How to Start Software Defined Wide Area Network Using NS2

To stimulate a Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) project using NS2 (Network Simulator 2) has includes the replicate of programmable and flexible WAN architecture in which the routing decisions are create through a centralized controller. While NS2 does not natively helps for SDN concepts, alter the execution or incorporate can mimic the SD-WAN functionality. Below is a guide to get started:

Steps to Start Software-Defined Wide Area Network Projects Using NS2

  1. Understand SD-WAN in NS2
  • What is SD-WAN?
    • The SD-WAN is a virtualized WAN structure which decouples the control from data plane. A centralized controller has handled the routing, prioritization, and traffic steering.
    • It enhances the network performance through optimizing traffic routing over several WAN connections.
  • Key Components for SD-WAN Simulation:
    • Data Plane: The data plane has contains the network nodes for sample routers, switches which transmit the congestion.
    • Control Plane: Policy enforcement is centralized the controller for routing.
    • Traffic Steering: The reroute are congestion according to their policies or Mechanisms to prioritize.
  1. Define the Goals of Your Project
  • Common Objectives:
    • Replicate the SD-WAN congestion routing over the several connection.
    • Associate the performance for traditional WAN vs. SD-WAN.
    • Study the congestion for prioritization and QoS in SD-WAN.
    • Execute the failover and load-balancing mechanisms.
  1. Install NS2
  • Install NS2 on Linux:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install ns2

  • Validate the installation:

ns

If % appears, the installation is successful.

  1. Design the SD-WAN Topology
  • Basic Topology:
    • Several branch offices are connected in the centralized controller through WAN connection.
    • Topology use for dual connection and replicate the multipath routing.
  • Components:
    • SD-WAN Controller: The node has which handle the routing decision.
    • Branch Offices: The Nodes are expressed the endpoints or edge devices.
    • WAN Links: The connections are changing the bandwidth, latency, and reliability.
  1. Create a Basic SD-WAN Simulation

Here’s an example SD-WAN simulation script using NS2:

Example Script:

# Create a Simulator Object

set ns [new Simulator]

# Trace and NAM Files

set tracefile [open sdwan.tr w]

$ns trace-all $tracefile

set namfile [open sdwan.nam w]

$ns namtrace-all $namfile

# Define Nodes

set branch1 [$ns node]

set branch2 [$ns node]

set controller [$ns node]

set cloud1 [$ns node]

set cloud2 [$ns node]

# Define Links

$ns duplex-link $branch1 $controller 10Mb 20ms DropTail

$ns duplex-link $branch2 $controller 10Mb 30ms DropTail

$ns duplex-link $controller $cloud1 100Mb 50ms DropTail

$ns duplex-link $controller $cloud2 50Mb 100ms DropTail

# Add Traffic (Branch1 to Cloud1)

set tcp1 [new Agent/TCP]

$ns attach-agent $branch1 $tcp1

set sink1 [new Agent/TCPSink]

$ns attach-agent $cloud1 $sink1

$ns connect $tcp1 $sink1

# Add Traffic (Branch2 to Cloud2)

set tcp2 [new Agent/TCP]

$ns attach-agent $branch2 $tcp2

set sink2 [new Agent/TCPSink]

$ns attach-agent $cloud2 $sink2

$ns connect $tcp2 $sink2

# Add a UDP Flow to Simulate Video Traffic

set udp [new Agent/UDP]

$ns attach-agent $branch1 $udp

set null [new Agent/Null]

$ns attach-agent $cloud2 $null

$ns connect $udp $null

set cbr [new Application/Traffic/CBR]

$cbr attach-agent $udp

$cbr set packetSize_ 512

$cbr set rate_ 50Kb

$cbr start 1.0

$cbr stop 10.0

# Centralized Routing Logic (Simulating SD-WAN Controller)

$ns at 2.0 “$ns rtmodel-at-time 2.0 $controller $cloud1 $cloud2 50Mb”

# End Procedure

proc finish {} {

global ns tracefile namfile

$ns flush-trace

close $tracefile

close $namfile

exec nam sdwan.nam &

exit 0

}

$ns at 12.0 “finish”

# Run Simulation

$ns run

  1. Simulate SD-WAN Features
  • Traffic Steering:
    • During the replication for establish the dynamic routing through altering the paths.

$ns rtmodel-at-time 5.0 $controller $cloud1 $cloud2

  • Load Balancing:
    • Spilt the congestion with several paths.
    • The dual-link replicates the setting by changing the bandwidths and latencies.
  • Failover:
    • Connection failure is replicate the reroute congestion:

$ns rtmodel-at-time 8.0 down $branch1 $controller

  1. Analyze the Results
  • Metrics to Measure:
    • Packet loss
    • Link utilization
    • Latency
    • Throughput
  • Trace File Analysis: Extract and examine the related data from the trace file:

grep “tcp” sdwan.tr > analysis.txt

  • Visualization with NAM: Envision for the replication of  recognize in flow congestion:

nam sdwan.nam

  1. Enhance the Simulation
  • QoS Implementation:
    • Give precedence to detailed congestion types for sample video, VoIP over others.

$cbr set rate_ 100Kb  ;# Higher priority for video traffic

  • Dynamic Traffic Loads:
    • For different congestion replicate the designs with branch offices.
  • Multi-Controller SD-WAN:
    • Enhance the several SD-WAN controllers for larger networks.
  • Energy Efficiency:
    • Replicate the power-aware routing mechanisms in the network.
  1. Advanced SD-WAN Project Ideas
  • Dynamic Routing Optimization:
    • Replicate the adaptive routing procedures for real-time congestion optimization.
  • Bandwidth Aggregation:
    • Associate for several low-bandwidth connections in the virtual high-bandwidth link.
  • Security in SD-WAN:
    • Replicate encode the overhead for secure transmission.
  • Fault-Tolerant SD-WAN:
    • Examine the effect for node/connection failures on congestion and recovery mechanisms.
  • Cloud Integration:
    • The congestion replicates the distribution among many cloud servers.
  1. Document Your Project
  • Include:
    • It starts with Objectives and topology details.
    • After the details are gathered and process for the metrics and parameters such as bandwidth, latency, etc.
    • The parameter metrices gives the outcomes for instance graphs for throughput, delay, and packet loss.
    • Finally it contributes the observations and conclusions.

Feel free to ask for help with custom configurations, advanced routing mechanisms, or other SD-WAN-specific requirements in NS2!

In this process, we had covered the details about Software-Defined Wide Area Network procedures and how to evaluate the Software-Defined Wide Area Network outcomes across the ns2 tool. Further specifics concerning the Software-Defined Wide Area Network will be provided in upcoming manuals.