Building Network Topologies

This is one in a series of papers that describes how to use OPNET products to solve network and application problems. To maintain focus on the methodology, this paper does not contain feature-by-feature documentation. You can find detailed descriptions of the features used in this methodology in the documentation that comes with OPNET products.

Abstract
The first step in any network performance study is to build a model of the network topology. The method for building the network topology varies according to what information is needed from the performance analysis. For example, a study involving application deployment requires a complete, explicitly-modeled topology. A backbone analysis requires only the backbone to be modeled in detail and the rest of the network to be abstracted. A client-server performance analysis requires modeling only one path between the client and the server. OPNET supports many different techniques for building network topologies. Topologies can be created manually or imported from vendor products that auto-discover network elements. The model library that comes with OPNET provides models of various devices used in todays networks. Devices that aggregate sections of the network (such as LAN segments, ATM/Frame Relay clouds) are also provided to simplify the network topology and improve simulation performance. This paper describes how to use OPNET to do the following: build complete network topologies build partial topologies model a path between two devices

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Updated: 12/1/04

Building Network Topologies

Several case studies (separate documents) are also provided in this set as examples of how these procedures have been put to use.

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Updated: 12/1/04

Building Network Topologies

Methodology
Figure 1 shows the steps for building a network topology. The following sections describe each step in detail.
Figure 1 Workflow: Building a Network Topology

Start

Determine your goal

Assess your current network

Determine if you need aggregation

Select a building technique

Create your network topology

End

Set the Goal

The choice of devices for constructing a network topology and the method is very much a function of the goal of a simulation study. Depending upon the context in which the software is being used, represent the topology as a single path between two devices, a partial topology with some of the network abstracted or a complete topology with every device explicitly modeled.
Single Path

In this case, only the infrastructure supporting traffic between two devices of interest is represented. For example, if the objective of using the software is to analyze a client-server application, it is only necessary to identify the devices and networks constituting the single path between the client and the server. The effect of the remaining portions of the network will be taken into account by representing the traffic that crosses, and therefore affects, the path of interest. The advantage of this topology is that it enhances the focus of the study to the main objects of interest, i.e. the client and the server. Because other devices are

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Updated: 12/1/04

Building Network Topologies

not explicitly modeled, the simulation is very efficient. There is no loss of accuracy because the effect of the remaining network on the client-server traffic is taken into account. You can easily and quickly perform a number of what-if scenarios by changing client/server parameters or the amount of traffic in the intermediate sections of the network.
Partial Topology

In some situations, it is important to represent some of the network in detail while abstracting other sections. For example, if the objective is to study the utilization of a backbone, the backbone portion must be completely represented. Other sections of the network can be abstracted. However their effects should be captured when traffic information is entered.
Complete Topology

A complete topology is necessary when a particular problem is scaled across the network and it is important to identify the impact of the problem on all devices involved. For example, if a new application is being deployed and the objective of the simulation is to determine its impact on intermediate network devices, it is important to model the complete topology. Complete topologies are also used when the objective of the study is to move a server to various prospective locations and study the impact of each choice on network resources (say link utilization). Listed below are some examples of goals and recommended topologies:
Table 1 Example Goals and Recommended Topologies
Goals of the Simulation Performance of a database application Performance of FTP with different TCP settings Performance of applications for remote users Performance of a new application in the network Effect of a new application deployment on the network Backbone analysis Moving from shared media to a switched network= Trading off Fast Ethernet Vs Gigabit Ethernet End of Table 1 Recommended Topology Single Path Single Path Single Path Single Path Complete Partial Partial Partial

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Building Network Topologies

Assess the Existing Network

Before you build the final topology, it is important to have a high level view of the existing network in the form of a drawing or a map. Identify all existing devices, their role, and the protocols that are running in the existing network. Identify the flows and traffic patterns in your existing network. Consider the following questions: Is the network flat (predominantly switched) or segmented (routed)? Where are the main servers located (WWW server, database server etc.)? What is the main traffic flow (users accessing the database server, traffic through a firewall etc.)? What are the sources of broadcast and multicast traffic?

Determine If You Need Aggregation

Before performing the final steps in generating a topology, optionally determine if you can aggregate portions of the network. Aggregation can be performed at the segment level (LAN segment) or at the subnet level (IP subnet). Portions of the network, which are outside the corporate control such as the Internet or the carriers, can also be represented as simple cloud objects with the correct latencies. Examples are shown graphically below: A LAN segment can be aggregated into a shared LAN object. The number of workstations that the shared LAN represents and the different applications generating traffic can be specified. The shared LAN automatically scales the traffic based on the number of stations. Utilization measured on the shared LAN can be modeled as background utilization on the shared LAN object.
Figure 2 Shared LAN Aggregation

Shared LAN segments connected to a switch can be aggregated into a switched LAN object. The number of workstations that the entire switched LAN segment represents can be specified and would be set to the total number of users on all the shared LANs that are utilizing the switch. Applications can be configured on

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Building Network Topologies

the switched LAN and the model automatically scales the total traffic based on the number of workstations. Utilization measured on a switched segment can be input as background utilization on the switched LAN. The switching speed for the LAN segment can also be specified.
Figure 3 Switched LAN Aggregation

The frame relay cloud can be used to represent a section of the core frame relay network. Typically, a company uses a frame relay carrier service for long haul communications and the carrier infrastructure can be represented as the frame relay cloud. Packet latency and discard probabilities can be modeled on the frame relay cloud. Similarly, an ATM cloud can be used to represent core portions of an ATM network and an IP cloud can be used to represent some of the Internet.
Figure 4 Frame Relay (or ATM) Aggregation

Figure 5 IP Level Aggregation

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Building Network Topologies

Select a Technique for Creating the Topology

Topologies can be created manually or automatically through a process of importing from tools that perform auto-discovery. Topologies can be constructed automatically from device configuration files and text/XML files. Each one of these techniques is discussed briefly below.
Direct Import

The software supports importing topologies directly from a number of vendor products. Each import procedure varies slightly based on the information obtained from the vendor products. See the product documentation for details on the import procedure. The key features of the direct import process are listed below (these may not apply to all the supported vendor technologies): The import preserves the network layout and hierarchy. The relative positioning of objects is preserved. If objects are within subnets, the software will create subnets and place objects within them. Devices are mapped accurately to the model library. The software maintains a large database of device models (e.g. routers, switches, servers etc.) and their characteristics. During import, devices are identified based on their function and vendor. For select vendor technologies, import provides aggregation. The topology can be imported with LAN level aggregation, IP segment level aggregation or no aggregation at all. Import can repair structural defects in the network. Before performing an import from any tool, view the topology in the network management tool and ensure that it is an accurate representation of your network. Tools such as HP NNM require devices to be managed and configured with special MIBs (Management Information Bases) so that they can identify devices correctly. If the devices are properly identified in the supporting tool, they will be imported directly into the software.
The VNE Server Environment The OPNET VNE (Virtual Network Environment)

Server product provides an online, integrated view of your network. VNE Server collects network data from disparate sources, and merges this information to create a unified network representation. VNE Server can be configured for unattended operation.
Vendor Products You can import from vendor products such as HP Network Node Manager or Lucent NavisCore. See the product documentation for the complete list of supported vendor products and procedures on how to import from these products.

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Building Network Topologies

Text/XML Files OPNET supports text-based or XML-based topology import.

These text/XML files have a specific format that can be found in the product documentation. Geographic location information can be supplied in these files.
Application Traces from ACE OPNET can generate topologies from application protocol traces captured between the various application tiers. These topologies are simple topologies that represent the technologies and latencies across the tiers. They so not contain the actual physical devices that exist between the tiers. These topologies can be used as building blocks for replaying the application traces and performing what-if studies on application performance by altering the topology or protocol parameters. Device Configurations OPNET supports import of device configuration files.

Geographic location information can be supplied with the router configurations. When you use router configuration files, the topology that is created will have attributes that control routing behavior specified based on the contents of the router configuration files.
Incremental Import Device configurations can be imported all at once or

incrementally. When you use incremental import, you can merge the imported device configurations with the existing ones or choose to overwrite the model. This feature is useful when you import device configurations and decide to alter their contents as a result of your simulation studies. You can then reimport the altered device configurations incrementally.
Manual Construction

Manual construction can be used when the topology is simple (in terms of number of objects and complexity of interconnection) or when supporting tools that provide topology information for direct import are not available. To build topologies by hand, the software provides object palettes that contain common network devices and links used for interconnection. The software also provides a technique called Rapid Configuration that lets you to quickly create standard topologies (star, tree, bus, mesh, etc.) containing many devices with a few clicks. Once a topology has been created by hand, the software provides features that allow the user to select a large number of objects and apply attribute values in one operation. Consistency checking is provided to ensure that links are accurate and the interconnected devices are compatible.

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Building Network Topologies

Create the Topology

After importing the topology, run the link consistency check to ensure that the topology is accurate and there are no disconnected links. At this point, you can set attribute values on devices and run simulations. Some features that are useful for this purpose are listed below. Details about these features can be found in the software documentation. Find node: Allows the user to find any node by name across the network. Nodes can be configured with multiple names (aliases). LAN objects or any objects that represent many devices can be configured with the names of individual members that they represent using aliases. The find node utility also locates a device by its alias. Logical object selection: Objects can be selected based on their type or any of their attribute settings. Selection sets can be retained for further selection. Applying changes to selected objects: Changes to attribute values for objects selected manually or using the find/logical object selection command can be applied with a single click. Configuring attributes: Attributes can be configured to represent characteristics of the device. Protocol parameters can also be tuned. Selecting advanced models that contain many attributes: Models are divided into a three-tier structure: advanced, intermediate and final. Advanced models contain numerous attributes that can be tuned based on the different protocols they contain. Intermediate models contain a subset of the advanced model attributes and Final models contain only very basic attributes that have to be configured by the user. Once the process of building a topology is complete, refer to the documents on modeling network traffic and characterizing applications.

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Building Network Topologies

Examples of Various Topologies Used for Different Studies

Figure 6 shows an example network and corresponding topologies that have been selected for various studies. The example topology selected consists of users on shared LAN segments. LAN segments on the same floor of an office are connected to each other through a switch. All switches interface to a building router. A backbone spans various campuses and connects the building routers together. Servers are located on a server farm in one of the buildings.
Figure 6 Complete Topology
L1

Switch1
L2

Backbone Switch6 Router1 Router3

L8

Servers

Switch2
L3 L4

Router2

Switch5
L7

Switch3
L5

Switch4
L6

LAN Segments

Topology for Client/Server Performance Analysis

If the network is being used to study the performance of an existing application in the presence of regular day-to-day network traffic, a single path from the client to the server is adequate. The effect of network traffic is to cause additional delay for the application traffic. The network traffic is represented by background utilization on the intermediate devices. Application traffic is modeled explicitly. This is an example of a hybrid simulation. Hybrid simulation explicitly models the application of interest. The network traffic effects are analytically represented to obtain both accuracy and simulation efficiency.
Figure 7 Single Path Topology

Topology for Application Deployment

If the network is used to study application deployment, it is important to represent all the traffic flows from all clients to the servers. Because the objective is to study application response time and the effect of this application on the switches and routers, it is not important to model in full detail of each LAN segment. LANs may be aggregated into shared LAN objects with the correct

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Building Network Topologies

number of workstations. The LAN object scales the traffic automatically based on the number of workstations. The flows across the switches and routers must be modeled explicitly as the effect of the new application on such devices is important in the study.
Figure 8 Partial Topology: Application Deployment

Topology for Analysis of the Backbone

If the network is used to study utilization on the backbone, it is important to model flows across the backbone accurately. Modeling individual LAN segments and switches is not important. The shared LAN segments along with the switches can be aggregated into switched LAN segments that generate cross traffic through the backbone.
Figure 9 Partial Topology: Network Backbone

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Building Network Topologies

Conclusion
OPNET supports a number of techniques for building network topologies and representing protocol configurations accurately. The scope and dimension of the simulation analysis or study can be significantly reduced by building a topology appropriate to the study.

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