CSC305: Data Communications and Networks Lab 1: Small Internetworks An Introduction to OPNET Simulation tool

In this lab, you will be introduced to the network simulation tool OPNET. To familiarize yourself with this tool run the software OPNET IT Guru Academic Edition and read the short tutorial provided with this lab. The academic version of this tool is free and can be downloaded from the Internet by the visiting the following link: http://www.opnet.com/university_program/itguru_academic_edition/ Note that you should register first to be able to download the software. Once familiar with OPNETs user interface, do the lab titled Small Internetworks included with this document.

Create a third scenario containing 4 more networks (two in the third floor and 2 in the fourth floor) and check the performance of the whole network. The new four networks are identical to the first network except that the number of stations should be 25 for each. Use Subnets to create the new networks. Prepare a report in which you should include the answers to the following two questions: - Will the server be able to handle the additional load of the added networks? - Will the total delay across the network be acceptable once the new networks are installed? You should include the graphs showing the comparison of the three scenarios: one floor, two floors, and three floors, considering the two statistics Ethernet load and Ethernet delay. Discuss the results you obtained and compare them with your expectations. Mention any anomalies or unexplained behaviors. What you need to submit is: - Report with graphs, discussions, and answers to the two questions - All your project files generated by OPNET. The work can be done individually or in teams of two students. This Lab1 counts for 5%. Deadline: You should upload your work using Blackboard on time before October 6th, 23:59 (STRICT DEADLINE). Any late submission will be penalized (-10%/ day).

CSC305 Communications and Networks (Fall 2013)

About IT Guru

About IT Guru

About IT Guru

The Project Editor The Project Editor is the main staging area for creating a network simulation. From this editor, you can build a network model using models from the standard library, choose statistics about the network, run a simulation, and view the results.
A Network Model in the Project Editor
Create Network Models

Before you start, you should understand the IT Guru workflow, the workspace, and the editors. Become familiar with these essential features, then begin the tutorial lessons.

The workflow for IT Guru (that is, the steps you use to build a network model and run simulations) centers around the Project Editor.
Choose Statistics

In this editor, you can create a network model, choose statistics to collect from each network object or from the whole network, execute a simulation, and view results.
Run Simulations

The Project Editor Window

View and Analyze Results

Your first look at IT Guru in Lesson 1 demonstrates how to use the Project Editor to build a small internetwork.

There are several areas in the Project Editor window that are important for building and executing a model. These are shown on the following pages.

About IT Guru

About IT Guru

When you open an existing project, your screen should look similar to the following figure.

The Menu Bar

Project Editor Window

The menu bar is at the top of the editor window. It organizes all the non-context-sensitive editor operations into a set of topical menus.

Menu

Tool Buttons

The number of menus and menu operations available change according to the product modules that are enabled.

Workspace

Context-sensitive editor operations are available by right-clicking on an object or on the background of the workspace.

Message Area Message Buffer Icon

About IT Guru

About IT Guru

Tool Buttons

The Workspace

Several of the more commonly used menu bar selections can also be activated through tool buttons.

The buttons shown in the following figure appear in the Project Editor:
The Message Area
5 6 7 8 9 10

The central, scrollable region of the editor window is the workspace. The network model appears in the workspace, where you can select and drag network objects, and choose context-sensitive menu operations by right-clicking on the background.

Project Editor Buttons

The message area is located at the bottom of the editor window. It provides information about the status of the tool.
Message Area

You will use many of the action buttons in the tutorial.

6 Zoom 7 Restore 8 Configure discrete event simulation 9 View simulation results 10 Hide or show all graphs

1 Open object palette

2 Check link consistency

3 Fail selected objects

You can left-click on the icon next to the message area to open the message buffer window. The message buffer window shows a list of messages that have appeared in the message area. You can open the message buffer window if part of the message line is truncated in the message area or if you think a later message has replaced an important alert or notification.

4 Recover selected objects

5 Return to parent subnet

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About IT Guru

Tooltips

If you rest the cursor over a tool button or a network object in the workspace, a help balloon appears. The tooltip describes one of the following:

the action that occurs if the button is pressed

information about the network object

Tooltip

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Introduction
The Final Network

Introduction

Small Internetworks

Introduction

In this lesson, you will learn how IT Guru can model organizational scaling by using the tool to model a real-world what if problem. You will learn how to use IT Guru features to build and analyze network models. In this lesson, you will
First floor

Build a network quickly

Collect statistics about network performance

Analyze these statistics

In this lesson, you use the Project Editor to build a topology of a small internetwork, choose statistics to collect, run a simulation, and analyze the results.

Planned expansion

In this lesson, you plan for the expansion of a small companys intranet. Currently, the company has a star topology network on the first floor of its office building and plans to add an additional star topology network on another floor. You will build and test this what-if scenario to ensure that the load added by the second network will not cause the network to fail.

Getting Started

Getting Started

Getting Started

To use the Startup Wizard to set up a new scenario, do the following:

1 If IT Guru is not already running, start it. 2 Select File > New.... 3 Select Project from the pull-down menu and click

When creating a new network model, you must first create a new project and scenario. A project is a group of related scenarios that each explore a different aspect of the network. Projects can contain multiple scenarios. OK.

After you create a new project, you use the Startup Wizard to set up a new scenario. The options in the Wizard let you

4 Name the project and scenario, as follows: 4.1 Name the project <initials>_Sm_Int

Define the initial topology of the network

Define the scale and size of the network

Select a background map for the network.

Associate an object palette with the scenario

Include your initials in the project name to distinguish it from other versions of this project.
4.2 Name the scenario first_floor. 4.3 Click OK.

Startup Wizard automatically appears each time you create a new project. The Startup Wizard allows you to define certain aspects of the network environment.

The Startup Wizard opens.

5 Enter the values shown in the following table in

the dialog boxes of the Startup Wizard:

Getting Started

Creating the Network

Values to Enter in the Startup Wizard Value Select the default value: Create Empty Scenario. Select Office. Check the Use Metric Units box. Select the default size: 100 m x 100 m Include the Sm_Int_Model_List model family. Nodes Check values, then click OK.

Dialog Box Name

Creating the Network

Network models are created in the Project Editor using nodes and links from the object palette. Node - A representation of a real-world network object that can transmit and receive information.

1. Initial Topology

2. Choose Network Scale

3. Specify Size

4. Select Technologies

5. Review

A workspace of the size you specified is created. The object palette you specified opens in a separate window. Link - A communication medium that connects nodes to one another. Links can represent electrical or fiber optic cables.
A Link

These objects are found in the object palette, a dialog box that contains graphical representations of node and link models.

Creating the Network

Creating the Network

Specify the node models and link models in the network. Models follow this naming scheme: <protocol1>_..._<protocoln>_<function>_<mod> where: <protocol> specifies the specific protocol(s) supported by the model <function> is an abbreviation of the general function of the model <mod> indicates the level of derivation of the model For example: ethernet2_bridge_int specifies the intermediate (int) derivation of a 2-port Ethernet (ethernet2) bridge (bridge). Vendor models have an additional prefix that specifies the vendor and the vendor product number for that particular network object.

You can use any of three methods to create a network topology, or a combination of all three. One method is to import the topology (discussed in a later lesson). Another is to place individual nodes from the object palette into the workspace. The third method is to use Rapid Configuration.

Rapid Configuration creates a network in one action after you select a network configuration, the types of nodes within the network, and the types of links that connect the nodes.

To create the first-floor network using Rapid Configuration:

1 Select Topology > Rapid Configuration.

2 Select Star from the drop-down menu of available

configurations, then click OK....

Available Configurations Pop-up Menu

Creating the Network

Creating the Network

For example, the 3Com switch used in this lesson is named:

1 Set the X center and Y center to 25. 2 Set the Radius to 20.
Rapid Configuration Dialog Box

Specify where the new network will be placed:

3C_SSII_1100_3300_4s_ae52_e48_ge3

This node is a stack of two 3Com SuperStack II 1100 and two Superstack II 3300 chassis (3C_SSII_1100_3300) with four slots (4s), 52 auto-sensing Ethernet ports (ae52), 48 Ethernet ports (e48), and 3 Gigabit Ethernet ports (ge3).

To specify the nodes and links to use to build the network:

1 Set the Center Node Model to 3 Click OK.

3C_SSII_1100_3300_4s_ae52_e48_ge3. This is a 3Com switch.

2 Set the Periphery Node Model to

Sm_Int_wkstn, and change the Number of periphery nodes to 30. This provides 30 Ethernet workstations as the peripheral nodes.

The network is drawn in the Project Editor:

3 Set the Link Model to 10BaseT.

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Creating the Network

Creating the Network

The First Floor Network

By default, you can create additional instances of the same object by left-clicking after the initial drag-and-drop from the palette.
3 Because you do not need additional copies of this

model, right-click to turn off node creation.

Now that the general network topology has been built, you need to add a server. You will use the second method of creating network objects: dragging them from the object palette into the workspace.

1 If it is not already open, open the

object palette by clicking on the Object Palette action button.

2 Find the Sm_Int_server object in the palette and

drag it into the workspace.

You will not find this exact server model on other object palettes because we created it with the correct configuration for this tutorial.
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Creating the Network

Creating the Network

You also need to connect the server to the star network.

You need only drag the objects into your network. Doing so means that the traffic caused by workstations accessing a database at a low rate will be modeled.
1 Find the Sm_Application_Config object in the

1 Find the 10BaseT link object in the palette and

click on it.

palette and drag it into the workspace

2 Right-click to turn off object creation. 3 Find the Sm_Profile_Config object in the palette,

2 Click on the server object, then click on the switch

object in the center of the star.

A link is drawn, connecting the two objects.

3 Right-click to turn off link creation.

drag it into the workspace, and right-click.

4 Close the object palette.

Finally, you need to add configuration objects to specify the application traffic that will exist on the network. Configuring the application definition and profile definition objects can be complicated, so you do not have to do these tasks right now. For this tutorial, we included, on the object palette:

an application definition object with the default configurations of the standard applications, and

a profile definition object with a profile that models light database access

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Creating the Network

Collecting Statistics

The network is now built and should look similar to the following figure.

Collecting Statistics
You can collect statistics from individual nodes in your network (object statistics) or from the entire network (global statistics). Now that you have created the network, you should decide which statistics you need to collect to answer the questions presented earlier in this lesson: Will the server be able to handle the additional load of the second network? Will the total delay across the network be acceptable once the second network is installed?

The Finished First Floor Network

You are now ready to begin collecting statistics.

To answer these questions, you need a snapshot of current performance for comparison. To get this baseline, you will collect one object statistic, Server Load, and one global statistic, Ethernet Delay.

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Collecting Statistics
Choose Results Dialog Box

Collecting Statistics

Server load is a key statistic that reflects the performance of the entire network. To collect statistics related to the servers load, do the following steps:

1 Right-click on the server node (node_31) and

select Choose Individual Statistics from the servers Object pop-up menu.

The Choose Results dialog box for node_31 appears.

The Choose Results dialog box hierarchically organizes the statistics you may collect. To collect the Ethernet load on the server:

2 Click the plus sign next to Ethernet in the Choose

Results dialog box to expand the Ethernet statistic hierarchy.

3 Click the checkbox next to Load (bits/sec) to

enable collection for that statistic.

4 Click OK to close the dialog box.

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Collecting Statistics

Collecting Statistics

4 Click the checkbox next to Delay (sec) to enable

Global statistics can be used to gather information about the network as a whole. For example, you can find out the delay for the entire network by collecting the global Delay statistic: data collection.

5 Click OK to close the Choose Results dialog box.

1 Right-click in the workspace (but not on an object)

and select Choose Individual Statistics from the Workspace pop-up menu.

It is good to get into the habit of saving your project every so often. To save the project:
1 Choose File > Save, then click OK (the project

Global Statistic Chosen

already has a name, so you dont need to rename it). Now that you have specified which statistics to collect and saved the project, you are almost ready to run your simulation. First, though, verify that your repositories preference is set. Repositories contain user-defined components such as process models and pipeline stages that are saved so that simulations will take less time to begin execution.
1 Choose Edit > Preferences. 2 Type repositories in the Find field and click on

2 Expand the Global Statistics hierarchy.

3 Expand the Ethernet hierarchy.

the Find button.

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Collecting Statistics

Collecting Statistics

3 If the value for repositories is not stdmod, click

Simulation Sequence Dialog Box

on the field and enter stdmod in the dialog box.

While the simulation runs, a dialog box appears showing the simulations progress.
Elapsed Time: Number of seconds the simulation has run

4 Click OK to close the repositories and

Preferences dialog boxes

To run a simulation:

1 Select Simulation > Configure Discrete Event

Simulation.

You can also open the Configure Discrete Event Simulation dialog box by clicking on the configure/run simulation action button.

2 Type 0.5 in the Duration: field to simulate

Simulated Time: Minutes of network time

one-half hour of network activity.

Configure Discrete Event Simulation Dialog Box

The dialog box above shows that, in 5 seconds of elapsed (actual) time, IT Guru has simulated 15 minutes and 19 seconds of network time. The entire simulation should take less than one minute to completethe elapsed time varies according to the speed of your computer.
4 When the simulation finishes, the contents of the

3 Click the Run button to begin the simulation.

Messages tab appears. Click the Close button in the Simulation Sequence dialog box.
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Collecting Statistics

Viewing Results

5 If your simulation does not complete, if no results

were collected, or if the results vary significantly from those shown, you will have to troubleshoot your simulation. See "Troubleshooting Tutorial Simulations".

Viewing Results
You can view results graphically in the Project Editor by selecting View Results from the Workspace pop-up menu. After your simulation has executed, you will want to see the information collected for each statistic. There are several ways to view results; in this lesson you will use the View Results option in the Workspace pop-up menu. You will learn different ways to view results in later lessons. To view the server Ethernet load for the simulation:
1 Right-click on the server node (node_31) choose

View Results from the servers Object pop-up menu. The nodes View Results dialog box opens.
2 Expand the Office network.node_31 > Ethernet

hierarchy.
3 Click on the checkbox next to Load (bits/sec) to

indicate that you want to view that result.

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Viewing Results

Viewing Results

4 Click the Show button in the View Results dialog

box.

The graph of the server load appears in the Project Editor, as shown in the following figure.

Note that at its peak, the load on the server is well below 6,000 bits/second. You will need this baseline for comparison after you add the second network. When you finish viewing the server load graph, close this dialog box and the View Results dialog box. (If the system prompts you, choose to delete the graph panel.) You also should look at the Global Ethernet Delay on the network. To view this statistic:
1 Right-click in the workspace, then select View

The graph of the server load should resemble the following graph. Your results may differ slightly due to differences in node placement and link length, but the general trends should be consistent.

Server Load Graph

Results from the pop-up menu.

2 Check the box next to Global Statistics >

Ethernet > Delay, then click the Show button to view the Ethernet delay for the whole network.

bits/second. The unit of measure on this axis is shown in the statistic in the Choose Results dialog box

Simulation time, in minutes

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Viewing Results
Ethernet Delay Graph

Viewing Results

Viewing Ethernet Delay for the Whole Network

Seconds

The Ethernet delay graph appears in the Project Editor.The graph should resemble the following figure.

Simulation time, in minutes

Note that after the network reaches steady state the maximum delay is around 0.4 milliseconds. When you are finished viewing the graph, close it and the View Results dialog box.

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Expanding the Network

Expanding the Network

Expanding the Network

The second-floor segment will resemble the first-floor segment, but will not have a server of its own. To build the new segment:
1 Select Topology > Rapid Configuration. 2 Choose Star for the topology and click OK... 3 Complete the Rapid Configuration dialog box with

You have created a baseline network and gathered statistics about it. Now you are ready to expand the network and verify that it still operates sufficiently well with the additional load.

these values: Center Node Model: 3C_SSII_1100_3300_4s_ae52_e48_ge3 Periphery Node Model: Sm_Int_wkstn Number: 15 Link model: 10BaseT X: 75, Y: 62.5, Radius: 20
Rapid Configuration Dialog Box

When performing a what-if comparison, it is convenient to store the baseline network as one scenario and create the experimental network as a different scenario. You will duplicate the existing scenario and make changes to it instead of building the new topology from the beginning.

To duplicate a scenario:

1 Choose Scenarios > Duplicate Scenario...

2 Enter expansion as the name for the new

scenario.

3 Click OK.

The scenario, with all the nodes, links, statistics, and the simulation configuration, is duplicated and named expansion.

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Expanding the Network

Expanding the Network

4 Click OK to create the network.

The final network should look like this:

The Final Network

Join the two networks:

1 If it is not already open, click the action

button to open the object palette.

2 Drag the Cisco 2514 router icon into the

workspace between the two networks. Right-click to turn off node creation.

3 Click on the 10BaseT link icon in the object

palette.

4 Create 10BaseT links between the Cisco router

(node_50) and the 3Com switches at the center of each star.

5 Right-click to turn off link creation.

6 Close the object palette.

7 Select File > Save.

To run the expansion scenario:

1 Select Simulation > Configure Discrete Event

Simulation.
2 Verify that the Duration is set to 0.5 hours.
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Expanding the Network

Comparing Results

3 Click the Run button to begin the simulation.

Comparing Results
To answer the questions posed about the addition of a second network to the existing LAN, you need to compare the results from both of the simulations you ran. You will use the Compare Results menu item in the Object and Workspace pop-up menus to combine statistics from different scenarios in the same graph. To look at the server load from both scenarios at once:
1 Right-click on the server node (node_31) to bring

Simulation Sequence Dialog Box, Simulation Speed Tab Selected

up its Object pop-up menu.

2 Choose Compare Results (you can do this from

either scenario in the project). A View Results dialog box appears containing a hierarchical representation of statistics collected for the server node.

As before, a window appears showing the simulations progress. When the Simulation Speed tab is selected, an animated graph shows both the current and average speed in events per second.

4 When the simulation is done, close the Simulation

If your results differ radically from those shown in the following figures, you will have to troubleshoot your simulation. See "Troubleshooting Tutorial Simulations".

Sequence dialog box. If you had problems, see "Troubleshooting Tutorial Simulations".
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Comparing Results

Comparing Results

When comparing results, choosing a statistic in one scenario produces a graph showing the value of that statistic in all scenarios. To view the results:
Time-averaged Server Load Compared

The following graph is the time average of the Ethernet load between the baseline (first_floor) scenario and the expansion scenario. You will learn how to create a graph of the time average in the next lesson.

1 Select the Office Network.node_31 > Ethernet

> Load (bits/sec) statistic and click the Show button. Your results should resemble those in the following figure (but may not be identical):

Server Load Compared

bits/second

Simulation time, in minutes

Note that while the average load for the expansion scenario is higher (as expected), the load as a whole appears to be leveling off (that is, not monotonically increasing), indicating a stable network.

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Comparing Results

Comparing Results

The last step is to see how much the networks delay is affected by adding a second floor. To compare Ethernet delay for the two scenarios:
Ethernet Delay Compared

Your graph of Ethernet Delay should resemble the following:

1 Close the graph and the Compare Results dialog

Seconds

box for the server.

2 Right-click in the workspace, then select

Compare Results from the Workspace pop-up menu.

3 Select the Global Statistics > Ethernet > Delay

(sec) statistic.

4 Click Show to display the graph.

The graph of the Global Ethernet Delay appears.

Simulation time, in minutes

This graph shows that there is no significant change in Ethernet delay on the network. Although server load has increased, delay has not. Select File > Close and save changes before closing.

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