Abstract
We have investigated dynamics of the Internet performance through the assessment of scaling features of a network ICMP echo mechanism or pinging. Time series of round-trip times (RTT) from the host computer to 5 destination hosts and back, recorded during three consecutive days and nights, have been used. To assess correlation and scaling features of network echo mechanism, we used method of detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) for RTT data sets. It was shown that for different, 10 minute long periods of day and night observations, RTT data sets mostly fluctuate within a narrow range, though sometimes we observe strong sharp spikes. RTT variations mostly reveal persistent behavior. DFA fluctuation curves often are characterized by crossovers indication stronger or lesser changes in the dynamics of network performance. Distribution function of DFA scaling exponents of considered RTT time series mostly was asymmetric with long tail on the right hand side. Dynamical changes occurring in the scaling features of Internet network as assessed by RTT fluctuations do not depend on the location of the host and destination nodes. Larger delays in round-trip time responses make the scaling behavior of the RTT series complicated and strongly influence their long range correlation features.
Highlights
According to available literature data, interest in questions related to the information transfer through the Internet network permanently increases
All used round-trip times (RTT) data sets were highly fluctuating within a narrow range, with some strong, isolated spikes followed by smaller values indicating that the network at certain times is in the relatively congested state and vise versa
We investigated dynamics of Internet performance based on the assessment of scaling features of a network ping time series of echo mechanism
Summary
According to available literature data, interest in questions related to the information transfer through the Internet network permanently increases (see, e.g., 1–11). Is well known that the Internet forms the network where routers navigate packets of data from one computer to another. E testing of reachability of a host at the network level has been performed since the early days of the deployment of Internet because it was clear that the character of the process of packet delay may affect the quality of service. ICMP is often used since almost all hosts and routers respond to ICMP packets and this, so-called active measurement, method can be used for various network environments [1,2,3,4,5,6,7]. Besides active one, passive measurement method; for example, TCP, can be used too [8, 9] but, since RTT measurements using TCP or ICMP are close enough, here we decided to be restricted by active measurement data series [9]
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