Research Summaries

Back Geolocating network topology, Enhancing Yarrp Performance, and Topology Data Analysis

Fiscal Year 2021
Division Graduate School of Operational & Information Sciences
Department Computer Science
Investigator(s) Beverly, Robert E.
Rohrer, Justin P.
Sponsor Laboratory for Telecommunications Sciences (DoD)
Summary In a previous collaboration with LTS, we developed a novel high-speed active network mapping tool, "Yarrp" (Yelling at Random Routers Progressively), offering significantly more performance than the prior state-of-the-art. This capability challenges prior notions of an Internet "topology snapshot" in that Yarrp snapshots are gathered far more rapidly and thus are less susceptible to error introduced by topology dynamics and transient events. These topology snapshots enable analysis of network connectivity, including identifying critical routers and points in the network vulnerable to attack, as well as providing invaluable information on the way traffic is routed. We deployed Yarrp in 16 locations worldwide within the AWS cloud. Integrating Yarrp with AWS involves dynamically instantiating Yarrp instances in AWS regions, distributing the probing load, and aggregating the results. This functionality is now provided by an automated front end where the user need only drag a set of targets to an AWS bucket. In this process we have gained significant experience tuning Yarrp parameters, configuring vantage points, and analyzing the effects of various measurement artifacts, such as ICMP rate-limiting, which can drastically affect the data collected. Based on lessons learned, the focus of this proposal includes continuing to advance production topology mapping; as well as augmenting this mapping with a better understanding of network geolocation databases.
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Publications Publications, theses (not shown) and data repositories will be added to the portal record when information is available in FAIRS and brought back to the portal
Data Publications, theses (not shown) and data repositories will be added to the portal record when information is available in FAIRS and brought back to the portal