Network Performance Evaluation: Dr. Muazzam A. Khan
Network Performance Evaluation: Dr. Muazzam A. Khan
Evaluation
Introduction
Work- Work-
System load 1 load 2
A 20 10
B 10 20
• Which is better?
Example: Comparing Two Systems
• Two systems, two workloads, measure
transactions per second
Work- Work-
System load 1 load 2 Average
A 20 10 15
B 10 20 15
Work- Work-
System load 1 load 2 Average
A 2 0.5 1.25
B 1 1 1
• A is better!
• … but is B better than A?
Outline
• Objectives (done)
• The Art (done)
• Common Mistakes (next)
• Systematic Approach
• Case Study
Common Mistakes (1 of 3)
• Undefined Goals
– There is no such thing as a general model
– Describe goals and then design experiments
– (Don’t shoot untill identify your target)
• Biased Goals
– Don’t show YOUR system better than Others
– (Performance analysis is like a jury)
• Unrepresentative Workload
– Should be representative of how system will
work “in the wild”
– Ex: large and small packets? Don’t test with
only large or only small
System Behavior
• Idle
• Worst scenario
• Best Scenario
• Optimal
• Get Max output using Min input
• Types of Data
• Data, Images, Videos, Live chat, Live Video,
hybrid,
• Multiple values, take its average.
• Wireless Networks Deployment
• No perform any survey?
• Where to install or equip their Access Point
• How to provide access to users
• How many users can be served at a time
• How the AP ll be connected with the server
• Its Performance evaluation
• Availability, Reliability, Security,
Scalability, real time data info delivery
Mistake
• To deploy a network, calculate the overall
performance of a network?
• The no of nodes?
• Bandwidth available?
• Either there is any specific distribution of BW
• Are they are equally sharing the BW
• Security actually have some extra load on the
system it may effect the performance of
networks/system in terms of efficiency
• In terms response time, efficiency of the
system
Common Mistakes (2 of 3)
• Wrong Evaluation Technique
– Use most appropriate: model, simulation,
measurement
– (Don’t have a hammer and see everything as a
nail)
• Inappropriate Level of Detail
– Can have too much!
– Can have too little!
• No Sensitivity Analysis
– Analysis is evidence
– Need to determine how sensitive results are.
Common Mistakes (3 of 3)
• Improper Presentation of Results
– It is not the number of graphs, but the
presentation of graphs that help to make
decisions
• Omitting Assumptions and Limitations
– Ex: may assume most traffic TCP, whereas
some links may have significant UDP traffic
– May lead to applying results where
assumptions do not hold
• Graphs Pie, lines, Compare
• Assumptions
• Everything is not in your control.
• Simulator is a very ideal environment
• While real world is totally different
• Ground realities
Outline
• Objectives (done)
• The Art (done)
• Common Mistakes (done)
• Systematic Approach (next)
• Case Study
A Systematic Approach
1. State goals and define boundaries
2. Select performance metrics
3. List system and workload parameters
4. Select factors and values
5. Select evaluation techniques
6. Select workload
7. Design experiments
8. Analyze and interpret the data
9. Present the results. Repeat.
• NS-2, NS-3
• OTCL
• Build Scenarios, tcl ext
• .Nam Animation of your experimental
scenario,
• nodes crated, move, direction, speed
• Pause time
• Trace file .tr Statistical data and protocols
info, Analyze trace file to get final results.
• In form of columns
State Goals and Define Boundaries
• Just “measuring performance” or “seeing
how it works” is too broad
– Ex: goal is to decide which ISP provides
better throughput
• Definition of system may depend upon goals
– Ex: if measuring CPU instruction speed,
system may include CPU + cache
– Ex: if measuring response time, system may
include CPU + memory + … + OS + user
workload
Select Metrics
• Criteria to compare performance
• In general, related to speed, accuracy
and/or availability of system services
• Ex: network performance
– Speed: throughput and delay
– Accuracy: error rate
– Availability: data packets sent do arrive
• Ex: processor performance
– Speed: time to execute instructions
List Parameters
• List all parameters that affect performance
• System parameters (hardware and
software)
– Ex: CPU type, OS type, …
• Workload parameters
– Ex: Number of users, type of requests
• List may not be initially complete, so have
working list and let grow as progress
Select Factors to Study
• Divide parameters into those that are to
be studied and those that are not
– Ex: may vary CPU type but fix OS type
– Ex: may fix packet size but vary number of
connections
• Select appropriate levels for each factor
– Want ones with potentially high impact
– For workload often smaller
– Start small or large number can quickly
overcome available resources!
Select Evaluation Technique
• Depends upon time, resources and desired
level of accuracy
• Analytic modeling
– Quick, less accurate
• Simulation
– Medium effort, medium accuracy
• Mathematical Measurement
– Typical most effort, most accurate
• Note, above are all typical but can be
reversed in some cases!
Select Workload
• Set of service requests to system
• Depends upon measurement technique
– Analytic model may have probability of
various requests
– Simulation may have trace of requests from
real system
– Measurement may have scripts impose
transactions
• Should be representative of real life
Design Experiments
• Want to maximize results with minimal
effort
• Phase 1:
– Many factors, few levels
– See which factors matter
• Phase 2:
– Few factors, more levels
– See where the range of impact for the
factors is
Analyze and Interpret Data
• Compare alternatives
• Take into account variability of results
– Statistical techniques
• Interpret results.
– The analysis does not provide a conclusion
– Different analysts may come to different
conclusions
Present Results
• Make it easily understood
• Graphs
• Disseminate (entire methodology!)
"The job of a scientist is not merely to see: it is to see,
understand, and communicate. Leave out any of these
phases, and you're not doing science. If you don't see,
but you do understand and communicate, you're a
prophet, not a scientist. If you don't understand, but
you do see and communicate, you're a reporter, not a
scientist. If you don't communicate, but you do see and
understand, you're a mystic, not a scientist."
Outline
• Objectives (done)
• The Art (done)
• Common Mistakes (done)
• Systematic Approach (done)
• Case Study (next)
Case Study
• Consider remote pipes (rpipe) versus
remote procedure calls (rpc)
– rpc is like procedure call but procedure is
handled on remote server
• Client caller blocks until return
– rpipe is like pipe but server gets output on
remote machine
• Client process can continue, non-blocking
• Goal: study the performance of
applications using rpipes to similar
applications using rpcs
System Definition
• Client and Server and Network
• Key component is “channel”, either a rpipe
or an rpc
– Only the subset of the client and server
that handle channel are part of the system