Internet Traffic: Visualising and Analysing Congestion in a Global Network
Rgv Baker · 2007
Global Internet traffic can be modelled by a set of equations describing the periodicity of the time-based distributions of congestion. Congestion can be generated, firstly, by peak traffic from different time zones or secondly, by inadequacies within the regional network. The model is a dynamic form of spatial interaction modelling and can investigate the time delay of pings and packet loss at routers. The model is tested using data generated from a global network compiled by the Stanford Linear Accelerator Centre (SLAC) from 1998 to 2004. Examples are used from the US and Australia to show the problems that this country has experienced in the past from either the 'tyranny of distance', an 'island effect' or inadequate investment in capacity. Sites can be classified relative to a regression line standardised relative to the rotation of the Earth. There is also a limit to transferring information by the Internet and this is expressed as an inequality underpinned by the speed of light. Despite a significant rise in demand, the capacity of the Internet had increased, particularly within 1000km of the monitoring sites, from large scale regional investment in infrastructure. This investment has seen a considerable improvement in performance for the Internet from 2000 to 2004.