SPONSORED BY:  NSF - ANIR  CAREER AWARD
             No: 9985195
 

OBJECTIVES
INTERNET TOPOLOGY MODELS. NTERNET TOPOLOGY MODELS. We propose to model, re-create, and predict the Internet topology. We present a novel way to describe topological properties using power-laws. Despite the randomness of the Internet, we discover some surprisingly simple power-laws that the Internet topology obeyed during the year 1998 with correlation coefficients of 96% or higher. Our initial set of power-laws is only the beginning of a new way to view and model the Internet. We propose to continue our work focusing on three major research directions. First, we will to identify more power-law properties and thus, characterize and classify graphs. Second, we want to develop a new graph model for realistic topologies. Finally, we want to measure and predict the growth patterns of Internet. In all three areas, we will develop software tools to analyze, generate, and predict graphs and their topological properties.

MULTICAST PROTOCOLS. We propose the QoSMIC Internet routing protocol to support QoS in group (multicast) communications. In our PhD work, we presented, QoSMIC, a QoS-sensitive multicast protocol. QoSMIC differs from the previous protocols in that it identifies multiple paths and selects the one that can provide the QoS the applications requires. In addition, QoSMIC is resource-efficient and flexible without compromising its scalability. Preliminary simulations show that QoSMIC can support 4 times more users with a certain QoS level compared to the current protocols. There are a lot of research issues that are needed to complete the protocol. We propose to develop our protocol in two steps: extensive simulations, and software implementation. Our longterm goal is to incorporate QoSMIC in commercial routers through an industrial collaboration. Note that the reviewing committee suggested to put more focus on on the study of the Internet topology. Our research effort did follow these suggestions, though the multicast research was not abandoned completely.

Participants

TASKS

• Study the Internet topology
• Descibe the Internet as few as possible parameters and metrics
• Develop a model of the Internet topology
• Create software for the generation of realistic topologies

Publications. A list of our related publications.
Tools. We have created the following software tools.
Presentations. We have given the following presentations.