COURSEWORK – NPS

Task 01- Queue

Choose a client of your preference to analyze an existent of queue system. By using Kendall’s
Notation, little’s law and Utilization law, Find, research and present a proper queue model to
optimize the service. This service may consist of,
a. General Customer queue, like on a service desk
b. General Request queue, like a web server
c. Network traffic queue.
Note that the model you chose is irrelevant for your assessment, as long as your research
model, fact finding techniques, analytical skills and the solution is prudent.

Task 02- Opnet Modeling, Overview

OPNET provides a Virtual Network Environment that models the behaviour of networks, including its
routers, switches, protocols, servers, and individual applications. The Virtual Network Environment allows
IT managers, network and system planners, and operation’s staff to more effectively diagnose difficult
problems, validate changes before they are implemented, and plan for future scenarios such as traffic
growth and network failures.
You can do “what if” analyses (called scenarios in OPNET) on network designs, just as you can on
spreadsheets with financial business models. However, instead of looking at “bottom line” financial
numbers, you will be looking at how response times, latency (delays) and other network performance
measures will change under different network design approaches.
To create a network simulation (called a project in OPNET), you specify the nodes (computers, switches,
routers, etc.) in your network, the links between nodes, and the applications that will be running on the
nodes.

Lab Scenario – Basic Network Analysis

Step 1: Design and Configure the basic network

OPNET consists of projects and scenarios. Scenarios may contain different versions of the same network
or models of different networks. A project consists of one or more network scenarios. In this lab, you will
create 2 different scenarios comparing application performance with different connection speeds.
1. From Riverbed Modeler, Create a Campus Scenario
2. Now construct the following network. Use 10BaseT links to connect the devices. Set appropriate
names for the devices.
3. Now configure the applications to http->light browsing and the profiles as web.
 4. Now add the services to the server and add the profile to the client

5. Choose the statistics that you want to collect. Choose the client HTTP, Server HTTP, IP from the
Node Statistics and the point-to-point statistics from the Link Statistics
6. Run the Simulation..

Answer the following questions:

Step 1: In scenario 1

1. Copy the scenario 1 that you created.

 2. Copy and paste the graph that you obtained for the average Object response time and page
response time for Client 1. Why is the Page response time more than the object response time?
describe with suitable illustrations.

3. Copy paste the graph for the load on the server, task processing time, traffic received and traffic
sent. Explain the graphs keeping in mind the type of application used.

4. Record the queuing delay and utilization of the link. Explain the graph (paste a copy). Why do
you see two records of the utilization of the link? Why are they different?

Step 2: Configure the Link to 100BaseT

In the previous scenario, we had use 10BaseT for the links. Now we have to create a new scenario.
1. Click on Scenarios → Duplicate Scenarios
2. Add the new name: Fast_Scenario
3. Now change the links to 100BaseT
4. Run the simulation and compare the results with the previous scenario using compare result
function
5. Answer questions 2, 3 and 4 from scenario 1 when you replace the link? Is there a need to
replace the link – explain?
 6. Illustrate the graph that you obtained for the average Object response time and page response
time for Client 1. Why is the Page response time more than the object response time?

7. Illustrate the graph for the load on the server, task processing time, traffic received and traffic
sent. Explain the graphs keeping in mind the type of application used.

8. Record the queuing delay and utilization of the link. Explain the graph (paste a copy). Why do
you see two records of the utilization of the link? Why are they different?

Step 3: Extend the network

Add one more client and one more server. Configure the server as an Email server. Client 2 should
access both email and web services. This will require creating a new profile which supports both services
and assiging this profile to Client 2.
Create two scenarios again, for 10Base T and 100Base T. Compare the Web Response times and Email
response times for the two scenarios.

6. Copy paste the graphs from scenario 3. Label the scenarios appropriately

7. Answer questions 2, 3 and 4 from scenario 1. Compare with the results that you obtained from
sceanrio 1 and sceanrio 2
Task 03- LAN Design and Network Configuration for Analysis, Overview
In this assignment you will design a network for a company that has four departments: Research,
Engineering, E-Commerce, and Sales. You will utilize a LAN model that allows you to simulate multiple
clients and servers in one simulation object. This model dramatically reduces both the amount of
configuration work you need to perform and the amount of memory needed to execute the simulation.
You will be able to define a profile that specifies the pattern of applications employed by the users of each
department in the company. By the end of this assignment, you will be able to study how different design
decisions can affect the performance of the network.

Step 1: Network design

1. Create a Campus Project.

Network Initialization and Service configuration

2. The Object Palette dialog box should be now on the top of your project space. Make sure that the
internet_toolbox is selected from the pull-down menu on the object palette.
3. Add to the project workspace the following objects from the palette: Application configuration,
Profile configuration, and a subnet.
4. The workspace should contain the following three objects:

5. Change the Application Definitions attribute to Default

6. Change the Profile Configuration attribute to Sample Profiles
Sample Profiles provides patterns of applications employed by users such as engineers, researchers,
salespeople, and multimedia users.

Configure a Subnet:
7. on the subnet node Change the name attributes to Engineering.
8. Add the following items to the subnet workspace: Two - 10BaseT LAN, ethernet16_switch, and
a 10BaseT link to connect the LAN with the Switch.
9. on the 10BaseT LAN node, Change the name attribute to LAN1 and LAN2
10. Set the Number of Workstations attribute has a value of 30.

11. On Application: Supported Profiles attribute, do the following:

a. Set the number of rows to 1.
b. Set the Profile Name to Engineer.
 12. Rename the ethernet16 switch to Switch.
13. The subnet should look like the shown below but with two LANs

14. Save your project.

Configure All Departments:

15. Go to the higher level.
16. The subnets of the other departments in the company should be similar to the engineering one,
except for the supported profiles.
17. Make three copies of the Engineering subnet we just created: to create the new subnets.
18. Rename and arrange the subnets as shown below:

19. On the Research node , Change the value of the Profile Name from Engineer to Researcher
20. Repeat steps with the Sales node and assign to its Profile Name the profile Sales Person.
21. Repeat steps with the E-Commerce node and assign to its Profile Name the profile E-commerce
Customer.

Configure the Servers:

 Now we need servers that support the following applications: Web browsing, Email, Telnet, File
Transfer, Database, and File Print.
22. Open the Object Palette and add a new subnet → Rename the new subnet to Servers →
Double-click the Servers node to enter its workspace.
23. From the Object Palette, add three Ethernet servers, one ethernet16_switch, and three
10BaseT links to connect the servers with the switch.
24. Rename the servers and the switch as follows:

25. on each one of the above servers and Edit

a. For the Web Server add four rows to support the following services: Web Browsing
(Light HTTP1.1), Web Browsing (Heavy HTTP1.1), Email (Light), and Telnet Session
(Light).
b. For the File Server add two rows to support the following services: File Transfer (Light)
and File Print (Light).
c. For the Database Server add one row to support the following service: Database
Access (Light).

Connect the Subnets:

Now all subnets are ready to be connected together.
26. Open the Object Palette and add four 10 BaseT links to connect the subnets of the departments
to the Servers subnet.
27. As you create each link, make sure that it is configured to connect the “switches” in both subnets
to each other.

28. Now your network should look like the following:

Choose the Statistics
To test the performance of our network collect one of the many available statistics as follows:
29. Choose Individual Statistics.
30. choose Global statistics : HTTP, FTP, DB entry and DB query
31. Include any other statistics that you think would be needed to determine the utilization of
the links and the servers/switches

Configure the Simulation

Here you need to configure the duration of the simulation:
32. Set the duration to be 1 hour.
33. Press Run.

Answer the following Questions inline:

Question 1: Compare the average HTTP Object Response Time and HTTP Page Response Time.
Explain your results referencing the graphs. Trace the path of the traffic and the attributes of the
application to explain the trend of the graphs

Question 2: In similar manner explain the trend of sent and received traffic

Question 3: Compare the average FTP download Response Time and FTP upload Response Time.
Explain your results referencing the graphs. Trace the path of the traffic and the attributes of the
application to explain the trend of the graphs.

Question 4: In similar manner explain the trend of sent and received traffic

Question 5: Capture the utilization of the servers and links connecting to the different departments.
Comment on the trends observed.
Step 2: Multimedia department

Create a duplicate scenario for scenario 1 and name it network_1_multimedia.

For this step you need to add a new subnet for the multimedia department.
Follow the steps above to add the new subnet. The multimedia subnet is similar to the engineering subnet
configured before containing a LAN and a switch. The profile name Application: Supported Profiles
attribute for the LAN in this multimedia subnet needs to be configured to a Multimedia user.
You will also need to add a new server on the server subnet. You will need to add video conferencing and
voice conferencing in the Application: Supported Services attribute for this server.
Run the simulation for 10 minutes and compare the results for the four scenarios.
Answer the following Questions inline:

Provide answers for questions 2, 4 and 5 from the previous scenario

Based on the performance and utilization trends what modifications would you suggest? Why do
you suggest these modifications?

Marking Scheme

Task Description Marks

Task 01
1. Overview of the project How well the coursework is 10
which you are about to structured, based on the
undertake, and analysis and feasibility study
challenges you might of the project
face

2. Developing the Proper survey techniques 15

Scenario and queue applied, and the properly
discipline justified list of servers and
3. Number of servers, queue for the given scenario
purpose and
justifications.

4. Critically analyses the Proper equations, theories 10

client business tools/techniques applied in
environment and the the report
system while providing
adequate solutions

Task 02
1. The solution How well the student has 15
architecture is properly identified the scenario and its
followed and the requirements, and how well
scenario run as the student has provide the
intended comprehensive and a
distributed solution.

2. Questions has been Demonstrate insight by 25 ( 5 marks per question)

answered discussing and providing
suitable illustrations.

Step 02
1. The solution . Proper illustrations been 10
architecture is properly used
followed and the
scenario run as
intended

1. Questions has been Demonstrate insight by 15 ( 5 marks per question)

answered discussing and providing
suitable illustrations.