Software Modelling of the Filtering Process for HTTP Traffic in the Information System with the Regulation of Access to Internet Content Using Virtual Digital Test Bench

Abstract

Filtering of HTTP-requests to an Internet resource by its URL is one of the most popular ways to restrict access to information hosted on the network, when is necessary to comply with the requirements of security, copyright, labor regime, etc. This method allows to use a selective approach to information resources in web-system located on one and the same IP-address. It permits to prohibit access to selected item when necessary and can be considered as the most balanced in terms of the advantages and disadvantages. Modeling of the filtering process allows improve its organization and flow. Typically, network devices are tested using bench tests. Our goal was to develop a method for simulating this process in the virtual space of computer memory in order not to use additional equipment and exclude the network component from the testing process. This approach, in addition to saving equipment, makes it possible better work out the algorithm for the functioning of a network device. This was done by organizing a virtual digital test bench. As implementation we have carried out computer simulation of the filtering for the information web-system, in which a filtering device is built in using specially developed software. It was our second goal. The filter unit processes request flows to the server from a set of users linked to it, as well as server counter information. Software mimicked all network interfaces, and all network data transfers took place in the simulating computer's memory.  This approach lets to eliminate the influence of the network infrastructure on the operation of the model. In the modeling process, two filtering strategies were compared: the usual method of preliminary request analysis and the proposed post-analysis method. During computer simulation we obtained the decrease of up to 14% of the average waiting time for a response from the web-server when a user request to a web-resource passed through the simulated filtering device, which worked in the post-analysis mode, compared to the device that worked in standard mode. Filter throughput increased by up to 54%.