalent LN. In the entire hybrid system, multiple LNs and multiple SVNs are connected using many RVIPs in an arbitrary topology and at real time. To actualize RVIP, the following necessary conditions must be satisfied: (i) the performance of the underlying simulation platform must be faster than real time; (ii) all needed changes incurred by introducing any SVN into an LN scenario are put on the simulation's side. To interact with an SVN, RVIP requires that no change is made on any live node; (iii) an SVN does not exchange simulation events with LNs, that is, only standard IP protocol interactions between SVN and LN are allowed. (iv) Any LN can be dynamically plugged into the hybrid scenario at real time, just like being plugged into an equivalent purely LN. Compared with existing hybrid simulation efforts on NS‐3, QualNet's EXata and OPNET's system‐in‐the‐loop, in this paper, we use the actual RVIP implementation to show that RVIP is a better candidate to pass the Network's Interactive Turing Test owing to the following two advantages: (i) an interactive network tester can easily distinguish the existing hybrid networks from the LNs by using a live topology that cannot be simulated, for example, by including the entire live Internet. But RVIP is not vulnerable to such tests. RVIP can support hybrid scenarios with multiple SVNs and multiple LNs connected by an arbitrary network topology, and with the LNs on and off at anytime. (ii) Performance‐wise, our studies show that RVIP provides more efficient support in terms of common metrics such as larger throughput limit and smaller extra latency; thus, the simulated SVNs are more indistinguishable from their live counterparts. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.