Network Simiulators

Network Simulators

Network simulation is a technique that are used to design the network and calculate the interaction between the different network devices such as routers, switches, nodes, servers etc. (wikipedia.org, 2018). It provides the opportunity to create network topologies and imitate modern computer networks. We can very easily study the behavior of a node having high velocity and how it should be by using a simulator. Below is explain different types of simulators and their features.

1.      Ns-3 (Network simulator) simulator

Ns3 simulator research and educational model by and for the research community (nsnam.org, 2016). Ns3 simulator is network simulator that developed by using C++ and Python programming languages. We can used that Ns3 in Windows, Linux and MAC OS platforms and also that software is free and GNU general public license. Ns3 is not an officially supported software product of any company. That software support to three types of networks (ns3simulation.com, 2017).

I.                    Wired network

II.                 Wireless network

III.              Wireless sensor network

Ns3 has scalability factures,

-          Packets can have virtual zero bytes, that means there is no memory allocated in to the zero bytes.

-          Nodes have optional features. That means no memory waste in IPV4 stack

-          Allow the packet tagging – small units of information can be attached to the packets.

2.      OPNET (Optimize Network Engineering Tool) simulator

This simulator provides possibilities to simulate the large networks and various protocols. Basically it that software was design in to the military usage but eventually it became to the commercials. OPNET is very expensive software. But there are some free tiers given to for the education usage by restricting some features in the software.

OPNET software creates by using C and C++ languages. That software support to Hewlett-Packard, Sun-4 SPARCVarious, Solaris 2.6, 7 8Microsoft Windows NT 4.0/Windows 2000Required System Patches platforms and as mentioned earlier it is commercial network simulator (nsnam.org, 2016). OPNET simulator are simulate entire heterogeneous networks with various protocols (ukessays.com, 2003).

Factures,

-          Have different network modeling applications

-          Huge range of predefined network protocols in their libraries

-          3 types of model development tools (network editor, node editor, process editor)

-          Integration GUI debugging and analysis

-          Support for parallel and distribution simulation.

3.      Cisco packet tracer

Cisco packet tracer developed by Cisco organization. There are some versions in the cisco packet tracer simulator and some of versions are free and open source. It is very useful software to the beginners and the CCNA students. There are more features available in this simulator. The software allows users to simulate the configuration of Cisco routers and switches using a simulated command line interface. Windows, Linux, Android (operating system), IOS are the plat forms in this simulator and available in English, Russian, German, Portuguese, Spanish and French. Usually license is proprietary.

Features,

-          Has two work spaces logical and physical

-          Easy to process

-          Provide two operating modes to visualize the behavior of a network (real-time mode and simulation mode.)

-          Lab grading functions

-          International language support