QualNet 5.0.2 User’s Guide

March 2010

Scalable Network Technologies, Inc.
6100 Center Drive, Suite 1250 Los Angeles, CA 90045 Phone: 310-338-3318 Fax: 310-338-7213 http://www.scalable-networks.com http://www.qualnet.com

Copyright Information © 2010 Scalable Network Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved. QualNet is a registered trademark of Scalable Network Technologies, Inc. All other trademarks and trade names used are property of their respective companies. Scalable Network Technologies, Inc. 6100 Center Drive, Suite 1250 Los Angeles, CA 90045 Phone: 310-338-3318 Fax: 310-338-7213 http://www.scalable-networks.com http://www.qualnet.com

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Table of Contents

Preface................................................................................. xiii Chapter 1 Introduction to QualNet .......................................................... 1
1.1 Overview .................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 QualNet Architecture .............................................................................................. 2 1.3 Scenario-based Network Simulation..................................................................... 4 1.3.1 General Approach .............................................................................................. 4 1.3.2 Creating Scenarios............................................................................................. 4 1.3.3 Files Associated with a Scenario ....................................................................... 5 1.4 Using QualNet ......................................................................................................... 6 1.4.1 System Requirements and Installation............................................................... 6 1.4.2 License............................................................................................................... 6 1.4.3 Executable Files................................................................................................. 6 1.4.4 Using QualNet Command Line Interface ........................................................... 7 1.4.5 Using QualNet GUI ............................................................................................ 7 1.4.6 Online Help ...................................................................................................... 10 1.4.7 Advanced Run Settings.................................................................................... 10 1.4.8 Utility Programs................................................................................................ 10

Chapter 2

Command Line Interface....................................................... 11
2.1 Running QualNet from the Command Line Interface ........................................ 12 2.1.1 Input and Output Files...................................................................................... 12 2.1.1.1 Input Files.................................................................................................. 13 2.1.1.2 Output Files ............................................................................................... 13 2.1.2 Additional Command Line Parameters ............................................................ 14 2.1.3 Environment Variables ..................................................................................... 14 2.1.3.1 Environment Variables for Windows ......................................................... 15 2.1.3.2 Environment Variables for Linux and Mac OS X ....................................... 15 2.2 Elements of Input Files......................................................................................... 15

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2.2.1 Comments........................................................................................................ 15 2.2.2 QualNet Time Format....................................................................................... 16 2.2.3 Coordinate and Orientation Formats................................................................ 16 2.2.4 Node, Network and Interface Identifiers........................................................... 17 2.2.4.1 QualNet Syntax for Subnet Addresses for IPv4 Networks ........................ 18 2.2.4.2 QualNet Syntax for Subnet Addresses for IPv6 Networks ........................ 20 2.2.4.3 QualNet Syntax for Subnet Addresses for ATM Networks........................ 21 2.2.5 Instance Specification ...................................................................................... 22 2.2.6 Filename and Path Parameters ....................................................................... 22 2.2.7 Include Command ............................................................................................ 22 2.2.8 Random Number Distributions ......................................................................... 23 2.2.9 Format for Command Line Configuration......................................................... 25 2.2.9.1 General Format of Parameter Declaration ................................................ 25 2.2.9.2 Precedence Rules ..................................................................................... 26 2.3 Syntax of Output Files .......................................................................................... 28

Chapter 3

QualNet Architect: Design Mode.......................................... 30
3.1 Components of Architect ..................................................................................... 32 3.1.1 Menu Bar.......................................................................................................... 33 3.1.1.1 File Menu................................................................................................... 33 3.1.1.2 Edit Menu .................................................................................................. 35 3.1.1.3 View Menu................................................................................................. 36 3.1.1.3.1 Display Settings................................................................................... 37 3.1.1.3.2 Camera Settings.................................................................................. 42 3.1.1.4 Tools Menu................................................................................................ 43 3.1.1.5 Animation Menu ........................................................................................ 44 3.1.1.6 Help Menu ................................................................................................. 45 3.1.2 Toolbars ........................................................................................................... 46 3.1.2.1 Standard Toolbar....................................................................................... 46 3.1.2.2 View Toolbar ............................................................................................. 47 3.1.2.3 Run Toolbar............................................................................................... 50 3.1.2.4 Visualization Toolbar ................................................................................. 51 3.1.3 Left Panels ....................................................................................................... 52 3.1.3.1 File System Panel ..................................................................................... 52 3.1.3.2 Toolset Panel ............................................................................................ 56 3.1.3.3 Visualization Controls................................................................................ 58 3.1.3.4 Runtime Analysis....................................................................................... 58 3.1.4 Canvas ............................................................................................................. 59 3.1.4.1 Position Indicators ..................................................................................... 61 3.1.5 Bottom Panels.................................................................................................. 62 3.1.5.1 Table View Panel ...................................................................................... 62 3.1.5.1.1 Nodes Tab........................................................................................... 63

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3.1.5.1.2 Groups Tab ......................................................................................... 63 3.1.5.1.3 Interfaces Tab ..................................................................................... 64 3.1.5.1.4 Networks Tab ...................................................................................... 64 3.1.5.1.5 Applications Tab.................................................................................. 65 3.1.5.1.6 Hierarchies Tab ................................................................................... 65 3.1.5.2 Output Window Panel................................................................................ 65 3.1.5.3 Error Log Panel ......................................................................................... 66 3.1.5.4 Watch Variables Panel .............................................................................. 66 3.1.5.5 Batch Experiments Panel .......................................................................... 66 3.2 Creating Scenarios ............................................................................................... 66 3.2.1 Scenario Topology ........................................................................................... 67 3.2.1.1 Placing Objects ......................................................................................... 67 3.2.1.2 Creating Links ........................................................................................... 67 3.2.2 Configuring Applications .................................................................................. 68 3.2.3 Configuring Parameters ................................................................................... 70 3.2.4 Running the Scenario....................................................................................... 70 3.2.5 Saving and Opening Scenarios........................................................................ 70 3.3 Properties Editors ................................................................................................. 71 3.3.1 General Description of Properties Editors........................................................ 71 3.3.2 Scenario Properties Editor ............................................................................... 73 3.3.3 Default Device Properties Editor ...................................................................... 74 3.3.4 Interface Properties Editor ............................................................................... 77 3.3.5 Wireless Subnet Properties Editor ................................................................... 78 3.3.6 Wired Subnet Properties Editor........................................................................ 79 3.3.7 Point-to-Point Link Properties Editor ................................................................ 80 3.3.8 Satellite Properties Editor................................................................................. 81 3.3.9 Switch Properties Editor................................................................................... 81 3.3.10 ATM Device Properties Editor........................................................................ 83 3.3.11 ATM Link Properties Editor ............................................................................ 84 3.3.12 Hierarchy Properties Editor ............................................................................ 85 3.3.13 Application Properties Editors ........................................................................ 86 3.4 Advanced Features ............................................................................................... 87 3.4.1 Multiple Select and Move ................................................................................. 87 3.4.2 Recording and Using Multiple Scenario Views ................................................ 89 3.4.3 Modifying Properties of Multiple Objects.......................................................... 90 3.4.4 Defining Node Groups...................................................................................... 91 3.4.5 Setting Mobility Waypoints ............................................................................... 92 3.4.5.1 Mobility Waypoint Editor............................................................................ 94 3.4.6 Configuring Weather Patterns.......................................................................... 95 3.4.7 Building Hierarchies ......................................................................................... 96 3.4.7.1 Hierarchy Properties Editor ..................................................................... 101 3.4.8 Viewing Modified Parameters ........................................................................ 101 3.4.9 Configuring Batch Experiments...................................................................... 102

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3.5 Customization ..................................................................................................... 107 3.5.1 Creating Custom Network Object Models ...................................................... 107 3.5.2 Creating Custom Hierarchy Models ............................................................... 110 3.5.3 Creating and Customizing Toolsets ............................................................... 111

Chapter 4

Modeling Networks.............................................................. 117
4.1 Conventions Used............................................................................................... 118 4.1.1 Conventions for Command Line Configuration .............................................. 118 4.1.2 Conventions for GUI Configuration ................................................................ 122 4.2 Configuring Scenarios........................................................................................ 126 4.2.1 General Parameters....................................................................................... 127 4.2.1.1 Command Line Configuration.................................................................. 127 4.2.1.2 GUI Configuration.................................................................................... 128 4.2.2 Terrain Specification ...................................................................................... 129 4.2.2.1 Command Line Configuration.................................................................. 129 4.2.2.2 GUI Configuration.................................................................................... 132 4.2.3 Node Placement............................................................................................. 137 4.2.3.1 Command Line Configuration.................................................................. 137 4.2.3.2 GUI Configuration.................................................................................... 138 4.2.3.2.1 Placing Nodes Manually....................................................................138 4.2.3.2.2 Using Node Placement Wizard .........................................................139 4.2.3.2.3 Configuring Individual Node Placement Parameters.........................140 4.2.4 Node Properties ............................................................................................. 142 4.2.4.1 Command Line Configuration.................................................................. 142 4.2.4.2 GUI Configuration.................................................................................... 142 4.2.5 Topology Specification ................................................................................... 144 4.2.5.1 Command Line Configuration.................................................................. 144 4.2.5.1.1 Subnets .............................................................................................144 4.2.5.1.2 Links ..................................................................................................145 4.2.5.2 GUI Configuration.................................................................................... 146 4.2.6 Mobility Specification...................................................................................... 148 4.2.6.1 Command Line Configuration.................................................................. 148 4.2.6.2 GUI Configuration.................................................................................... 149 4.2.6.2.1 Specifying Mobility Model..................................................................150 4.2.6.2.2 Setting Mobility Waypoints on Canvas ..............................................150 4.2.7 Channel Properties ........................................................................................ 151 4.2.7.1 Command Line Configuration.................................................................. 151 4.2.7.2 GUI Configuration.................................................................................... 156 4.2.8 Configuring the Protocol Stack....................................................................... 157 4.2.8.1 Physical Layer Configuration................................................................... 157 4.2.8.1.1 Channel Masks..................................................................................158 4.2.8.1.1.1 Command Line Configuration.................................................... 158

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4.2.8.1.1.2 GUI Configuration...................................................................... 159 4.2.8.1.2 Radio Models ....................................................................................161 4.2.8.1.2.1 Command Line Configuration.................................................... 161 4.2.8.1.2.2 GUI Configuration...................................................................... 162 4.2.8.1.3 Antenna Models ................................................................................163 4.2.8.1.3.1 Command Line Configuration.................................................... 164 4.2.8.1.3.2 GUI Configuration...................................................................... 166 4.2.8.1.4 Thermal Noise Settings .....................................................................170 4.2.8.1.4.1 Command Line Configuration.................................................... 171 4.2.8.1.4.2 GUI Configuration...................................................................... 171 4.2.8.1.5 Radio Energy Models ........................................................................173 4.2.8.1.5.1 Command Line Configuration.................................................... 173 4.2.8.1.5.2 GUI Configuration...................................................................... 173 4.2.8.2 MAC Layer .............................................................................................. 175 4.2.8.2.1 Command Line Configuration............................................................175 4.2.8.2.2 GUI Configuration for Wireless Subnets ...........................................177 4.2.8.2.3 GUI Configuration for Wired Subnets................................................178 4.2.8.2.4 GUI Configuration for Point-to-point Links.........................................180 4.2.8.3 Network Layer ......................................................................................... 180 4.2.8.3.1 General Network Layer Parameters ..................................................180 4.2.8.3.1.1 Command Line Configuration.................................................... 181 4.2.8.3.1.2 GUI Configuration...................................................................... 183 4.2.8.3.2 Unicast Routing .................................................................................190 4.2.8.3.2.1 Command Line Configuration.................................................... 191 4.2.8.3.2.2 GUI Configuration...................................................................... 195 4.2.8.3.3 Multicast Routing ...............................................................................198 4.2.8.3.3.1 Command Line Configuration.................................................... 199 4.2.8.3.3.2 GUI Configuration...................................................................... 201 4.2.8.3.4 Schedulers and Queues....................................................................205 4.2.8.3.4.1 Command Line Configuration.................................................... 205 4.2.8.3.4.2 GUI Configuration...................................................................... 207 4.2.8.4 Transport Layer ....................................................................................... 209 4.2.8.4.1 Command Line Configuration............................................................210 4.2.8.4.2 GUI Configuration..............................................................................211 4.2.8.5 Application Layer..................................................................................... 212 4.2.8.5.1 Command Line Configuration............................................................212 4.2.8.5.1.1 Format of the Application Configuration File ............................. 214 4.2.8.5.2 GUI Configuration..............................................................................215 4.2.9 Collecting Statistics ........................................................................................ 217 4.2.9.1 Command Line Configuration.................................................................. 217 4.2.9.2 GUI Configuration.................................................................................... 219 4.2.10 Tracing Packet Headers............................................................................... 221 4.2.10.1 Command Line Configuration................................................................ 221 4.2.10.1.1 Headers Printed in a Trace Record .................................................223

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4.2.10.2 GUI Configuration.................................................................................. 224 4.2.11 Enabling Runtime Features.......................................................................... 227 4.2.11.1 Dynamic Parameters............................................................................. 227 4.2.11.1.1 Command Line Configuration..........................................................227 4.2.11.1.2 GUI Configuration............................................................................229 4.3 Configuring the Multi-core/Multi-processor Environment .............................. 229 4.3.1 Command Line Configuration ........................................................................ 230 4.3.2 GUI Configuration .......................................................................................... 231 4.4 Execution Speed and Accuracy Trade-off ........................................................ 232 4.4.1 Configuring Speed and Accuracy Trade-off Parameters ............................... 233 4.4.1.1 Command Line Configuration.................................................................. 233 4.4.1.2 GUI Configuration.................................................................................... 234 4.4.2 Relationship between Speed and Accuracy Trade-off Parameters ............... 234 4.4.2.1 Maximum Propagation Distance Parameter............................................ 235 4.4.2.2 Propagation Limit Parameter................................................................... 235 4.4.2.3 Mobility Granularity Parameter................................................................ 235 4.4.2.4 Communication Proximity and Update Ratio Parameters ....................... 235 4.5 Advanced Features in Network Modeling......................................................... 236 4.5.1 Battery Models ............................................................................................... 236 4.5.2 Custom Antenna Models................................................................................ 236 4.5.3 Weather Effects.............................................................................................. 237 4.5.4 Switches......................................................................................................... 237 4.5.5 Interface Faults .............................................................................................. 237 4.5.6 Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) ............................................................. 237 4.5.7 Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS).......................................................... 238 4.5.8 Router Models................................................................................................ 238 4.5.9 Router Configuration ...................................................................................... 239 4.5.10 Quality of Service (QoS) Modeling............................................................... 239 4.5.11 Voice over IP (VoIP)..................................................................................... 240 4.5.12 Satellite Models............................................................................................ 241 4.5.13 Network Security Models ............................................................................. 241 4.5.14 External Interfaces ....................................................................................... 242 4.5.14.1 High-Level Architecture (HLA) Interface................................................ 242 4.5.14.2 Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS) Interface ................................. 242 4.5.14.3 Satellite ToolKit (STK) Interface ............................................................ 242

Chapter 5

QualNet Architect: Visualize Mode..................................... 243
5.1 Components of Architect ................................................................................... 243 5.2 Menus................................................................................................................... 244 5.2.1 File Menu ....................................................................................................... 244 5.2.2 Edit Menu ....................................................................................................... 245 5.2.3 View Menu ..................................................................................................... 245

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5.2.4 Tools Menu .................................................................................................... 245 5.2.5 Animation Menu ............................................................................................. 245 5.2.5.1 Animation Colors Command ................................................................... 245 5.2.5.2 Step Setting Command ........................................................................... 246 5.2.5.3 Communication Interval Command ......................................................... 247 5.2.5.4 Event Filters Command........................................................................... 248 5.2.5.5 Layer Filters Command ........................................................................... 249 5.2.5.6 Dynamic Statistics Command ................................................................. 249 5.2.5.6.1 Graph Properties ...............................................................................250 5.2.5.6.2 Scenario Statistics.............................................................................253 5.3 Toolbars ............................................................................................................... 254 5.3.1 Standard Toolbar ........................................................................................... 254 5.3.2 View Toolbar .................................................................................................. 254 5.3.3 Run Toolbar ................................................................................................... 254 5.3.4 Visualization Toolbar...................................................................................... 255 5.4 Left Panels ........................................................................................................... 256 5.4.1 File System Panel .......................................................................................... 256 5.4.2 Toolset Panel ................................................................................................. 256 5.4.3 Visualization Controls..................................................................................... 256 5.4.3.1 Status Display ......................................................................................... 256 5.4.3.2 Animation Filters...................................................................................... 257 5.4.3.2.1 Event Filters ......................................................................................259 5.4.3.2.2 Layer Filters.......................................................................................260 5.4.3.3 Human-in-the-Loop Interface .................................................................. 261 5.4.4 Runtime Analysis Panel ................................................................................. 262 5.4.4.1 Scenario Component Properties and Animation Controls....................... 262 5.4.4.1.1 Node Properties and Filters...............................................................263 5.4.4.1.1.1 EventFilters................................................................................ 263 5.4.4.1.1.2 Node-level Dynamic Statistics ................................................... 264 5.4.4.1.2 Queue Properties ..............................................................................267 5.4.4.1.3 Subnet Properties..............................................................................268 5.4.4.2 Dynamic Parameters............................................................................... 268 5.5 Bottom Panels ..................................................................................................... 272 5.5.1 Table View Panel ........................................................................................... 272 5.5.2 Output Window Panel .................................................................................... 272 5.5.3 Error Log Panel .............................................................................................. 272 5.5.4 Watch Variables Panel................................................................................... 272 5.5.5 Batch Experiments Panel............................................................................... 273

Chapter 6

QualNet Analyzer ............................................................... 274
6.1 Components of Analyzer.................................................................................... 275 6.1.1 Menu Bar........................................................................................................ 276

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6.1.1.1 File Menu................................................................................................. 276 6.1.1.2 View Menu............................................................................................... 277 6.1.1.3 Options Menu .......................................................................................... 278 6.1.1.4 Help Menu ............................................................................................... 279 6.1.2 Toolbars ......................................................................................................... 279 6.1.2.1 Standard Toolbar..................................................................................... 279 6.1.2.2 View Toolbar ........................................................................................... 279 6.1.2.3 Histogram Bin Size Toolbar..................................................................... 280 6.1.3 Left Panels ..................................................................................................... 280 6.1.3.1 File System Panel ................................................................................... 280 6.1.3.2 Statistics Panel........................................................................................ 281 6.1.3.3 File List Panel.......................................................................................... 282 6.1.4 Bottom Panels................................................................................................ 282 6.1.4.1 Overview Panel ....................................................................................... 283 6.1.4.2 Statistics File Panel ................................................................................. 283 6.1.4.3 Error Log Panel ....................................................................................... 284 6.2 Using Analyzer .................................................................................................... 284 6.2.1 Analyzing Per-node Statistics for a Single Experiment .................................. 285 6.2.2 Analyzing Scenario Statistics for a Single Experiment.................................. 290 6.2.3 Analyzing Statistics by Interface .................................................................... 292 6.2.4 Analyzing Statistics from Multiple Experiments.............................................. 294 6.2.5 Customizing Graphs....................................................................................... 296 6.2.5.1 Graph Background Tab ........................................................................... 296 6.2.5.2 View Options Tab .................................................................................... 297 6.2.5.3 Legend Options Tab................................................................................ 298

Chapter 7

QualNet Packet Tracer....................................................... 299
7.1 Components of Packet Tracer ........................................................................... 300 7.1.1 Menu Bar........................................................................................................ 301 7.1.1.1 File Menu................................................................................................. 301 7.1.1.2 Settings Menu ......................................................................................... 301 7.1.1.3 Filters Menu............................................................................................. 302 7.1.1.4 Navigation Menu ..................................................................................... 303 7.1.1.5 Help Menu ............................................................................................... 304 7.1.2 Toolbars ......................................................................................................... 304 7.1.2.1 Standard Toolbar..................................................................................... 305 7.1.2.2 Navigation Toolbar .................................................................................. 305 7.1.3 Left Panels ..................................................................................................... 306 7.1.3.1 File System Panel ................................................................................... 306 7.1.3.2 Protocol Header Panel ............................................................................ 307 7.1.3.3 Protocol Explorer Panel........................................................................... 308 7.1.3.4 Find Record Panel................................................................................... 309

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7.1.3.5 Filter Queue Editor Panel ........................................................................ 310 7.1.4 Bottom Panels................................................................................................ 310 7.1.4.1 File Properties Panel ............................................................................... 311 7.1.4.2 Error Log Panel ....................................................................................... 311 7.2 Using Packet Tracer ........................................................................................... 312 7.2.2 Finding Records Using the Find Record Panel .............................................. 315 7.2.3 Using Filter Queue Editor............................................................................... 318 7.2.3.1 Record Header Filter .............................................................................. 319 7.2.3.1.1 Filtering on Originating Node and Tracing Node ...............................319 7.2.3.1.1.1 Operations on Rules in Filter Queue ......................................... 324 7.2.3.1.2 Filtering on Message Sequence Number and Simulation Time ........324 7.2.3.1.3 Filtering On Action.............................................................................325 7.2.3.1.4 Compound Progressive Filtering .......................................................328 7.2.3.2 Record Body Filter................................................................................... 334 7.2.3.2.1 Protocol Header Field Search ...........................................................335

Chapter 8

QualNet File Editor............................................................. 339
8.1 Components of File Editor ................................................................................. 340 8.1.1 Menu Bar........................................................................................................ 341 8.1.1.1 File Menu................................................................................................. 341 8.1.1.2 Edit Menu ................................................................................................ 342 8.1.1.3 Help Menu ............................................................................................... 342 8.1.2 Standard Toolbar ........................................................................................... 342 8.1.3 Left Panels ..................................................................................................... 342 8.1.3.1 File System Panel ................................................................................... 343 8.1.3.2 File List Panel.......................................................................................... 343 8.1.4 Find Panel ...................................................................................................... 343 8.2 Using File Editor ................................................................................................. 343 8.2.1 Opening Files ................................................................................................. 343 8.2.2 Editing Files.................................................................................................... 345

Appendix A License and Libraries Information ..................................... 346
A.1 Types of Licenses .............................................................................................. 347 A.2 Installing Licenses ............................................................................................. 348 A.3 License and Libraries Information from Command Line................................ 349 A.4 License and Libraries Information from the GUI ............................................. 350 A.4.1 Status Tab ..................................................................................................... 351 A.4.2 Troubleshooting Tab...................................................................................... 352 A.4.2.1 Troubleshooting Details .......................................................................... 352 A.4.2.2 Troubleshooting Log ............................................................................... 352 A.5 Helpful Links ....................................................................................................... 353

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Appendix B Online Help ........................................................................ 354
B.1 Using Keyword Search Help.............................................................................. 354 B.2 Using Toolbar Help............................................................................................. 355 B.3 Using Properties Editors Help........................................................................... 357

Appendix C Advanced Run Settings...................................................... 360
C.1 Local Execution .................................................................................................. 360 C.2 Remote Execution .............................................................................................. 362 C.2.1 System Requirements ................................................................................... 362 C.2.2 Setup for Remote Execution.......................................................................... 362 C.2.3 Run Mode Settings for Remote Execution in GUI ......................................... 363

Appendix D Utility Programs.................................................................. 366
D.1 Radio Range Utility Program............................................................................. 366 D.2 Run Test Case Script ......................................................................................... 367 D.3 Rename Script .................................................................................................... 368 D.4 Urban Grid Script................................................................................................ 369 D.5 Shapefile-to-XML Utility Program ..................................................................... 371 D.6 Upgrade Scenario Utility Program .................................................................... 373

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Preface

.........................................................................
Who Should Read this Guide
The QualNet 5.0.2 User’s Guide is intended for users familiar with the Windows XP, Mac OS X or Linux operating systems. It assumes that you are familiar with network terminology and concepts.

.........................................................................
How this Guide is Organized
This guide contains the following information:

• Chapter 1 introduces QualNet and describes its components. • Chapter 2 describes the QualNet Command Line Interface, including the command to run QualNet from the command line and the format of the input and output files.

• Chapter 3 describes the Design mode of QualNet Architect, including its layout and controls, basic editing, building scenarios, creating and modifying applications, devices, nodes and network components, and hierarchical network design.

• Chapter 4 describes how to model networks in QualNet. • Chapter 5 describes the Visualize mode of QualNet Architect, including an overview of the various

options, commands and functions in the Architect Visualize mode, which are used to run and animate experiments. component of QualNet GUI. It also provides examples of analyzing statistics in QualNet Analyzer. columns, left and bottom panels, and how to use the filter queue editor. Appendix A contains information on license and installed libraries. Appendix B describes how to use the online help features of QualNet. Appendix C has Advanced Run Settings information. Appendix D contains information on the QualNet Utility Programs.

• Chapter 6 provides an overview of the various options, commands, and functionalities of the Analyzer • Chapter 7 describes the QualNet Packet Tracer, including components, menu and toolbar, tracer table • • • • •
Chapter 8 describes the QualNet File Editor, including component descriptions and editing features.

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.........................................................................
QualNet Document List
The following table shows the QualNet Documentation Set and offers a brief description of each document. Document
API Reference Guide

Description
This reference guide provides detailed information on the QualNet API functions and parameters. This is avaialble in both PDF and HTML formats. This guide provides instructions for running QualNet on a distributed architecture. This guide provides detailed steps for installing QualNet on Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X platforms. This guide provides a quick overview of QualNet by means of an example. This is a guide to the QualNet programming interface and functions, allowing users to develop and customize protocol models. This is a detailed guide for using QualNet and works in combination with the QualNet Model Libraries set of documents. This set of documents contains detailed reference information on all models used in QualNet. The set of documents includes the following protocol libraries. See Model Library Index for an alphabetical list of all our models and a reference to which library they can be found in. Advanced Wireless ALE/ASAPS Advanced Propagation Cellular Developer Multimedia and Enterprise Network Security Satellite Sensor Networks Standard Interfaces TIREM Advanced Propagation UMTS Urban Propagation Wireless

Distributed Reference Guide Installation Guide Product Tour Programmer’s Guide User’s Guide Model Libraries

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.........................................................................
Document Conventions
QualNet documents use the following conventions: Convention
Book Title Command Input Command Output Note: or Notes: Title of a document. A command name or qualified command phrase, daemon, file, or option name. Text displayed by the computer. Information of special interest. In syntax definitions, square brackets indicate items that are optional. Segment of code from QualNet source files used for illustration. Example of code that the user should add to existing QualNet functions and declarations to add a custom model to QualNet. A vertical margin in the left column indicates new lines of code that need to be added. Ellipses are used to indicate lines of code from QualNet source files that have been omitted from an example for the sake of brevity.

Description

[]
Code Segment Added Code

Ellipses (...)

.........................................................................
More Information
• For more information on QualNet, please contact QualNet Sales at sales@scalable-networks.com or visit the Scalable Network Technologies Website (http://www.scalable-networks.com) and click on Products. visit the Scalable Network Technologies Website (http://www.scalable-networks.com) and click on Support.

• For technical help on QualNet, please contact QualNet Support at support@scalable-networks.com or • For help on QualNet documentation, please contact QualNet Support at support@scalable-

networks.com or visit the Scalable Network Technologies Website (http://www.scalable-networks.com) and click on Documentation.

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1
• • • •

Introduction to QualNet

QualNet® provides a comprehensive environment for designing protocols, creating and animating network scenarios, and analyzing their performance. QualNet is composed of the following tools:

• QualNet Architect — A graphical experiment design and visualization tool. Architect has two modes:
QualNet Analyzer — A graphical statistics analyzing tool. QualNet Packet Tracer — A graphical tool to display and analyze packet traces. QualNet File Editor — A text editing tool. QualNet Command Line Interface — Command line access to the simulator. Note: Some of the features in this guide are not included with the standard QualNet distribution and may be sold separately. To inquire about purchasing additional QualNet modules, contact Scalable Network Technologies' Sales Department at sales@scalablenetworks.com.

Design mode, for designing experiments, and Visualize mode, for running and visualizing experiments.

.........................................................................
1.1 Overview
QualNet is a comprehensive suite of tools for modeling large wired and wireless networks. It uses simulation and emulation to predict the behavior and performance of networks to improve their design, operation and management. QualNet enables users to:

• • • •

Design new protocol models. Optimize new and existing models. Design large wired and wireless networks using pre-configured or user-designed models. Analyze the performance of networks and perform what-if analysis to optimize them.

The key features of QualNet that enable creating a virtual network environment are:

• Speed
QualNet can support real-time speed to enable software-in-the-loop, network emulation, and hardwarein-the-loop modeling. Faster speed enables model developers and network designers to run multiple “what-if” analyses by varying model, network, and traffic parameters in a short time.

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Chapter 1

QualNet Architecture

• Scalability
QualNet can model thousands of nodes by taking advantage of the latest hardware and parallel computing techniques. QualNet can run on cluster, multi-core, and multi-processor systems to model large networks with high fidelity.

• Model Fidelity
QualNet uses highly detailed standards-based implementation of protocol models. It also includes advanced models for the wireless environment to enable more accurate modeling of real-world networks.

• Portability
QualNet and its library of models run on a vast array of platforms, including Windows XP, Mac OS X, and Linux operating systems, distributed and cluster parallel architectures, and both 32- and 64-bit computing platforms. Users can now develop a protocol model or design a network in QualNet on their desktop or laptop Windows XP computer and then transfer it to a powerful multi-processor Linux server to run capacity, performance, and scalability analyses.

• Extensibility
QualNet can connect to other hardware and software applications, such as OTB, real networks, and third party visualization software, to greatly enhancing the value of the network model.

.........................................................................
1.2 QualNet Architecture
Figure 1-1 illustrates the QualNet architecture. A high-level description of the various components is provided below.

FIGURE 1-1.

QualNet Architecture

QualNet Kernel
The kernel of QualNet is a, Scalable Network Technologies-proprietary, parallel discrete-event scheduler. It provides the scalability and portability to run hundreds and thousands of nodes with high-fidelity models on a variety of platforms, from laptops and desktops to high performance computing systems. Users do not directly interact with the kernel, but use the QualNet API to develop their protocol models.

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QualNet Architecture

Chapter 1

QualNet Model Libraries
QualNet includes support for a number of model libraries that enable you to design networks using protocol models developed by Scalable Network Technologies. Purchase of QualNet includes the Developer, Wireless, and Multimedia and Enterprise Model Libraries; additional libraries for modeling WiMAX, network security, sensor networks, satellite, and cellular models are also available. Refer to the QualNet Model Libraries data sheet for more information or check the products page on our website.

QualNet Graphical User Interface (GUI)
QualNet GUI consists of Architect, Analyzer, Packet Tracer, and File Editor. These modes are accessible from the Components Toolbar described in Section 1.4.5.

• Architect is a network design and visualization tool. It has two modes: Design mode and Visualize mode. In Design mode, you can set up terrain, network connections, subnets, mobility patterns of wireless users, and other functional parameters of network nodes. You can create network models by using intuitive, click and drag operations. You can also customize the protocol stack of any of the nodes. You can also specify the application layer traffic and services that run on the network. Design mode of Architect is described in Chapter 3. In Visualize mode, you can perform in-depth visualization and analysis of a network scenario designed in Design mode. As simulations are running, users can watch packets at various layers flow through the network and view dynamic graphs of critical performance metrics. Real-time statistics are also an option, where you can view dynamic graphs while a network scenario simulation is running. Visualize mode of Architect is described in Chapter 5. You can also assign jobs to run in batch mode on a faster server and view the animated data later. You can perform “what-if” analysis by setting a range of values for a particular protocol parameter and comparing the network performance results for each of them.

• Analyzer is a statistical graphing tool that displays the metrics collected during the simulation of a network scenario in a graphical format. You can customize the graph display. All statistics are exportable to spreadsheets in CSV format. Analyzer is described in Chapter 6.

• Packet Tracer provides a visual representation of packet trace files generated during the simulation of a network scenario. Trace files are text files in XML format that contain information about packets as they move up and down the protocol stack. Packet Tracer is described in Chapter 7. the user to edit files. File Editor is described in Chapter 8.

• File Editor is a text editing tool that displays the contents of the selected file in text format and allows

QualNet Command Line Interface
The QualNet command line interface enables a user to run QualNet from a DOS prompt (in Windows) or from a command window (in Linux or Mac OS X). When QualNet is run from the command line, input to QualNet is in the form of text files which can be created and modified using any text editor. Building and running scenarios with the command line interface takes less memory and scenarios typically run faster than with the GUI. With the command line interface the users have the flexibility to interface with visualization and analysis tools of their choice. The command line interface is described in Chapter 2.

QualNet External Interfaces
QualNet can also interact with a number of external tools in real-time. The HLA/DIS module, which is a part of the Standard Interfaces Model Library, allows QualNet to interact with other HLA/DIS compliant simulators and computer-generated force (CGF) tools like OTB. The QualNet STK interface, which is a

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Scenario-based Network Simulation

part of the Developer Model Library, provides a way to interface QualNet with the Satellite Toolkit (STK) developed by Analytical Graphics, Inc. (AGI) and function in a client-server environment.

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1.3 Scenario-based Network Simulation
In QualNet, a specific network topology is referred to as a scenario. A scenario allows the user to specify all the network components and conditions under which the network will operate. This includes: terrain details, channel propagation effects including path loss, fading, and shadowing, wired and wireless subnets, network devices such as switches, hubs and routers, the entire protocol stack of a variety of standard or user-configured network components, and applications running on the network. Most of these are optional; you can start with a basic network scenario and specify as much detail as necessary to improve the accuracy of your network model.

1.3.1 General Approach
In general, a simulation study comprises the following phases:

• The first phase is to create and prepare the simulation scenario based on the system description and metrics of interest. Section 1.3.2 introduces the steps for creating a scenario which are described in detail in Chapter 4.

• The next step is to execute, visualize, and analyze the created scenario and collect simulation results. • The last phase is to analyze the simulation results. Typically, users may need to adjust the scenarios

Simulation results can include scenario animations, runtime statistics, final statistics, and output traces. Chapter 5 describes how to visualize scenarios at run time.

based on the collected simulation results. Chapter 6 describes how to analyze simulation results with QualNet Analyzer.

This general procedure is illustrated in Figure 1-2.

FIGURE 1-2.

Scenario-based Simulation

1.3.2 Creating Scenarios
Creating a scenario can be divided into several steps focusing on different aspects. The key steps in creating a simulation scenario for QualNet are illustrated in Figure 1-3. The general approach is to first configure the general properties which are applicable to the whole scenario. Next, specify the network topology by creating subnets, placing nodes, and defining node mobility. Then one needs to configure the

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protocol stack for individual nodes or groups of nodes as necessary. The last step is to configure parameters for collecting simulation results and controlling runtime performance.

FIGURE 1-3.

Creating a Scenario

Refer to Chapter 4 for details on how to create scenarios in both the command line and the GUI interfaces.

1.3.3 Files Associated with a Scenario
Input to the QualNet simulator consists of several files. For the command line interface, the input files are text files. The main input files for command line are:

• Scenario configuration file: This is the primary input file for QualNet and specifies the network scenario and parameters for the simulation. This file usually has the extension “.config”.

• Node placement file: This file is referenced by the scenario configuration file and specifies the initial position of nodes in the scenario. (The node placement file may also contain the future positions of nodes.) This file usually has the extension “.nodes”.

• Application configuration file: This file is referenced by the scenario configuration file and specifies the applications running on the nodes in the scenario. This file usually has the extension “.app”. In addition to the above three files, QualNet may use other input files. These additional files depend upon the models specified in the configuration file and are referenced by the configuration file. The input files are described in detail in Chapter 2. These input files are text files which can be created using any text editor. When using the command line interface, the user has to create these files manually. When the user creates a scenario in Architect, the major input files representing the scenario (scenario configuration, node placement, and application configuration files) are automatically created by Architect. The primary output file generated by a QualNet simulation run is a statistics file, which has the extension “.stat”. This file contains the statistics collected during the simulation run. Other output files that may be generated by QualNet include the trace file (which has the extension “.trace”) which records packet traces, and the animation file (which has the extension “.anim”) which records the animation trace of a scenario when the scenario is run in Architect. Both the statistics and trace files are text files which can be viewed using any text editor. In addition, Analyzer can be used to view the contents of the statistics file in a graphical, easy to analyze manner. The output files are described in detail in Chapter 2.

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1.4 Using QualNet
1.4.1 System Requirements and Installation
Refer to QualNet Installation Guide for the system requirements and instructions to install QualNet on Windows, Linux, and MAC OS X systems. Refer to QualNet Distributed Reference Guide for additional requirements and instructions for running QualNet on distributed platforms.

1.4.2 License
A valid license file is required to run QualNet. Your license file will activate the model libraries that are part of the base QualNet Developer distribution (Developer, Multimedia and Enterprise, and Wireless Model Libraries) and any additional model libraries purchased by you. See Appendix A for more information on license files.

1.4.3 Executable Files
The QualNet distribution includes one or more executable files that have been compiled with the model libraries that are part of the base QualNet distribution (Developer, Multimedia and Enterprise, and Wireless Model Libraries) and the following addon libraries:

• • • • • • •

Advanced Wireless Model Library Cellular Model Library Network Security Model Library Satellite Model Library Sensor Networks Model Library UMTS Model Library Urban Propagation Model Library

QualNet does not need to be recompiled in order to use the models in these libraries. However, QualNet will need to be recompiled if the source code is modified or any other libraries or addons are installed. Refer to QualNet Programmer’s Guide for instructions for compiling QualNet. The QualNet executable files are located in the bin folder of the QualNet installation directory. Windows Executable Files For Windows platforms, the QualNet distribution includes the following executable files:

• qualnet-precompiled-32bit.exe: This is a 32-bit executable that can run on both 32-bit and 64-bit platforms. • qualnet-precompiled-64bit.exe (included only for 64-bit platforms): This is a 64-bit executable that can run on 64-bit platforms.

• qualnet.exe: This is a copy of qualnet-precompiled-32bit.exe. If you have a 64-bit platform and want to use the 64-bit executable, then copy the file qualnet-precompiled-64bit.exe to qualnet.exe. Note that qualnet.exe is overwritten every time you recompile QualNet. If you recompile QualNet but want to use the pre-built executable, then copy the file qualnet-precompiled-32bit.exe (or qualnetprecompiled-64bit.exe) to qualnet.exe.

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Note:

For 64-bit platforms, if you copy qualnet-precompiled-32bit to qualnet.exe, you must also copy libexpat.dll.windows to libexpat.dll. If you copy qualnet-precompiled-64bit.exe to qualnet.exe, you must also copy libexpat.dll.windows-x64 to libexpat.dll. Files libexpat.dll and libexpat.dll.windows-x64 are located in the bin folder of the QualNet installation directory.

Linux Executable Files For Linux platforms, the QualNet distribution includes the following executable files:

• qualnet-precompiled-32bit (included only for 32-bit platforms): This is a 32-bit executable that can run on 32-bit platforms.

• qualnet-precompiled-64bit (included only for 64-bit platforms): This is a 64-bit executable that can run on 64-bit platforms.

• qualnet: This is a copy of qualnet-precompiled-32bit for 32-bit platforms and a copy of qualnetprecompiled-64bit for 64-bit platforms. Note that the file qualnet is overwritten every time you recompile QualNet. If you recompile QualNet but want to use the pre-built executable, then copy the file qualnet-precompiled-32bit (or qualnetprecompiled-64bit) to qualnet. Note: The executable files will run only on the machine on which QualNet is installed. To use QualNet on a different machine, it must be installed on that machine.

Mac OS X Executable Files For Mac OS X platforms, the QualNet distribution includes the following executable files:

• qualnet-precompiled-32bit: This is pre-built executable for Mac OS X platforms. • qualnet: This is a copy of qualnet-precompiled-32bit.
Note that the file qualnet is overwritten every time you recompile QualNet. If you recompile QualNet but want to use the pre-built executable, then copy the file qualnet-precompiled-32bit to qualnet.

1.4.4 Using QualNet Command Line Interface
See Chapter 2 and Chapter 4 for details of creating network models and running simulations from QualNet’s command line interface.

1.4.5 Using QualNet GUI
The QualNet GUI can be used to create network models and run simulations. In addition, simulation statistics and packet traces can be analyzed graphically using the GUI.

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Chapter 1 Starting GUI on Windows To start the QualNet GUI on a Windows system, do one of the following:

Using QualNet

• Double-click on the following icon on the desktop (this option is available only if you chose to install desktop shortcuts during installation):

• Select Start > All Programs > SNT > QualNet Developer 5.0.2 > QualNet Developer (this option is available only if you chose to create Start menu options during installation).

• Open a command window and type the following commands: cd %QUALNET_HOME%\bin QualNetGUI.exe

• Navigate to bin folder of the QualNet installation directory in an explorer window and double-click on the file QualNetGUI.exe. Note: Some firewall programs may prevent QualNet GUI from running. To use QualNet GUI, you may need to add it to the exception list of your firewall program. Check the documentation of your firewall program for details on adding a program to the exception list or contact your system administrator. If you are using Microsoft Windows firewall see the following link for more details: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/87535.

Starting GUI on Linux To start the QualNet GUI on a Linux system, do one of the following:

• Double-click on the following icon on the desktop (this option is available only if you installed QualNet using the installer’s GUI and chose to install desktop shortcuts):

• Open a command window and type the following commands: cd $QUALNET_HOME/bin ./QualNetGUI

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Using QualNet Starting GUI on Mac OS X To start the QualNet GUI on a Mac OS X system, do one of the following:

Chapter 1

• In Mac OS X Finder, go to bin folder of the QualNet installation directory and double-click on the package QualNetGUI.app.

• Open a command window and type the following commands: cd $QUALNET_HOME/bin open QualNetGUI.app The following screen is displayed when the QualNet GUI starts (QualNet GUI opens in the Design mode of Architect):

Components Toolbar

FIGURE 1-4.

QualNet Startup Screen

Components Toolbar You can switch between the GUI components (Architect, Analyzer, Packet Tracer, and File Editor) by using the Components Toolbar (see Figure 1-4), which is present in all components. See Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 for details of creating network models using the Design mode of Architect. See Chapter 5 for details of running simulations in Visualize mode of Architect. See Chapter 6 for details of analyzing simulation results in Analyzer. See Chapter 7 for details of analyzing trace files using Packet Tracer. See Chapter 8 for details of viewing and editing text files associated with a scenario in File Editor.

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1.4.6 Online Help
See Appendix B for a description of the online help features that are available in Architect.

1.4.7 Advanced Run Settings
See Appendix C for details of running QualNet on a remote machine or on a multi-processor (sharedmemory or distributed architecture) system.

1.4.8 Utility Programs
See Appendix D for details of utility programs that are included in the QualNet distribution.

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Command Line Interface

The command line interface enables a user to run QualNet from a DOS prompt (in Windows) or from a command window (in UNIX). When QualNet is run from the command line, input to QualNet is in the form of text files which can be created and modified using any text editor. The command-line interface enables a user to use batch files on Windows or shell scripts on UNIX systems. The user can create copies of a QualNet scenario file, change parameters of interest, for example, the routing protocol or MAC protocol, and then run the scenarios automatically using a batch file or shell scripts. This allows the user to compare the performance of different protocol models for a given network scenario. This is similar to the batch execution capability of the QualNet GUI. While QualNet GUI provides a useful graphical interface to visualize simulation scenarios, it may be more convenient to build scenarios using the command line interface. This is especially true for large network scenarios as building large scenarios using the GUI can be tedious and time consuming. Since the input files used by the command line interface are text files, users can employ various tools to edit and manipulate the input files. Building and running scenarios with the command line interface takes less memory and scenarios typically run faster than with the GUI. Lastly, with the command line interface the users have the flexibility to interface with visualization and analysis tools of their choice. This chapter describes how to use the QualNet command line interface. Section 2.1 describes how to run QualNet in the command line interface, the input and output files, and the command line parameters. Section 2.2 describes the syntax of input files used for specifying scenarios and Section 2.3 describes the syntax of the primary output file produced by QualNet. See Section 1.3 for an overview of scenario-based network simulation. Chapter 4 describes in detail how to configure the different components of a scenario.

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Running QualNet from the Command Line Interface

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2.1 Running QualNet from the Command Line Interface
This section describes how to run QualNet using the command line interface and the input and output files associated with a scenario. (Refer to QualNet Programmer’s Guide for instructions for debugging QualNet.) To run QualNet, perform the following steps: 1. Open a command line, and go to the directory where your scenario is located. 2. Run QualNet. For Windows, type: %QUALNET_HOME%\bin\qualnet myconfig.config For UNIX Type: $QUALNET_HOME/bin/qualnet myconfig.config In the example above, myconfig.config is a configuration file that describes a scenario to be simulated. Any file with the extension .config can be specified as the configuration file. For information on additional parameters that can be specified in the command line, including the number of processors, see Section 2.1.2. Note: If a message is displayed stating that the QUALNET_HOME variable is not set properly, then set the environment variables, as described in Section 2.1.3.

3. Wait for the simulation to complete. A file with the extension .stat is generated. (The exact name of the file that is generated is discussed in Section 2.1.1.2). The .stat file contains the statistics collected during the simulation. The statistics file is a plain text file that can be opened by using any text editor. It can also be viewed graphically using QualNet Analyzer (see Chapter 6).

2.1.1 Input and Output Files
QualNet uses several input files and generates one or more output files. The file names are of the form: <filename>.<extension> where <filename> <extension> Any string Indication of type of file. Examples: config (for configuration file), app (for applications file),  stat (for statistics file), etc.

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2.1.1.1 Input Files
QualNet uses the following three main input files (Chapter 4 describes the input files in detail):

• <filename>.config: This is the primary input file for QualNet and specifies the network scenario and parameters for the simulation. A sample configuration file, called default.config, is included with the QualNet distribution in the directory QUALNET_HOME/scenarios/default.

• <filename>.nodes: This file is referenced by the configuration file (as the parameter NODE-

POSITION-FILE) and specifies the initial position of nodes in the scenario. A sample nodes file, called default.nodes, is included with the QualNet distribution in the directory QUALNET_HOME/scenarios/ default. FILE and specifies the applications running on the nodes in the scenario. A sample applications file, called default.app, is included with the QualNet distribution in the directory QUALNET_HOME/ scenarios/default.

• <filename>.app: This file is referenced by the configuration file (as the parameter APP-CONFIG-

In addition to the above three files, QualNet may use other input files. These additional files depend upon the models specified in the configuration file and are referenced by the configuration file. For example, if the configuration file specifies the routing protocol to be OSPF, then an input file (with the extension .ospf) is also used by QualNet. The .ospf file specifies parameters specific to the OSPF protocol. Description of models in the model libraries list any additional input files needed by specific models. Chapter 4 describes how to create input files for a scenario.

2.1.1.2 Output Files
The primary output file generated by a QualNet simulation run is a statistics file, <experimentname>.stat. This file contains the statistics collected during the simulation run. The exact name of the statistics file depends on the EXPERIMENT-NAME parameter in the configuration file (see Section 4.2.1) and the <experiment-name> command line parameter (see Section 2.1.2), as described below:

• If the <experiment-name> parameter is not specified on the command line, and the configuration file does not include the EXPERIMENT-NAME parameter, then the statistics file that is generated is named qualnet.stat. specifies a value for the EXPERIMENT-NAME parameter, then the name of statistics file that is generated is based on the EXPERIMENT-NAME parameter.

• If the <experiment-name> parameter is not specified on the command line, and the configuration file

Example: If the configuration file contains the following line: EXPERIMENT-NAME wireless-scenario then the statistics file that is generated is named wireless-scenario.stat.

• If the <experiment-name> parameter is specified on the command line, then the name of statistics

file that is generated is based on the <experiment-name> command line parameter, irrespective of the value of the EXPERIMENT-NAME parameter in the configuration file.

Example: If QualNet is run using the following command: qualnet myconfig.config myscenario then the statistics file that is generated is named myscenario.stat.

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Other output files may also be generated by running QualNet, depending on the options specified in the configuration file. For example, if packet tracing is enabled by setting parameters in the configuration file (see Section 4.2.10), then a trace file, <experiment-name>.trace, is generated. Section 2.3 describes the format of the statistics (.stat) file.

2.1.2 Additional Command Line Parameters
In addition to the configuration file name, several optional parameters can be specified when QualNet is run from the command line. The general format for running QualNet from a command line is: qualnet <input-filename> [<experiment-name>][-animate] [-np <x>] Note: All parameters must be entered on the same line.

These parameters are explained in Table 2-1. You can also use this command to obtain information about the libraries installed on your system by using the following option: qualnet -print_libraries TABLE 2-1. Parameter
<input-filename> Optional parameter <experiment-name> Optional parameter -animate Optional parameter -np <x> Optional parameter Option to run QualNet on multiple processors. <x> is the number of processors to use. See Section 4.3 for details of running QualNet on multiple processors. Option to print information about the libraries installed on your system. See Appendix A for details.

QualNet Command Line Parameters Description
Name of the configuration file, e.g., myconfig.config. This parameter is required unless the -print_libraries option is specified. Experiment name. If this parameter is specified, output files are created with this name. See Section 2.1.1.2 for details. Option to print animation commands to standard output.

-print_libraries Optional parameter

2.1.3 Environment Variables
The QualNet installer for Windows and Linux systems sets the environment variables required for running QualNet. For Linux and Mac OS X systems, users should set the environment variables manually, as described in QualNet Installation Guide. However, if the environment variables are not properly set (for example, when you copy QualNet from another machine), a message will be displayed when you run QualNet. In this case, you will need to set the environment variables manually, as described in Section 2.1.3.1 (for Windows) and Section 2.1.3.2 (for Linux and Mac OS X).

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2.1.3.1 Environment Variables for Windows
To set the environment variables on Windows systems, do the following: 1. Right click on My Computer and select Properties from the menu. Select the Advanced tab and click on Environment Variables. 2. Add or update the environment variable QUALNET_HOME. This variable should be set to the root directory of the QualNet installation. 3. Add QUALNET_HOME\bin and QUALNET_HOME\lib to the PATH variable.

2.1.3.2 Environment Variables for Linux and Mac OS X
To set the QualNet environment variables on a Linux or Mac OS X system, perform the following steps (assuming that QualNet is installed at ~/snt/qualnet/5.0): 1. Open a command window. 2. Edit the shell startup script. To check which shell you are using, type the following command in a command window: echo $SHELL.

• For csh and tcsh
Open ~/.cshrc and add the following lines: setenv QUALNET_HOME ~/snt/qualnet/5.0 set path = ( $path ~/snt/qualnet/5.0/bin )

• For bash
Open ~/.bashrc and add the following lines: export QUALNET_HOME=~/snt/qualnet/5.0 PATH=$PATH:~/snt/qualnet/5.0/bin

• For sh
Open ~/.profile and add the following lines: QUALNET_HOME=/home/username/snt/qualnet/5.0; export QUALNET_HOME PATH=$PATH:/home/username/snt/qualnet/5.0/bin Note: Replace/home/username with the absolute path to the home directory if necessary.

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2.2 Elements of Input Files
This section describes the syntax used for input files that constitute a QualNet scenario, such as the configuration (.config) file. For examples of input files, see the files used by the sample scenario in QUALNET_HOME/scenarios/default.

2.2.1 Comments
In an input file anything following a “#” character is treated as a comment. The sample configuration file, default.config, contains descriptive information about the parameters that can be configured, using this style of commenting.

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2.2.2 QualNet Time Format
A scenario typically requires several time values to be specified. QualNet uses the following format for specifying time values: <Numeric-value>[<Time-unit>] where <Numeric-value> <Time-unit> A non-negative real or integer value indicating the time value Abbreviation for the time unit. The different time units are listed in Table 2-2. The time unit specification is optional. If the time unit is not specified, then it is assumed to be seconds.

Note: There should not be any spaces between the numeric value and the time unit. TABLE 2-2. Time Unit Abbreviation
NS US MS S M H D

QualNet Time Units Description
Nanoseconds Microseconds Milliseconds Seconds Minutes Hours Days

Examples of specifications of time values in QualNet are: 20MS, 2.5S, 100, and 5M.

2.2.3 Coordinate and Orientation Formats
In a QualNet scenario, a node’s position is indicated by specifying its coordinates and orientation. Coordinates can be specified in either the Cartesian system or the Latitude-Longitude-Altitude (Lat-LonAlt) system. The coordinate system used in a scenario is selected by setting the COORDINATE-SYSTEM parameter in the configuration file (see Section 4.2.2). All coordinate specifications in a scenario should use the same system. In the Cartesian system, coordinates are specified using the following format: (<x>, <y>[, <z>]) where <x> <y> <z> x-coordinate, in meters. This is specified as a real number. y-coordinate, in meters. This is specified as a real number. z-coordinate, in meters. This is specified as a real number.  Specifying the z-coordinate is optional, and it is assumed to be zero when not specified explicitly.

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Elements of Input Files In the Cartesian system, coordinates are specified using the following format: (<lat>, <lon>[, <alt>]) where <lat> <lon> <alt>

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Latitude, in degrees. This is specified as a real number between -90.0 and 90.0 Longitude, in degrees. This is specified as a real number between -180.0 and 180.0. Altitude, in meters. This is specified as a real number.  Specifying the altitude is optional, and it is assumed to be zero when not specified explicitly.

Examples of node coordinates are: (20.2, 0.9, 0.11) (-22.2110679314668, 132.8618458505577, 0.0) (150, 200) Node orientation is specified using the following format: <azimuth> <elevation> where <azimuth> <elevation> Azimuth, in degrees. This is specified as a real number between 0.0 and 360.0. Elevation, in degrees. This is specified as a real number between -90.0 and 90.0.

Examples of node orientation are: 45.0 90.0 0 -25.0 The complete specification of a node’s position consists of its coordinates followed by its orientation. Specifying node orientation is optional and is assumed to be (0.0, 0.0) when not specified. Examples of node positions are: (100, 200, 2.5) 45.0 90.0 (25.5, 300.0, 1.0) (10, 15, 0) 0 0 (75.258934, -127.09378) (-25.34678, 25.2897654) 0.0 -25.5

2.2.4 Node, Network and Interface Identifiers
A node in QualNet can represent any of the several devices that connect to a network, such as radio devices, desktop computers, routers, satellites, etc. These nodes can have one or more network interfaces, each of which has its own IP address and subnet mask.

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Node Identifiers Every QualNet node has a unique node identifier (or node ID), which is a unique, positive integer. These integers need not be contiguous, so they can be numbered for user readability. For example, if a scenario has three nodes, a user can assign them node IDs 1, 2, and 3. The user can also assign these three nodes node IDs 13, 16, and 159, or, 100, 200, 300. Node IDs are used in input and output files to refer to specific nodes. The keyword thru is used to denote a range of Node IDs. For example, an input file the phrase “3 thru 7” refers to the five nodes with node IDs 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. For simplicity, in the documentation, the node ID is used directly after the word “node” to refer to a node with a certain node ID. For example, “node 1” is used to refer to the node with the node ID 1. Subnets and Interfaces A QualNet simulation experiment is composed of networks of nodes, which are referred to as subnets. Nodes communicate with each other through connected network interfaces. A node can be a member of multiple subnets and has an interface to each subnet it belongs to. Every node must have at least one network interface. Examples of network interfaces include 802.11b PCMCIA cards, Ethernet adapters, and serial links on routers.

2.2.4.1 QualNet Syntax for Subnet Addresses for IPv4 Networks
In IPv4 networks, each network interface is identified by a 32-bit address. The most significant bits of an interface (or host) address are used to identify the network, while the least significant bits identify the hosts within the network. All interfaces on a subnet share a 32-bit subnet mask. If n bits are used to identify hosts within a network, the least significant n bits of its subnet mask are 0 and all other bits are 1. The network address of a subnet is obtained by applying a bit-wise AND operation to the subnet mask and the IP address of any interface. Thus, the least significant n bits of the network address are all 0. If n host ID bits are used, then 2^n unique addresses can be derived. Out of these, one address is reserved for the network and one is reserved for the broadcast address. The remaining 2^n-2 addresses can be used for hosts in the network. An example of a network IP address is 192.168.0.0, and an example of a corresponding subnet mask is 255.255.255.0. The example subnet mask indicates that 8 bits are used to determine host IP addresses. These hosts would have IP addresses from 192.168.0.1 through 192.168.0.254, for a maximum of 254 hosts on this subnet. 192.168.0.0 is the network address and 192.168.0.255 is the broadcast address for this subnet. QualNet uses a shorthand notation for IPv4 network addresses and subnet masks, which has the following syntax: N<number-of-host-bits>-<network-address> where <number-of-host-bits> <network-address> Number of bits used to identify host addresses IP address of the network, where leading zeroes may be omitted

An example of this syntax is N8-1.0. This example specifies that eight bits are reserved for host addresses, which defines the subnet mask to be 255.255.255.0. The network address is 0.0.1.0, because omitted bits are assumed to be zero. N8-1.0, N8-0.1.0, and N8-0.0.1.0 are equivalent. Hosts on this network would have IP addresses from 0.0.1.1 through 0.0.1.254, for a maximum of 254 hosts. 0.0.1.255 is the broadcast address for this subnet.

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Table 2-3 lists examples of subnet addresses in the QualNet N syntax, the corresponding IP address in dot notation and in slash notation, and the subnet mask for the subnet. TABLE 2-3. Subnet Address in N Syntax
N16-0 N2-1.0 N8-192.168.0.0 N24-10.0.0.0

Examples of QualNet N Syntax Subnet Mask
255.255.0.0 255.255.255.252 255.255.255.0 255.0.0.0

IP Address (Dot Notation)
0.0.0.0 0.0.1.0 192.168.0.0 10.0.0.0

IP Address (Slash Notation)
0.0.0.0/16 0.0.1.0/30 192.168/24 10/8

Nodes are associated with a subnet by means of the keywords SUBNET or LINK (see Section 4.2.5 for details). The following declaration indicates that nodes 1 through 10 are in the subnet with address N161.0: SUBNET N16-1.0.0 {1 thru 10} The network address for this subnet is 0.1.0.0 and the broadcast address is 0.1.255.255. The subnet mask is 255.255.0.0. The 10 nodes in the subnet are automatically assigned IP addresses as shown in the following table. Node ID
1 2 3 ... 9 10

IP Address
0.1.0.1 0.1.0.2 0.1.0.3 .... 0.1.0.9 0.1.0.10

As another example, consider the following declaration that assigns nodes 1, 3, and 5 to the subnet with address N8-192.168.2.0: SUBNET N8-192.168.2.0 {5, 1, 3} The network address for this subnet is 192.168.2.0 and the broadcast address is 192.168.2.255. The subnet mask is 255.255.255.0. The three nodes in the subnet are automatically assigned IP addresses as shown in the following table. Node ID
5 1 3

IP Address
192.168.2.1 192.168.2.2 192.168.2.3

If a node is in multiple subnets, then each of its interfaces is assigned a unique IP address in the manner described above (see Section 4.2.5 for details).

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Notes: 1. Multiple private networks and secondary IP addresses are not supported in QualNet. 2. In a scenario, all network addresses must be distinct, even if different subnet masks are used. Thus addresses N8-1.0 and N16-1.0 can not both be used in a scenario.

2.2.4.2 QualNet Syntax for Subnet Addresses for IPv6 Networks
Network, host, and interface addresses in IPv6 networks are 128 bits long. An IPv6 address is usually represented in the format x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x, where each x represents a 16-bit hexadecimal value. An example IPv6 address is 1080:0:0:0:8:800:200C:417A. Similar to an IPv4 network address, the most significant bits of an interface (or host) IPv6 address are used to identify the network, while the least significant bits identify the hosts within the network. Usually, the slash notation is used for IPv6 addresses. For example, 1080:0:0:0:8:800:200C:417A/64 indicates that the first (most significant) 64 bits are the network prefix. In addition, QualNet uses a shorthand notation for IPv6 network addresses which is very similar to that of IPv4 addresses. The shorthand notation for IPv6 addresses has the following syntax: N<number-of-host-bits>-<network-address> where <number-of-host-bits> <network-address> Number of bits used to identify host addresses IPv6 address of the network, where leading zeroes may be omitted

An example of this syntax is N16-::2.0. This example specifies that 16 bits are reserved for host addresses. Hosts on this network would have IPv6 addresses from ::2:1 to ::2:FFFF, for a maximum of 65535 hosts. (The string “::” is an bbreviation for consecutive 0’s. For example, ::2:1 is equivalent to 0:0:0:0:0:0:2:1, 2000:0:1:: is equivalent to 2000:0:1:0:0:0:0:0, and 100:50::1 is equivalent to 100:50:0:0:0:0:0:1.) Consider the following declaration which indicates that the subnet with address N16-2000:0:: has nodes 1 through 10: SUBNET N64-2000:0:0:1:: {1 thru 10} The 10 nodes in the subnet are automatically assigned IPv6 addresses as shown in the following table. Node ID
1 2 3 ... 9 10

IPv6 Address
2000:0:0:1::1 2000:0:0:1::2 2000:0:0:1::3 .... 2000:0:0:1::9 2000:0:0:1::a

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Elements of Input Files An alternate format for IPv6 addresses is: <FP><TLA-ID><RES><NLA-ID><SLA-ID><Interface-ID> where <FP> <TLA-ID> <RES> <NLA-ID> <SLA-ID> <Interface-ID> 3-bit filed denoting Format Prefix for aggregate global unicast addresses, which is 001 13-bit Top-Level Aggregation identifier 8-bit filed reserved for future use 24-bit Next-Level Aggregation identifier 16-bit Site-Level Aggregation identifier 64-bit interface identifier

Chapter 2

QualNet supports the TLA- NLA-SLA notation for IPv6 addresses. This notation has the following syntax: TLA-<tla-ID>.NLA-<nla-ID>.SLA-<sla-ID> where <tla-ID> <nla-ID> <sla-ID> TLA identifier NLA identifier SLA identifier

An example of an IPv6 address in this syntax is TLA-1.NLA-2.SLA-1. Note: The TLA-NLA-SLA format is deprecated and it is recommended that it not be used.

2.2.4.3 QualNet Syntax for Subnet Addresses for ATM Networks
Addresses in ATM networks are 20 octets long. An ATM address identifies the location of a single ATM interface and consists of parts shown below.

The Initial Domain Part (IDP) uniquely specifies an administration authority, which has the responsibility for allocating and assigning values of the Domain Specific Part (DSP). In QualNet we consider only the International Code Designator (ICD) Address format. International organizations use this format for address allocation. Similar to the IPv4 and IPv6 address syntax, QualNet syntax for ATM addresses also consists of a network prefix and an interface ID.

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Chapter 2 QualNet uses the following syntax for ATM addresses: ICD-<icd-value>.AID-<aid-value>.PTP<ptp-value> where <icd-value> <aid-value> <ptp-value> Integer between 0 and 65535 Integer between 0 and 65535 Integer between 0 and 65535

Elements of Input Files

An example of an ATM address is ICD-1.AID-1.PTP-1.

2.2.5 Instance Specification
Some parameters in QualNet can have multiple instances, such as queues, channels, etc. A specific instance of such a parameter is referred to by an index. If there are n instances of a parameter, the index ranges from 0 to n - 1. The parameter specification is similar to an array, i.e., the parameter name is followed by an index enclosed in square brackets, “[“ and “]”. The following are examples of instances of parameters: IP-QUEUE-PRIORITY-QUEUE-SIZE[1] PROPAGATION-CHANNEL-FREQUENCY[0]

2.2.6 Filename and Path Parameters
Some parameters in input files take file names or paths to directories as their value. When specifying the file name or path, the path relative to the current directory or the absolute path should be included. The following are examples of values that can be assigned to file name parameters: ../../data/terrain/los-angeles-w ./default.fault C:\snt\qualnet\5.0\scenarios\default\default.nodes /root/snt/qualnet/5.0/scenarios/default/default.nodes The following are examples of values that can be assigned to path parameters: ../../data/terrain C:\snt\qualnet\5.0\scenarios\default /root/snt/qualnet/5.0/scenarios/default (For Windows) (For UNIX)

(For Windows) (For UNIX)

2.2.7 Include Command
In some cases, especially if an input file is large, it may be convenient to split the input file into a primary file and one or more secondary files. The secondary files are linked to the primary file by means of the INCLUDE command, which has the following format: INCLUDE <filename> where <filename> Name of the secondary file to be included. The file name should include the path relative to the current directory or the absolute path.

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Elements of Input Files The effect of the command is to replace the command with the contents of the included file.

Chapter 2

The INCLUDE command can be used in the scenario configuration (.config) and some other supplemental input files. For example, the configuration file for a wireless scenario may be called “wireless-scenario.config”. The Physical Layer parameters may be specified in a file called “wireless-scenario.phy-config” and the MAC Layer parameters in another file called “wireless-scenario.mac-config”. File “wireless-scenario.config” should include the following lines: INCLUDE ./wireless-scenario.phy-config INCLUDE ./wireless-scenario.mac-config

2.2.8 Random Number Distributions
For some parameters that take numerical values, it is possible to specify a random distribution instead of a specific numerical value. In this case a random value from the specified random distribution is assigned to the parameter. A random distribution is specified by a keyword identifying the distribution followed by distribution parameters. A random distribution is specified in the following format: <Distribution Identifier> <Parameter List> where <Distribution Identifier> <Parameter List> String identifying the distribution. Parameters for the distribution.

The string identifier and parameters for random distributions that can be read from an input file are listed in Table 2-4. TABLE 2-4. Distribution Name
Deterministic Exponential Pareto

Distribution Identifiers and Parameters Parameters
• val • val • val1 • val2 • alpha

Distribution Identifier
DET EXP TPD

Description
Always returns the value val. Returns a value from an exponential distribution whose mean is val. Returns a value from a truncated Pareto distribution with val1 as the lower end of the range (= the lower limit of the truncation), val2 as the upper limit of the truncation, and alpha as the shape parameter. Returns a value from a truncated Pareto distribution with val1 as the lower end of the range, val2 as the lower limit of the truncation, val3 as the upper limit of the truncation, and alpha as the shape parameter. Returns a value x, where x is uniformly distributed in the range min <= x < max.

Pareto4

TPD4

• • • •

val1 val2 val3 alpha

Uniform

UNI

• min • max

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Chapter 2 Examples: UNI 10 30 : Denotes a uniform distribution in the range 10 to 30 DET 20MS

Elements of Input Files

: Denotes a deterministic distribution with the value 20 milliseconds.

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2.2.9 Format for Command Line Configuration
This section describes the general format for specifying parameters in input files, the precedence rules for parameters, and the conventions used in the description of command line configuration for each model.

2.2.9.1 General Format of Parameter Declaration
The general format for specifying a parameter in an input file is: [<Qualifier>] <Parameter Name> [<Index>] <Parameter Value> where <Qualifier> The qualifier is optional and defines the scope of the parameter declaration. The scope can be one of the following: Global, Node, Subnet, and Interface. Multiple instances of a parameter with different qualifiers can be included in an input file. Precedence rules (see Section 2.2.9.2) determine the parameter value for a node or interface. Global: The parameter declaration is applicable to the entire scenario (to all nodes and interfaces), subject to precedence rules. The scope of a parameter declaration is global if the qualifier is not included in the declaration. MACDOT11

Example: MAC-PROTOCOL Node:

The parameter declaration is applicable to specified nodes, subject to precedence rules. The qualifier for a node-level declaration is a list of space-separated node IDs or a range of node IDs (specified by using the keyword thru) enclosed in square brackets. MACDOT11

Example: [5 thru 10] MAC-PROTOCOL Subnet: The parameter declaration is applicable to all interfaces in specified subnets, subject to precedence rules. The qualifier for a subnet-level declaration is a space-separated list of subnet addresses enclosed in square brackets. A subnet address can be specified in the IP dot notation or in the QualNet N syntax. MACDOT11

Example: [N8-1.0 N2-1.0] MAC-PROTOCOL Interface: The parameter declaration is applicable to specified interfaces. The qualifier for an interface-level declaration is a space-separated list of subnet addresses enclosed in square brackets. Example: [192.168.2.1 192.168.2.4] MAC-PROTOCOL MACDOT11 <Parameter Name> Name of the parameter.

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Elements of Input Files Instance of the parameter to which this parameter declaration is applicable, enclosed in square brackets. This should be in the range 0 to n -1, where n is the number of instances of the parameter. The instance specification is optional in a parameter declaration. If an instance is not included, then the parameter declaration is applicable to all instances of the parameter, unless otherwise specified.

<Index>

<Parameter Value> Value of the parameter.

Note:

There should be at least one space between the qualifier and the parameter name. There should not be any spaces between the parameter name and the index.

Examples of parameter declarations in input files are: PHY-MODEL [1] PHY-MODEL [N8-1.0] PHY-RX-MODEL [8 thru 10] ROUTING-PROTOCOL [192.168.2.1 192.168.2.4] MAC-PROTOCOL NODE-POSITION-FILE PROPAGATION-CHANNEL-FREQUENCY[0] [1 2] QUEUE-WEIGHT[1]
Note

PHY802.11b PHY802.11a BER-BASED RIP GENERICMAC ./default.nodes 2.4e9 0.3

In the rest of this document, we will not use the qualifier or the index in a parameter’s description. Users should use a qualifier and/or index to restrict the scope of a parameter, as appropriate.

2.2.9.2 Precedence Rules
Parameters without Instances If the parameter declarations do not include instances, then the following rules of precedence apply when determining the parameter values for specific nodes and interfaces: Interface > Subnet > Node > Global This can be interpreted as follows:

• The value specified for an interface takes precedence over the value specified for a subnet, if any. • The value specified for a subnet takes precedence over the value specified for a node, if any. • The value specified for a node takes precedence over the value specified for the scenario (global value), if any. Parameters with Instances If the parameter declarations are a combination of declarations with and without instances, then the following precedence rules apply (unless otherwise stated): Interface[i] > Subnet[i] > Node[i] > Global[i] > Interface > Subnet > Node > Global This can be interpreted as follows:

• Values specified for a specific instance (at the interface, subnet, node, or global level) take precedence over values specified without the instance.

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• For values specified for the same instance at different levels, the following precedence rules apply: - The value specified for an interface takes precedence over the value specified for a subnet, if any, if both declarations are for the same instance. declarations are for the same instance.

- The value specified for a subnet takes precedence over the value specified for a node, if any, if both - The value specified for a node takes precedence over the value specified for the scenario (global value), if any, if both declarations are for the same instance. The following examples illustrate the use of precedence rules. Example 1: Consider the following declarations in a configuration file: SUBNET N8-1.0 {1, 2, 3} SUBNET N8-2.0 {3, 4, 5} ROUTING-PROTOCOL AODV-HELLO-INTERVAL [2 4 5] AODV-HELLO-INTERVAL [N8-1.0] AODV-HELLO-INTERVAL [0.0.1.3 0.0.2.3] AODV-HELLO-INTERVAL

AODV 10 20 30 40

The above configuration specifies five nodes in two subnets. Node 3 has interfaces to both subnets, while the other nodes have one interface each. The following table lists the interface addresses of the four nodes (see Section 4.2.5 for details), the value of the parameter AODV-HELLO-INTERVAL for each interface and the precedence rules used to arrive at that value. Subnet Address
N8-1.0 N8-1.0 N8-1.0 N8-2.0 N8-2.0 N8-2.0

Node ID
1 2 3 3 4 5

Interface Address
0.0.1.1 0.0.1.2 0.0.1.3 0.0.2.1 0.0.2.2 0.0.2.3

Value of AODV-HELLO-INTERVAL
30 30 40 10 20 40

Precedence Rules
Subnet > Global Subnet > Node > Global Interface > Subnet > Global Global Node > Global Interface > Node > Global

Example 2: Consider the following declarations in a configuration file: SUBNET N8-1.0 {1, 2, 3} SUBNET N8-2.0 {3, 4} IP-QUEUE-NUM-PRIORITIES 3 IP-QUEUE-PRIORITY-QUEUE-SIZE IP-QUEUE-PRIORITY-QUEUE-SIZE[1] IP-QUEUE-PRIORITY-QUEUE-SIZE[2] [3] IP-QUEUE-PRIORITY-QUEUE-SIZE[2] [0.0.1.3] IP-QUEUE-PRIORITY-QUEUE-SIZE[2] [N8-2.0] IP-QUEUE-PRIORITY-QUEUE-SIZE[1] [4] IP-QUEUE-PRIORITY-QUEUE-SIZE

1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000

The above configuration specifies four nodes in two subnets. Node 3 has interfaces to both subnets, while the other nodes have one interface each. Each interface has three priority queues, so there are three instances of the parameter IP-QUEUE-PRIORITY-QUEUE-SIZE for each interface. The following table lists the interface addresses of the four nodes (see Section 4.2.5 for details) and the values of the

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parameter IP-QUEUE-PRIORITY-QUEUE-SIZE for each instance at each interface derived from the above declarations and precedence rules. IP-QUEUEPRIORITYQUEUE-SIZE[0]
1000 1000 1000 1000 7000

Node ID
1 2 3 3 4

Subnet Address
N8-1.0 N8-1.0 N8-1.0 N8-2.0 N8-2.0

Interface Address
0.0.1.1 0.0.1.2 0.0.1.3 0.0.2.1 0.0.2.2

IP-QUEUEPRIORITYQUEUE-SIZE[1]
2000 2000 2000 6000 6000

IP-QUEUEPRIORITYQUEUE-SIZE[2]
3000 3000 5000 4000 3000

.........................................................................
2.3 Syntax of Output Files
At the end of a simulation, QualNet generates a statistics file containing information for analyzing the behavior of protocols, network performance, etc. The rules that determine the name of the statistics file are explained in Section 2.1.1.2. The statistics file is a plain text file that can be opened by using any text editor. It can also be viewed graphically using QualNet Analyzer. Normally, the simulation runs for the configured simualtion time (see parameter SIMULATION-TIME in Section 4.2.1). However, the simulation can be terminated before the configured simulation time (for example, by typing Ctrl+C). A statistics file is generated in either case. The first two lines of the statisitics file indicate the configured simulation time and the simulation time when the simulation actually ended. If the simualtion is allowed to run for the configured simualtion time, then these two entries are identical. The first two lines have the following format: <Node ID>,,,,,Max Configured Simualtion Time = <Max-Simulation-Time> <Node ID>,,,,,Simualtion End Time = <Simulation-End-Time> where <Node ID> Lowest node ID in the scenario. This is typically 1.

<Max-Simulation-Time> Maximum configured simulation time, in seconds.The maximum simulation time is configured by setting the parameter SIMULATION-TIME (see Section 4.2.1) in the scenario configuration (.config) file. <Simulation-End-Time> Simualtion time, in seconds, when the simualtion ended. The statistics in the rest of the file are collected from the beginning of simulation to this time.

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Each line after the first two lines of the statistics file lists one statistic of a specific protocol. These lines are grouped first by node, then by layers, then by protocol, then by interface, and finally by index. Each line in the statistics file has the following format: <Node ID>, <Interface Address>, <Index>, <Layer>, <Protocol>, <Metric> = <Value> where <Node ID> <Interface Address> Node ID of the node where the protocol is running. IP address of the interface where the protocol is running. This field is optional and is left blank if it is not applicable. It is usually used only for queues and schedulers. Index to distinguish multiple instances of the same protocol running at the node or interface. For example, this can be the port number for Application Layer, queue index for Network Layer, and interface index for MAC and Physical Layer. This field is optional and is left blank if it is not applicable. Layer of the protocol which is printing the statistic. Name of the protocol which is printing the statistic. Name of the statistic. Value of the statistic variable at the end of the simulation.

<Index>

<Layer> <Protocol> <Metric> <Value>

The parameters that determine which layer and protocol statistics are printed to the statistics file are described in Section 4.2.9. The statistics that are printed for each protocol are described in the model libraries with the protocol’s description. Figure 2-1 shows part of a statistics file. Interface Address Node ID Index Layer Value

Protocol

Metric

FIGURE 2-1.

Example of a Statistics File

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3

QualNet Architect: Design Mode

In Design mode, Architect provides an easy to use interface for creating network scenarios and setting up simulation parameters. Architect provides simple drag-and-drop functionality to create network topologies and advanced editors to allow fine-grained design of networks. After completing the network design, you can switch to the Visualize mode of Architect to run the simulation and analyze its performance by viewing real-time graphs and animation of the scenario. When QualNet GUI is started, it opens in the Design mode of Architect. Features of Architect’s Design Mode In Design mode, Architect provides the following features for creating network scenarios:

• • • • • • • • •

Drag-and-drop design of network scenarios. Toolsets for devices, links, network components and applications. 2D and 3D views of the terrain, including DEM, DTED, and urban terrain features. Table view for a quick, comprehensive view of the devices, networks, interfaces, applications and hierarchies in the scenario. Specification of mobility models and weather patterns. Setup and customization of simulation parameters. Properties Editors to customize any protocol layer, device, or application. Device Model Editor to build custom devices and network components. Hierarchy Editor to build custom platforms and complex network components that contain other network devices. and comparing simulation results for different combinations of parameter values.

• Batch experiments to enable simulating the same scenario with different values of network parameters, • Settings for running the simulation on multi-core and cluster systems, and for running the simulator on remote, powerful systems while running the GUI on the user's desktop.

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Chapter 3 This chapter describes the overall layout of Architect, but focuses on the features available in Design mode. Features of the Visualize mode of Architect are described in Chapter 5. Chapter 4 describes in detail how to create scenarios. Architect’s Design mode features are described in the following sections:

• Components of Architect: provides an overview of the components of Architect, with focus on the features accessible in Design mode.

• Creating Scenarios: describes how to create basic scenarios. • Properties Editors: describes the various Properties Editors. • Advanced Features: describes advanced editing features, modifying properties for multiple devices, setting mobility waypoints and weather patterns, and creating hierarchical networks.

• Customization: provides examples for creating custom Network Object Models, Hierarchy Models, and
Customizing Toolsets.

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.........................................................................
3.1 Components of Architect
This section provides an overview of the different components of Architect. By default, QualNet GUI opens in Design mode and uses the following active menus, toolbars, panels, and components (see Figure 3-1). Standard Toolbar Menu Bar Components Toolbar View Toolbar

Visualization Toolbar

Run Toolbar

Canvas Area

Left Panels (Toolset Panel open)

Bottom Panels

Position Indicators

FIGURE 3-1.

Architect Layout

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3.1.1 Menu Bar
This section describes the menus available from the Menu bar.

3.1.1.1 File Menu
The File menu provides the following commands for file operations.

FIGURE 3-2.

File Menu

Command
New

Description
Opens a new scenario in a tab on the canvas. New scenarios are called “untitled_1”, “untitled_2”, and so on. This option can also be selected from the Standard toolbar. See Section 3.1.2.1. Opens an existing scenario in a tab on the canvas. A file selection window is launched using which you can select the scenario to open. By default, the file selection window opens with folder the QUALNET_HOME\scenarios\user. After the scenario is opened, its name is displayed in the tab. This option can also be selected from the Standard toolbar. See Section 3.1.2.1. Displays a list of recently opened scenarios. Selecting a scenario from this list opens it in a tab on the canvas. Closes the active scenario. If changes have been made to the scenario since the last time it was saved, the user will be prompted to save the changes. If the last open scenario is closed, a new empty scenario is automatically opened. Closes all open scenarios. The user will be prompted to save changes before closing a scenario. After all open scenarios are closed, a new empty scenario is automatically opened.

Open

Recent Files Close

Close All

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Command
Save

Description
Saves the active scenario. If the scenario has never been saved before, a file selection window is launched using which the user can specify the name of the scenario and the location where to save it. When saving an existing scenario that opened in architect, the file selected window is not launched and the scenario is changed from where it was being loaded. This option can also be selected from the Standard toolbar. See Section 3.1.2.1. Note: If there are unsaved changes made in a scenario, an asterisk (“*”) appears after the name of the scenario in the scenario tab. The asterisk(“*”) sign disappears as soon as the Save button is clicked, any change made after save commitment will again shows (“*“) sign after scenarios name in the current scenario tab.

Save As

If the scenario is a new scenario, Save As works the same way as Save; otherwise, it saves a copy of the active scenario. A file selection window is launched using which you can specify the name of the copy and the location where to save it. The original scenario is closed and the copy of the scenario is opened. Saves a copy of the active scenario in the same way as Save As except all referenced files (except terrain files) used in the scenario are copied into the scenario folder. The file path names in the scenario configuration (.config) file are updated to reference the files saved in the scenario folder. The Save As Portable option allows the user to save a scenario that can be run from any location. This option copies all the dependent files used by the scenario locally to the folder where the scenario is saved. Performs a Save operation on all open scenarios. Opens a dialog box to set printing options. Prints a hard copy of the displayed scenario including the blank area surrounding the canvas. This option can also be selected from the Standard toolbar. See Section 3.1.2.1. Exits from QualNet GUI. If there are any unsaved changes in any of the open scenarios, the user will be prompted to save them.

Save As Portable

Save All Page Setup Print

Exit

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3.1.1.2 Edit Menu
The Edit menu provides the following commands for performing editing operations for scenario object on the canvas:

FIGURE 3-3.

Edit Menu

Command
Cut

Description
Cuts the selected object(s). If an object is cut, all links attached to it are deleted. If both ends of a link are cut along with a link, the link will be cut and recreated on a paste. This option can also be selected from the Standard toolbar. See Section 3.1.2.1. Copies the selected object(s). A link can be copied only if the objects that it connects are also copied. This option can also be selected from the Standard toolbar. See Section 3.1.2.1. Pastes a previously cut or copied object(s). This option can also be selected from the Standard toolbar. See Section 3.1.2.1. Deletes the selected object(s). This option can also be selected from the Standard toolbar. See Section 3.1.2.1. Selects all objects in the scenario. Used to set the following preferences: • Text Editor: Select the text editing tool for viewing text files associated with a scenario. The default text editing tool is File Editor. • Port: Select the TCP port used for communicating with Simulator.

Copy

Paste Delete Select All Preferences

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3.1.1.3 View Menu
The View menu provides the following controls for displaying toolbars and commands to configure display and camera settings:

FIGURE 3-4.

View Menu

Command
Standard Toolbar View Toolbar Run Toolbar Visualization Toolbar Display Settings Camera Settings

Description
Controls whether the Standard toolbar is displayed. See Section 3.1.2.1 for a description of the Standard toolbar. Controls whether the View toolbar is displayed. See Section 3.1.2.2 for a description of the View toolbar. Controls whether the Run toolbar is displayed. See Section 3.1.2.3 for a description of the Run toolbar. Controls whether the Visualization toolbar is displayed. See Section 3.1.2.4 for a description of the Visualization toolbar. Used to customize the look and feel of a scenario. See Section 3.1.1.3.1for a description of the Display Settings dialog box. Used to customize camera options for 3D view. See Section 3.1.1.3.2 for a description of the Camera Settings dialog box. This option is enabled only in the 3D view and the 3D window of the Split Screen view.

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3.1.1.3.1 Display Settings The Display Settings dialog box is used to control the look and feel of the scenario. The configurable options are categorized under three tabs: General, Light, and Terrain. General Tab The General tab, shown in Figure 3-5, is used to configure the display of scenario elements on the canvas. When checked, the selected option will be displayed.

FIGURE 3-5.

General Tab

Scene Properties
Node ID Node Name IP Address Hierarchy Name Interface Name Autonomous System ID Queues Antenna Pattern

Default


Description
Used to display or hide node IDs in the scenario. Used to display or hide host names. Used to display or hide the IP address of all the interfaces and subnets. Used to display or hide hierarchy names. Used to display or hide interface names. Used to display or hide autonomous system IDs for hierarchies. Used to display or hide packet queues of nodes in the scenario. Queues are displayed only in Visualize mode. Used to display or hide the antenna patterns for nodes.

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Scene Properties
Node Orientation (Icon) Node Orientation (Arrow) Wired Link Wireless Link Satellite Link Application Link Mobility Waypoint Weather Pattern Ruler Grid Axes

Default

Description
Used to align each node icon along the node’s orientation (specified by the azimuth and elevation angles). Used to display a red arrow from each node icon representing the node’s orientation (specified by the azimuth and elevation angles).

       

Used to display or hide wired links in the scenario. Used to display or hide the wireless subnet icons and wireless links in the scenario. Used to display or hide the satellite links in the scenario. Used to display or hide application links in the scenario. Used to display or hide the mobility waypoints in the scenario. Used to display or hide the weather patterns in the scenario. Used to display or hide the rulers on the canvas. Used to display or hide the grid on the canvas. Used to display or hide axes in the left bottom corner of the central workspace. The axes show the current direction of X, Y and Zaxis. Used to toggle between day and night views. This option is enabled only if the coordinate system is LatitudeLongitude. If night view is selected, stars and moon are displayed.

Night View

Note Background Image

 

Used to display or hide notes. Used to display or hide the background image specified for the scenario.

Note:

The display settings are scenario-specific and changes made for one scenario do not apply to other scenarios. To save the current display settings and use them as default settings in future sessions of Architect, click Save as Defaults.

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Components of Architect Light Tab The Light tab, shown in Figure 3-6, is used to configure the light settings of the scenario.

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FIGURE 3-6. The light settings can be customized as follows:

Light Tab

• To use positional light, check the box Positional Light. By default, light is non-positional (or natural).
Non-positional light is similar to sunlight in that all light rays are parallel to each other. Non-positional light produces a more realistic shading effect than positional light, but it is computational intensive.

If Positional Light is checked, fields to enter the light source position are displayed. Enter the coordinates of the light source in the X Position, Y Position, and Z Position fields.

• You can customize the light color by clicking the Change button. By default, the light color is gray.
Note: The light settings are effective only in 3D view.

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Terrain Tab The Terrain tab, shown in Figure 3-7, is used to configure terrain textures of the scenario. This tab is enabled only if a terrain file is loaded into the scenario (see Section 4.2.2). Textures are used in a scenario for realism. Architect automatically generates a textured terrain based on elevation points. One texture file is created for each terrain file in the scenario. These files are named genTexture0.bmp, genTexture1.bmp, genTexture2.bmp, etc., and are saved in the directory QUALNET_HOME\gui\icons\3Dvisualizer. You can customize the terrain texture by using the Terrain tab.

FIGURE 3-7.

Terrain Tab

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The Terrain Name column lists all the terrain files used in the scenario. The angle used for the texture for on the terrain is displayed in the Angle column. You can customize the terrain as follows: Terrain Properties
Angle

Description
The angle specifies the angle of rotation of the texture or image over the terrain surface. You can change the angle used for the texture by entering the desired value in this field. This is particularly useful when the scenario uses multiple terrain files. Click on this button to select a texture file from the file explorer that opens up. The texture currently assigned to the terrain is displayed in the preview window. Used to apply a detailed texture over the terrain. If this option is selecetd, Architect generates texture for the terrain in real time while incorporating the elevation in different areas for more realistic visualization. The texture is overlaid on the terrain surface. This option can be used to provide some roughness over a terrain by overlaying a texture upon an original texture. Note: This option is recommended only for faster processor systems.

Change Texture Show Detailed Texture

Show Snow Show Fog Terrain Granularity

Used to hide or display snow on mountain peaks in the terrain. Used to hide or display fog in valleys in the terrain. Used to configure the resolution (sharpness) of the terrain display. This field is displayed only if the Show Detailed Texture box is checked. The lower the terrain granularity, the sharper the terrain display. Note: This option is recommended only for faster processor systems.

Snow Granularity

Used to control the amount of snow. This field is displayed only if the Show Snow box is checked. Higher the snow granularity, more the quantity of snow. Used to control the density of fog in the scene. This field is displayed only if the Show Fog box is checked. Higher the fog depth, denser the fog.

Fog Depth

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3.1.1.3.2 Camera Settings The Camera Settings dialog box, shown in Figure 3-8, contains options to customize the camera in 3D view. To open the Camera Settings dialog box, select View > Camera Settings from the menu bar. (This option is enabled only in 3D view.)

FIGURE 3-8.

Camera Settings Dialog Box

The following camera optimization options are available from the Camera Settings dialog box: Camera Settings
Track Node

Description
This option links the camera to a specified node so that the node always remains in view. Select the node to track from the list. You can use the zoom and rotate view controls (see Section 3.1.2.2) with this option. Note: In Track Node mode, Pan and Free Camera controls can not be used. To exit Track Node mode, set Track Node to None.

Camera Speed

The Camera Speed determines the speed of the camera when the arrow keys are used in Free Camera mode (see Section 3.1.2.2). The range of values for this field is 1 to 4000. This option allows you to set a static camera position and direction of view. If the Advanced Controls box is checked, you can specify the X, Y, and Z coordinates of the camera position and the point of view. The direction of view is the straight line from the camera position to the point of view.

Advanced Controls

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3.1.1.4 Tools Menu
The Tools menu provides the following commands to launch various editors for configuring a scenario:

FIGURE 3-9.

Tools Menu

Command
Node Placement Synchronizer

Description
Launches the Node Placement Wizard which is used for automatic node placement. The Node Placement Wizard is explained in Section 4.2.3. Provides options to create a new QualNet scenario corresponding to an HLA scenario or merge an HLA scenario with an existing QualNet scenario. These options are enabled only if the Standard Interfaces Library is installed. Opens the scenario configuration (.config) file of the active scenario in the text editor that has been selected in the Preferences dialog (see Section 3.1.1.3). (By default, the file opens in File Editor). This option can also be selected by clicking on the View Scenario in File Editor button in the Run toolbar (See Section 3.1.2.3).

View Scenario in File Editor

Run Settings

Used to open the Run Settings Editor which is used to specify the number of processors used for running the simulation and to select the run mode (local or remote). See Section C.2.3 for details. This option can also be selected from the Run toolbar. See Section 3.1.2.3. Used to initialize a live simulation of the active scenario. This option can also be selected from the Run toolbar. See Section 3.1.2.3. Note: This command only initializes the simulaltion. The simulation and animation do not start until you press the Play button in the Visualization toolbar (see Section 3.1.2.4).

Run Simulation

Record Animation

Used to run the active scenario and record the animation trace in a file, either interactively or non-interactively. All the animation events are printed to an animation trace file. If the interactive mode is selected, the animation is also displayed while recording. If the non-interactive mode is selected, animation is not displayed. This option can also be selected from the Run toolbar. See Section 3.1.2.3.

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Command
Device Model Editor Hierarchy Model Editor Toolset Editor Multicast Group Editor Antenna Model Editor ALE Group Editor Weather Properties Modified Parameters

Description
Launches the Device Model Editor using which you can create custom network-type and device-type models. See Section 3.5.1 for details. Launches the Hierarchy Model Editor using which you can create custom hierarchy models. See Section 3.5.2 for details. Launches the Toolset Editor using which you can modify the standard toolset and create new toolsets. See Section 3.5.3 for details. Used to create and import multicast groups. See Section 4.2.8.3.3.2.1 for details. Launches the Antenna Model Editor which is used to import, create, and modify antenna models. See Section 3 for details Launches the ALE Group Editor which is used to create ALE (Automatic Link Establishment) groups. Refer to ALE/ASAPS Advanced Propagation Model Library. Launches the Weather Properties Editor which is used to configure weather pattern properties. Launches the Modified Parameters window, which lists all scenario parameters that have been set to values that are different from their default values. See Section 3.4.8 for details. Launches the Scenario Properties Editor which is used to set scenario level properties. See Section 3.3.2 for details.

Scenario Properties

3.1.1.5 Animation Menu
The Animation menu contains access to six configuration choices: choose animation colors, configure step setting, set communication interval, set event filters, set layer filters, and view dynamic statistics.

FIGURE 3-10. Note:

Animation Menu

The Animation menu is enabled only in Visualize mode. See Section 5.2 for details.

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3.1.1.6 Help Menu
The Help menu provides the following commands to obtain help on QualNet Developer GUI:

FIGURE 3-11.

Help Menu

Command
Keyboard Shortcuts FAQ Model Libraries

Description
Displays the keyboard shortcuts for various commands. Opens the FAQ page at the Scalable Network Technologies website. Opens the selected QualNet model library document. The model library documents are stored in the directory QUALNET_HOME/documentation/ModelLibraries. These documents are in PDF format. Opens the QualNet product page at the Scalable Network Technologies website. Set, view, and troubleshoot the application license through the following tabs: • Status: Provides an overview of the QualNet license status and lists the QualNet model libraries information, including source file availability and license information. • Troubleshooting: Provides an error message relating to a license and steps to correct the error, and procedures on how to generate a license information log that can be used by license support to troubleshoot any issues. See Appendix A for details.

Visit the Product Website License and Libraries

About QualNet

Opens the product information page.

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3.1.2 Toolbars
This section describes the toolbars available in Architect.

3.1.2.1 Standard Toolbar
The Standard toolbar contains buttons (from left to right) to create, open, save, print, cut, copy, paste and delete scenario components.

FIGURE 3-12.

Standard Toolbar

Button
New

Command

Description
Performs the same function as the File > New command (see Section 3.1.1.1). It creates a new scenario in a tab on the canvas. Performs the same function as the File > Open command (see Section 3.1.1.1). It opens an existing scenario in a tab on the canvas. A file selection window is launched using which you can select the scenario to open. Performs the same function as the File > Save command (see Section 3.1.1.1). If the scenario has never been saved before, a file selection window is launched using which you can specify the name of the scenario and the location where to save it. Performs the same function as the File > Print command (see Section 3.1.1.1). It prints a hard copy of the displayed scenario. Performs the same function as the Edit > Cut command (see Section 3.1.1.2). It cuts the selected object(s). Performs the same function as the Edit > Copy command (see Section 3.1.1.2). It copies the selected object(s). Performs the same function as the Edit > Paste command (see Section 3.1.1.2). It pastes the last cut or copied object(s). Performs the same function as the Edit > Delete command (see Section 3.1.1.2). It deletes the selected object(s).

Open File

Save Scenario

Print

Cut

Copy

Paste

Delete

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3.1.2.2 View Toolbar
The View toolbar provides controls for manipulating the scenario view on the canvas.

FIGURE 3-13.

View Toolbar

Button

Function
Select

Description
Used to select an object (device, network component, link, etc.) in the scenario. Select this button and click on the object. The selected object will be highlighted. If a node is selected, the coordinates of the selected node are displayed in the Position Indicators (see Section 3.1.4.1 for details of Position Indicators). You can also create a rectangular selection area by clicking and dragging. All objects in the area are selected. The keyboard shortcut for this button is the “S” or “s” key.

Lasso

Used to select multiple objects in a scenario. Select this button, click on the canvas (while holding down the mouse button) drag around the desired objects. The selected objects are also highlighted in the Table View. This tool is useful for multiple selection in an irregular fashion (free-hand selection).

Pan

Used to move the scenario display in the central workspace. To pan a scenario display, move the mouse in the desired direction while keeping the left mouse button pressed. The keyboard shortcut for this button is the “P” or “p” key. If this mode is enabled, the four arrow keys can also be used to move the display.

Rotate

Used to rotate the scenario display around the center of the central workspace. This mode is enabled only in the 3D view and the 3D window of the Split Screen view. To rotate a scenario display, move the mouse in the desired direction while keeping the left mouse button pressed. The keyboard shortcut for this button is the “R” or “r” key. If this mode is enabled, the four arrow keys can also be used to rotate the display.

Zoom

Used to zoom-in and zoom-out in the scenario display. To zoom in or out in a scenario display, move the mouse while keeping the left mouse button pressed. Moving the mouse down zooms out and moving the mouse up zooms in. You can also use the mouse scroll wheel to perform the same function. The keyboard shortcut for this button is the “Z” or “z” key. If this mode is enabled, the up and down arrow keys can also be used to zoom in or out.

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Button

Function
Region Zoom

Description
Used to select a region for zooming. This mode is enabled only in the 2D X-Y, Y-Z, and X-Z views. To select a region to zoom in, click on this button and select a rectangular region in the scenario display using the mouse, while keeping the left mouse button pressed. A dotted rectangle outlines the selected region while you drag the mouse. When you release the mouse, the selected region is scaled to the whole view area. The keyboard shortcut for this button is the “A” or “a” key.

Binoculars

Used to magnify a part of the scenario display. This mode is enabled only in the 3D View and the 3D window of the Split Screen view. When this mode is enabled, a circle representing a lens of a pair of binoculars is displayed. Initially, the binoculars are focused at the center of the central workspace. Use the mouse (with the left button pressed) to change the direction of view. Use the arrow keys to change the position of the binoculars. The keyboard shortcut for this button is the “B” or “b” key.

Free Camera

Used to select the Free Camera mode. This mode is enabled only in the 3D View and the 3D window of the Split Screen view. In this mode, you can control the direction of view and position of the camera. Use the mouse (with the left button pressed) to change the direction of view. Use the arrow keys to change the position of the camera. The keyboard shortcut for this button is the “F” or “f” key.

Open Display Settings Turn On/Off Motion in Design Mode

Used to open the Display Settings window. Performs the same function as the View > Display Settings (see Section 3.1.1.3). Used to continuously refresh the screen to show 3D motion effects (such as water flows and rotations of a helicopter rotor) in Design mode. In Visualize mode, the 3D motion effects are always enabled and cannot be disabled.

Change View

This menu allows you to switch between X -Y, Y - Z, X - Z, 3D, and Split Screen views. In Split Screen view, the workspace is split into four quadrants which display the X-Y, Y-Z, X-Z, and 3D views. The Reset View button is used to reset the current camera position to the position when the scenario was loaded. Clicking the Reset View button once changes the view to the initial view.

Reset View

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Button

Function
Saved Views

Description
The Saved Views button is used to switch between different views of the scenario. Pressing this button displays a list of saved views. To change the scenario view displayed on the canvas, select a view from this list. See Section 3.4.2 for details. Note: Switching between saved views is enabled only in the 3D View and the 3D window of the split Screen view.

Overview

The Overview button provides a convenient way to quickly change the camera position from one position in the scenario to another. Press the Overview button and a window (called the overview window) opens in the bottom right corner of the central workspace (see Figure 3-14). The overview window displays the entire scenario in X-Y view. A red dot inside a small yellow rectangle in the overview window represents the current position of the camera. A red line starting from the red dot represents the current direction of view. You can change the camera position by dragging the yellow rectangle using the mouse to a different point in the overview window. This will update the view in the main display. You can use all the View Control buttons in the main display as usual. The position of the rectangle in the overview window is updated to reflect the new camera position in the main display. Note: The Overview feature is enabled only in the 3D View and the 3D window of the split Screen view.

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FIGURE 3-14.

Overview Feature

3.1.2.3 Run Toolbar
The Run toolbar is used to access the run settings editor, initialize a live simulation, and to record the animation trace in a file. The following table describes the buttons of the Run toolbar.

FIGURE 3-15.

Run Toolbar

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Button

Function
View Scenario in Text Editor

Description
Used to open the scenario configuration (.config) file for the scenario in the text editor that has been selected in the Preferences dialog (see Section 3.1.1.3). (By default, the file opens in File Editor). This button performs the same function as the Tools > View Scenario in File Editor command. See Section 3.1.1.4.

Run Settings

Used to open the Run Settings Editor which is used to specify the number of processors used for running the simulation and to select the run mode (local or remote). See Section C.2.3 for details. This button performs the same function as the Tools > Run Settings command. See Section 3.1.1.4.

Run Simulation

Used to initialize a live simulation of the active scenario. This button performs the same function as the Tools > Run Simulation command. See Section 3.1.1.4. Note: This button only initializes the simulation. The simulation and animation do not start until you press the Play button in the Visualization toolbar.

Record Animation Trace

Used to run the active scenario and record the animation trace in a file, either interactively or non-interactively. All the animation events are printed to an animation trace file. If the interactive mode is selected, the animation is also displayed while recording. If the non-interactive mode is selected, animation is not displayed. This button performs the same function as the Tools > Record Animation command. See Section 3.1.1.4.

3.1.2.4 Visualization Toolbar
The Visualization toolbar is used to control the runtime features during animation and is only active in the Visualize mode.

FIGURE 3-16.

Visualization Toolbar

Note:

The Visualization toolbar is enabled only in Visualize mode. See Section 5.3.4 for details.

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3.1.3 Left Panels
The following panels are available to the left of the canvas:

• • • •

File System Toolset Visualization Controls Runtime Analysis Note: These four panels occupy the same space and at most one of them can be open at any time. By default, the Toolset panel is open.

3.1.3.1 File System Panel
The File System is a tree-based view of directories mounted in the QualNet GUI. The File System panel can be opened or closed by clicking on the tab at the left of the Architect. By default, the File System panel is closed. The following directories are mounted by default: On Windows:

• C:/snt/qualnet/5.0 (Directory where QualNet is installed) • C:/snt/qualnet/5.0/scenarios (Directory containing pre-configured scenarios) • C:/snt/qualnet/5.0/scenarios/user (Directory for user’s scenarios)
On Linux and Mac OS X:

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• ~/snt/qualnet/5.0 (Directory where QualNet is installed) • ~/snt/qualnet/5.0/scenarios (Directory containing pre-configured scenarios) • ~/snt/qualnet/5.0/scenarios/user (Directory for user’s scenarios)

FIGURE 3-17.

File System Panel

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1. To mount another directory to the File System, click the Add button. This opens a directory selection window from which you can select the directory to mount. 2. To remove a mounted directory, highlight it and click the Remove button. Notes: 1. Removing a directory deletes it from the disk. 2. Directories mounted by default (C:/snt/qualnet/5.0, C:/snt/qualnet/5.0/scenarios, and C:/snt/qualnet/5.0/scenarios/user on Windows and ~/snt/qualnet/5.0, ~/snt/qualnet/5.0/ scenarios, and ~snt/qualnet/5.0/scenarios/user on Linux and Mac OS X) can not be removed. 3. To change the order in which the directories are displayed, click on the Favorites header. 4. To refresh the directory listings under a mounted directory, right-click on it and select Refresh. (Only mounted directories can be refreshed; subdirectories of a mounted directory can not be refreshed.) Context-sensitive File Menus Double-clicking a file opens it in the appropriate application, depending on the file extension: .config .ani .stat These are scenario configuration files and open in Architect’s Design mode. These are animation trace files and open in Architect’s Visualize mode. These are statistics files and open in Analyzer.

All other extensions These files open in text editor that has been selected in the Preferences dialog (see Section 3.1.1.3). (By default, the files open in File Editor). In addition, right-clicking on a file name opens a menu which depends on the type of the file (see Figure 3-18). The following commands are available for all file types:

• Edit as Text: Opens the file in the text editing tool selected in the Preferences dialog (see
Section 3.1.1.3).

• Delete: Deletes the selected file or folder from the hard drive. • Open Containing Folder: Opens the folder where the selected file is located.
The following additional command is available for “.config” files:

• Open: Opens the scenario in Design mode of Architect.
The following additional command is available for “.ani” files:

• Run: Opens the animation trace file in Visualize mode of Architect.
The following additional command is available for “.stat” files:

• Analyze: Opens the statistics file in Analyzer.

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FIGURE 3-18.

Context-sensitive Menu in File System Panel

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3.1.3.2 Toolset Panel
The Toolset panel provides buttons for the most commonly used scenario components. The Toolset panel can be opened or closed by clicking on the tab at the left.

FIGURE 3-19.

Toolset Panel

At the top of the Toolset panel is the Scenario Properties bar. Clicking on the button in this bar launches the Scenario Properties Editor which is used to configure scenario level properties. See Section 3.3.2 for details. Below the Scenario Properties bar is the toolset header which displays the name of the selected toolset. Clicking on the right arrow button displays a list of available toolsets (see Figure 3-20) Note that UMTS Toolset is a sample of a user-created toolset and is not displayed by default.

FIGURE 3-20.

Selecting a Toolset

QualNet GUI comes with the Standard Toolset which consists of six toolbars: Devices, Applications, Single Host Applications, Links, Network Components, and Other Components. Users can customize the Standard toolset and create new toolsets. See Section 3.5.3 for details of toolset customization. Note: The list of toolsets, the toolbars in each toolset, and the components that appear in each toolbar can vary depending on your installed options.

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The Toolset panel, like all other panels in Architect, can be resized. If the height of the panel is not sufficient to display the entire toolset, a vertical scroll bar is displayed. Note: The toolbars can be expanded or collapsed by clicking the and buttons.

The toolbars in the Standard Toolset are described below. Devices The Devices toolbar contains buttons for basic devices, which include a standard node (Default device), Switch, and ATM device.

Applications The Applications toolbar contains buttons for server-client applications that are available in Architect. These include Constant Bit Rate (CBR) application, FTP, Telnet, etc.

Single Host Applications The Single Host Applications toolbar contains single host applications that are available in Architect. These include HTTP, Traffic Generator, Traffic Trace, etc.

Links The Links toolbar contains buttons for two types of links: Link and BGP Link. Link can be used to create wired or wireless links between nodes or between a node and a hub, wireless network, or satellite. The BGP Link is a conceptual link that defines the speakers only in a BGP protocol.

Network Components The Network Components toolbar contains buttons for Hierarchy, Constrained Hierarchy, Hub, Wireless Network, and Satellite components.

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Other Components The Other Components toolbar contains buttons for the Weather Effects component, Mobility Waypoint marker, and Note components.

3.1.3.3 Visualization Controls
The Visualization Controls panel provides the simulation status (time, speed, and progress) and displays the event and layer filters that can be applied to the animation. Note: The Visualization Controls panel is enabled only in Visualize mode. See Section 5.4.3 for details.

3.1.3.4 Runtime Analysis
The Runtime Analysis panel displays properties of nodes, queues, and subnets. From this panel, animation filters can be applied independently at the node level. Dynamic parameters can also be set from here. Note: The Runtime Analysis panel is enabled only in Visualize mode. See Section 5.4.4 for details.

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3.1.4 Canvas
The canvas is the main work area of the Architect which allows you to build scenarios using components such as devices, applications, links, and subnets from the toolset. The canvas has one or more tabs, one for each open scenario. If a scenario has unsaved changes, an asterisk (“*”) appears after the scenario’s name in the tab. If the scenario has been saved, positioning the mouse over the tab displays the location of the scenario’s configuration file. The grid on the canvas and the horizontal and vertical rulers are displayed to help position scenario components. Red markers in the rulers indicate the boundaries of the work area.

FIGURE 3-21.

Architect Canvas

Placing Objects To place one or more instances of a unit (device, switch, subnet, satellite, hierarchy, etc.) on the canvas, first select the object by clicking on the corresponding unit’s button in the Devices or Network Components toolbar in the toolset. Then click at the desired positions on the canvas. To exit the insert mode and switch to select mode, select a different component in the toolset or click the Select, Lasso, or Region Zoom buttons on the toolbar or press the Escape key.

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button from the toolset, left-click on one

object on the canvas, drag the mouse to the other object and release it. A point-to-point link is created by connecting two units. A point-to-point link between two terrestial units appears as a solid blue line. A point-to-point link between a terrestial unit and a satellite appears as a solid purple line. A device is made part of a wireless subnet by drawing a link between the device and the cloud icon representing the subnet. The link between a device and a wireless subnet is displayed as a dashed line. A device is made part of a wired subnet by drawing a link between the device and the hub icon representing the subnet. The link between a device and a wired subnet is displayed as a solid blue line. A point-to-point link can also be created between a non-ATM device and an ATM end system. By default, the type of an ATM device is a switch. To make the ATM device an end system, open the ATM Device properties editor (see Section 3.3.10) and change Node Type to ATM End System. To create an ATM link between two ATM devices (switch or end system), draw a link between the two ATM devices. Links between two ATM end systems are not allowed. To create BGP links, refer to Multimedia and Enterprise Model Library for details. Applications Client-server applications are created by drawing application links between two nodes. Application links appear as solid green lines. A single host application is created by selecting the application from the Single Host Applications toolbar and clicking on the node. Selection To select an object, left-click on it. To select a group of objects, hold the control key down while clicking on the objects. A group of objects can also be selected by using the Select or Lasso buttons, as described in Section 3.4.1. A selected object is highlighted, whereas a selected link turns red. If a hierarchy is open, pressing Ctrl+A selects all components in the active hierarchy. To deselect a selected object or group of objects, select another object or left-click on the canvas. You can also deselect a single component by clicking on it while holding down the control key. Display Settings The display of rulers, grid, labels (node IDs, host-names, etc.), wireless subnet (cloud) icon, etc. can be controlled by setting the options in the Display Settings window (see Section 3.1.1.3). The type of view (X-Y, X-Z, Y-Z, 3D, or Split Screen) can be selected from the select view pull-down list in the View toolbar.

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Context-sensitive Right-click Menu Selecting an object or group of objects on the canvas and right-clicking displays a menu with commands that depend on the selected object(s):

FIGURE 3-22.

Context-sensitive Right Click Menu

• Cut, Copy, Delete: These editing commands are available for all objects, when applicable, and work in the same way as the editing commands from the Edit menu.

• Link Selected Nodes To: This command is enabled if one or more connectable devices are selected

and one or more wired or wireless subnets have been placed on the canvas. Selecting this command displays the IP addresses of all wired and wireless subnets in the scenario (except the default wireless subnet). Selecting the IP address of a subnet from the list will draw links from the selected nodes to the selected subnet.

This command is disabled if the selected objects are not all of the same type, or if a non-connectable device are also selected.

• Properties: This command opens the properties editor of the type of the selected object(s) (see
Section 3.3. If different types of objects are selected, then this command is disabled. Notes Descriptive comments can be added to a scenario by means of notes on the canvas. To add a note, click the Note button on the Other Components tool bar in the toolset, and place a Note icon at the button on the View toolbar and then double-click on

desired location on the canvas. Click the Select

the Note icon. This opens a Note Editor using which any text can be entered. The leading part of the text is displayed as the label of the note.

3.1.4.1 Position Indicators
The position indicators are located below the canvas. If a single node is selected, its position (X-, Y-, and Z- coordinates or latitude, longitude, and elevation) is displayed in the indicators. If no node is selected or multiple nodes are selected, then the position of the cursor is displayed.

FIGURE 3-23.

Position Indicators

The position of a node can be changed by selecting the node and editing its coordinates in the position indicators. A coordinate can be edited by pressing the up- or down-arrow or by entering the new coordinate in the field. Note: The value entered here is checked against canvas dimensions. Entering a value outside of these dimensions will not move the device.

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3.1.5 Bottom Panels
The following panels are available below the canvas, and are used to display scenario properties, capture and log output and error information, watch the state of dynamic variables, and configure batch experiments:

• • • • •

Table View Output Window Error Log Watch Variables Batch Experiments Note: These panels occupy the same space and only one of them can be opened at any time. A panel can be opened or closed by clicking on its tab. By default all panels are closed.

3.1.5.1 Table View Panel
The Table View panel displays the properties of scenario components in a tabular form. The Table View has six tabs: Nodes, Groups, Interfaces, Networks, Applications, and Hierarchies. Each tab displays a table with one row for each component of the type of the table. Some of the properties of the component are displayed in the table. Properties can not be edited in the Table View panel directly and can only be changed in the component’s properties editor (see Section 3.3). To open the properties editor of a component, double-click on the row for the component or right-click on the row and select Properties. Multiple rows in a table can be selected by pressing the control key and clicking on the desired rows. To select a range of adjacent rows, click on the first row in the range, press the shift key, and click on the last row in the range. You can also select a range of adjacent rows by clicking on the first row in the range and dragging the mouse over the rows to be slected. To select all rows, right-click on the table and choose Select All from the menu, or use the Ctrl+ A or Ctrl+L shortcut. The group properties editor for multiple components of the same type can be launched by selecting the rows for the components, right-clicking and selecting Properties. To sort a table by a column, click the column heading. To sort the entries in reverse order, click on the column heading again. To delete one or more component(s), select the row(s) and press Delete or right-click and select Delete.

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3.1.5.1.1 Nodes Tab The Nodes tab displays the properties of devices, such as default devices, switches, ATM devices, and satellites.

FIGURE 3-24.

Nodes Tab in Table View Panel

3.1.5.1.2 Groups Tab The Groups tab displays all logical groups of nodes in the scenario. See Section 3.4.4 for details of creating node groups.

FIGURE 3-25.

Groups Tab in Table View Panel

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3.1.5.1.3 Interfaces Tab The Interfaces tab displays all wired, wireless, and ATM interfaces in the scenario.

FIGURE 3-26.

Interfaces Tab in Table View Panel

3.1.5.1.4 Networks Tab The Networks tab displays the wired and wireless subnets and point-to-point links in the scenario. Note that each scenario has a default wireless subnet. Every default device that is not connected to any other subnet or link is part of the default wireless subnet.

FIGURE 3-27.

Networks Tab in Table View Panel

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3.1.5.1.5 Applications Tab The Applications tab displays all client-server, single-host, and loopback applications in the scenario.

FIGURE 3-28.

Applications Tab in Table View Panel

3.1.5.1.6 Hierarchies Tab The Hierarchies tab displays all hierarchies in the scenario.

FIGURE 3-29.

Hierarchies Tab in Table View Panel

3.1.5.2 Output Window Panel
Any message that the simulator prints to standard output is redirected to the output window. Note: The Output Window panel is enabled only in Visualize mode. See Section 5.5.2 for details.

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3.1.5.3 Error Log Panel
The Error Log panel displays any error messages that are generated when an application is launched, scenario is opened, or the user tries to load an unsupported file format. This panel can be opened or closed by clicking on the tab at the bottom. Figure 3-30 shows an example error message in the Error Log panel.

FIGURE 3-30.

Error Log Panel

3.1.5.4 Watch Variables Panel
From the Watch Variables panel you can watch the values of dynamic variables during a simulation. The watch variables table displays the path to the parameter in the dynamic hierarchy, the name of the parameter, and its current value. Note: The Watch Variables panel is enabled only in Visualize mode. See Section 5.5.4 for details.

3.1.5.5 Batch Experiments Panel
The Batch Experiments panel is used to configure batch experiments and allows users to run the same scenario with the same configuration parameters under different set of values. See Section 3.4.9 for details.

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3.2 Creating Scenarios
In QualNet, a scenario refers to a combination of network topology, properties of network components, characteristics of network traffic, and conditions under which the network operates. Creating a scenario entails specifying details such as:

• • • •

Network topology Application traffic Network properties and simulation parameters Run-time settings

This section gives a brief overview of how to create a scenario in Architect.

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3.2.1 Scenario Topology
The topology of a network is defined by the number and location of network devices and the physical and logical connections between them. In Architect, the Devices toolbar provides models for commonly used devices (Default device, Switch, and ATM Device). The Default device is highly configurable and can be used to model a variety of communication and network devices. A wireless subnet is modeled by placing a wireless subnet (cloud) icon on the canvas and connecting it to the nodes that belong to the subnet. The link between a wireless subnet icon and a node is a logical connection, not a physical link. A wired subnet is modeled by placing a wired subnet (hub) icon on the canvas and connecting it to the nodes that belong to the subnet. Point-to-point connections between devices are modeled by direct links between them. Note: Every scenario has a default wireless subnet. Any node placed on the canvas that is not connected to any other device or subnet belongs to the default wireless subnet. The default wireless subnet is not represented by any icon on the canvas.

3.2.1.1 Placing Objects
To place objects (devices or subnets) on the canvas do the following: 1. From the Toolset panel, select a device from the Devices toolbar or a subnet (wired subnet, wireless subnet, or subnet) from the Network Components toolbar. Click on the canvas to place the object. 2. Continue clicking on the canvas to place multiple objects. 3. Once you are finished placing objects, you can exit from insert mode by clicking the Select pressing the Escape key, or pressing the “S” key. button,

You can also place devices by using the Node Creation Wizard, as described in Section 4.2.3.2.2.

3.2.1.2 Creating Links
To create links between objects do the following: 1. Place objects on the canvas as described above in Section 3.2.1.1. 2. Click the Link button, then click on the desired object (holding down the left mouse button) and drag the link to the other object.

• • • •

Point-to-point links between default devices, ATM devices, and switches appear as solid blue lines. The connection between a device and a wired subnet appears as a solid blue line. The connection between a device and a wireless subnet appears as a dashed blue line. The connection between a device and a satellite appears as a solid purple line.

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Satellite Node Wireless Connection Hub

Point-to-Point Link

ATM Switch

Wireless Network

FIGURE 3-31.

Objects and Links in a Scenario

To connect several nodes to a subnet at the same time, you can do one of the following:

• To connect multiple nodes to a subnet already on the canvas, select the nodes, right click on one of the • To connect multiple nodes to a new subnet, select the nodes. Then select the subnet from the Network
Components toolbar and place it on the canvas. All selected nodes will be connected to the newly placed subnet.

selected nodes, select Link Selected Nodes To, and select the IP address of the subnet to connect the nodes to.

3.2.2 Configuring Applications
There are three types of applications in QualNet. This section describes how to configure each type of application. Client-Server Applications To set up a client-server application, do the following: 1. Click on the desired application button in the Applications toolbar. 2. Click on the source node and drag the mouse to the destination node. A solid green line is drawn from the source to the destination.

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FIGURE 3-32.

Types of Applications in a Scenario

Single Host Applications Single host applications can be used to model multicast applications in which traffic is sent from a source node to a group of destination nodes. To configure a single host application, do the following: 1. Click on the desired application button in the Single Host Applications toolbar. 2. Click on the host node. A symbol appears next to the host node.

Figure 3-32 shows a single host application (HTTP) configured at node 6. Loopback Applications A loopback application is a special configuration of client-server application in which the source and destination are the same. To set up a loopback application, do the following: 1. Click on the desired application button in the Applications toolbar. 2. Double-click on the node where you want to configure the application. A the node. Figure 3-32 shows a loopback application (CBR) configured at node 7. The parameters of an application can be set in the Properties Editor of the application. See Section 3.3.13 for details. symbol appears next to

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3.2.3 Configuring Parameters
In a scenario, several parameters have to be configured. These include:

• Simulation parameters, such as length of simulation, terrain dimensions, coordinate system, seed for random number generation, etc.

• Network environment parameters, such as terrain properties, channel frequencies and propagation effects including path loss, fading, and shadowing

• Properties of network devices such as nodes, switches, hubs, and routers • Protocols running at each node and protocol-specific parameters • Parameters to collect statistics and packet traces
Most of these are optional; you can start with a basic network scenario and specify as much detail as necessary to improve the accuracy of your network model. Parameters are typically specified in various Properties Editors. A Properties Editor is associated with each type of network component. Properties Editors are described in Section 3.3. Chapter 4 describes in detail how to configure these parameters. Protocol-specific parameters for QualNet’s pre-configured models are described in the Model Library documents.

3.2.4 Running the Scenario
After configuring a scenario, you need to save it and run it. Saving scenarios is described in Section 3.2.5. You can start a live simulation of the scenario by clicking the Run Simulation button on the Run toolbar (see Section 3.1.2.3) or by selecting the Run Simulation command from the Tools menu (see Section 3.1.1.4). This switches Architect from Design mode to Visualize mode. In Visualize mode, you can watch the animation of the scenario, observe run time statistics, and interact with the simulator in a number of ways. Visualization features of Architect are described in Chapter 5. After running the scenario in Visualize mode, you can analyze the simulation results in Analyzer. Analyzer features are described in Chapter 6. After visualizing a scenario, you can return to Design mode to make changes in the scenario by clicking the button on the Visualization toolbar (see Section 3.1.2.4). You can also choose to record an animation trace of the scenario. To do so, click on the Record Animation button on the Run toolbar or by selecting the Record Animation command from the Tools menu. This opens a dialog box in which you can select to record the trace interactively or non-interactively. In either case, Architect switches to Visualize mode. You can also specify advanced options for running the scenario. To do so, click on the Run Settings button on the Run toolbar or by selecting the Run Settings command from the Tools menu. This opens the Run Settings dialog box. The options available in the Run Settings dialog box are described in Appendix C.

3.2.5 Saving and Opening Scenarios
After configuring a scenario, you can save it by clicking the Save button on the Standard toolbar (see Section 3.1.2.1) or by selecting the Save, Save As, or Save As Portable command from the File menu (see Section 3.1.1.1). In the window that opens, you can select a name for the scenario and the location to save it.

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• A folder is created with the name you specify. • The folder contains all files created for the scenario, including the scenario configuration file. If the Save
As Portable command is used to save the scenario, then any external files referenced by the scenario are also saved in this folder. These files are named after the name of the scenario.

For example, if you specify the name of the new scenario to be “wireless-scenario” and specify the location to be C:/snt/qualnet/5.0/scenarios/user, then a folder C:/snt/qualnet/5.0/scenarios/user/wireless-scenario is created. This folder contains the scenario configuration file, “wireless-scenario.config”, the node placement file, “wireless-scenario.nodes”, the application configuration file, “wireless-scenario.app”, and any other files for that scenario created by Architect. Note: It is advised to always use Save As Portable whenever you are planning to archive a scenario for later use or when you are sending the scenario to another user, since the file paths of a future user may be different from the creator of any given scenario.

You can open a saved scenario by clicking the Open button on the Standard toolbar or by selecting the Open command from the File menu. Browse to the folder that contains the files for the scenario you want to open and select the scenario configuration file (which normally has the extension “.config”). You can also open a scenario from the File System panel. To do so, browse to the scenario configuration file and double-click on it or right-click on it and select Open from the menu.

.........................................................................
3.3 Properties Editors
A properties editor is a dialog box for setting properties of a component, such as a device, link, application, interface, etc. The identity of the component (ID, address, etc.) is displayed in the properties editor title bar. This section gives a general description of all properties editors and describes the more commonly used properties editors. The properties editors for the applications are described in the model libraries.

3.3.1 General Description of Properties Editors
A properties editor has one or more tabs. Each tab has one or two panels. If a tab has a single panel, then a parameter table is displayed in the panel. If the tab has two panels, then a list of parameter groups appears in the left panel. Elements in the list may have subgroups. Parameter Table The left column (Property) of the parameter table displays the parameter names and the right column (Value) is for entering the parameter values (see Figure 3-33). A parameter value can be entered in one of the following ways:

• • • • •

Typing a value in the field. Selecting a value from a drop-down list. Checking or clearing a check-box. Clicking the select file button, which opens a file selection window using which a file can be selected. Launching an editor using which different components of the parameter value can be specified. The editor is launched by clicking a button in the parameter value field.

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FIGURE 3-33.

Parameter Property Names and Values

For example, in Figure 3-34 Network Protocol is the parameter name set with parameter value IPv4. In this case, the parameter value is selected from a drop-down list. Note: Specifying the value of some parameters may require a combination of the methods listed above. For example, entering a time value requires you to type in a numeric value in a field and selecting the time unit from a drop-down list.

For most parameters a default value is displayed in the table. If the default value is changed, a symbol appears after the value field indicating that the value is set to something other than the default value. Clicking on the symbol restores the default value of the parameter (see Figure 3-34).

FIGURE 3-34.

Parameter Set to Non-default Value

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Some parameters (dependent parameters) depend on values of other parameters (controlling parameters). If you a select a value for the controlling parameter from a drop-down list, the dependent parameters are displayed with an indentation. Note: After selecting a value of a controlling parameter from the pull-down list, click on the Apply button. This will display the dependent parameters for the selected value of the controlling parameter. The dependent parameters may appear in the same tab as the controlling parameter or in other tabs. Note that in some cases, the dependent parameters are not displayed until you click on the Apply button after changing the value of the controlling parameter. Some properties are not configurable independently. The value of a parameter may be set automatically when another parameter is set. In this case, the parameter value is displayed but is not editable. This is indicated by graying out the value field. Find Function Users can search for any string using the collapsible find panel that appears at the bottom of the properties editor. The find function can be used to search for strings anywhere in the properties editor: property group names in the left panel, parameter names, and selected or entered values in the table. The find function searches for the specified string in all tabs of the properties editor, starting with the first tab. Applying Changes 1. Click the Apply button to apply any changes made to parameter values. 2. Click the OK button to apply the changes and close the properties editor. 3. Click the Cancel button to close the properties editor without accepting the changes. (Changes that have already been applied are not undone if the Cancel button is clicked.) Adding Parameters to To Batch Experiments To add a parameter to a batch experiment, select the parameter from the parameter table and click the Add to Batch button. Set the parameter value(s) for the batch experiment in the Batch Experiment panel. See Section 3.4.9 for details. Editing Properties for Groups of Objects To assign the same value for a parameter for multiple objects of the same type, select the objects (on the canvas or in the Table View panel), right click and select Properties. This launches the group properties editor of the type of selected objects. The group properties editor can also be launched from the Groups tab of the Table View panel (see Section 3.4.4). Properties that are unique to each object (such as Node Name in the General tab of the Default Device properties editor) appear in red and the corresponding Value field is grayed out indicating that a value can not be entered in the field. For other properties, if the values for different objects are different, then the property name appears in red. However, a new value can be entered for the property and that value will apply to all objects in the group.

3.3.2 Scenario Properties Editor
The Scenario Properties editor is used for setting scenario-level properties. It can be opened by clicking on the Scenario Properties button in the toolset or by selecting Tools > Scenario Properties from the menu bar.

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The Scenario Properties editor is shown in Figure 3-35 and its tabs are described below.

FIGURE 3-35.

Scenario Properties Editor

Tab
General Terrain Channel Properties Mobility Statistics and Tracing Supplemental Files External Interfaces

Description
This tab is for setting general scenario parameters such as simulation time, seed, background image, etc. This tab is for specifying the coordinate system, terrain dimensions, and terrain data. This tab is for configuring channel properties such as frequency and pathloss, fading, and shadowing models. This tab is used to define the mobility strategy for nodes in the scenario. This tab is for configuring parameters to collect statistics and packet traces at the scenario level. This tab is used to define the supplemental files used by models in the scenario. This tab is for configuring external interface parameters: • HLA Interface: High-Level Architecture (HLA) interface parameters • DIS Interface: Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS) interface parameters • STK Interface: Satellite Tool Kit (STK) interface parameters •

3.3.3 Default Device Properties Editor
The properties editor for a default device can be opened by one of the following ways: 1. From the canvas, select the device on the canvas, right-click and choose Properties, or double-click the device. 2. From the Nodes tab in the Table View panel, do one of the following: a. Double-click the row for the device. b. Right-click the row for the device and choose Properties.

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Properties Editors The default device properties editor is shown in Figure 3-36 and its tabs are described below.

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FIGURE 3-36.

Default Device Properties Editor

General Tab This tab is for setting the node name, icons, and partition number. Node Configuration Tab The property groups in this tab are described below. Property Group
Mobility and Placement Network Layer Routing Protocol Router Properties Transport Layer MPLS Application Layer User Behavior Model Battery Model External Interface Properties

Description
Mobility model and related parameters Network protocol, queues, schedulers, and other Network Layer parameters at the node level Routing-related parameters, including unicast and multicast routing protocols at the node level Router model properties at the node level Transport protocol (UDP, TCP, or RSVP) configuration parameters at the node level MPLS configuration parameters at the node level Application layer parameters User profile and traffic pattern parameters Battery model This tab is for configuring external interface parameters at the node level: • HLA Interface: High-Level Architecture (HLA) interface parameters • DIS Interface: Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS) interface parameters • STK Interface: Satellite Tool Kit (STK) interface parameters Parameters for configuring radio operation modes for the node Parameters for configuring faults at the node level Parameters to collect statistics at the node level Parameters to enable packet traces at the node level

Radio Operation Modes Faults File Statistics Packet Tracing

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Chapter 3 Interfaces Tab The property groups in this tab are described below. Property Group
Physical Layer MAC Layer Network Layer Routing Protocol Faults File Statistics

Properties Editors

Description
Radio and antenna models and other Physical Layer parameters at the interface level MAC protocol and other MAC layer parameters Network protocol, queues, schedulers, and other Network Layer parameters at the interface level Routing-related parameters, including unicast and multicast routing protocols at the interface level Interface faults Parameters to collect statistics at the interface level

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3.3.4 Interface Properties Editor
The properties editor for an interface can be opened from the Interfaces tab in the Table View panel by doing one of the following: 1. Double-click on the row for the interface. 2. Right-click on the row for the interface and click Properties. The interface properties editor is shown in Figure 3-37 and its tabs are described below.

FIGURE 3-37.

Interface Properties Editor

Interfaces Tab This tab is the same as the Interfaces tab of the Default Device Properties Editor (see Section 3.3.3).

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3.3.5 Wireless Subnet Properties Editor
The properties editor for a wireless subnet can be opened by one of the following ways: 1. From the canvas, select the wireless subnet on the canvas, right-click and choose Properties, or double-click on the wireless subnet. 2. From the Networks tab in the Table View panel, do one of the following: a. Double-click on the row for the wireless subnet. b. Right-click on the row for the wireless subnet and choose Properties. The wireless subnet properties editor is shown in Figure 3-38 and its tabs are described below.

FIGURE 3-38.

Wireless Subnet Properties Editor

Tab
General Physical Layer MAC Layer Network Layer Routing Protocol Router Properties Used to set the 2D and 3D icons.

Description
This tab is for radio and antenna models and other Physical Layer parameters at the subnet level. This tab is for MAC protocol and other MAC layer parameters at the subnet level. This tab is for network protocol, queues, schedulers, and other Network Layer parameters at the subnet level. This tab is for routing-related parameters, including unicast and multicast routing protocols at the subnet level. Router model properties at the subnet level.

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3.3.6 Wired Subnet Properties Editor
The properties editor for a wired subnet can be opened by one of the following ways: 1. From the canvas, select a wired subnet (Hub) on the canvas, right-click and choose Properties, or double-click on the wired subnet. 2. From the Networks tab in the Table View panel, do one of the following: a. Double-click on the row for the wired subnet network. b. Right-click on the row for the wired subnet and choose Properties. The wired subnet properties editor is shown in Figure 3-39 and its tabs are described below.

FIGURE 3-39.

Wired Subnet Properties Editor

Tab
General Routing Protocol Router Properties ARP

Description
This tab is for configuring properties of a wired subnet, such as the IP address and subnet mask, MAC protocol, and Network protocol parameters. This tab is for configuring routing-related parameters, including unicast and multicast routing protocols at the subnet level. Router model properties at the subnet level. This tab is used to enable and disable ARP.

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3.3.7 Point-to-Point Link Properties Editor
The properties editor for a point-to-point link can be opened by one of the following ways: 1. From the canvas, select the point-to-point link on the canvas, right-click and choose Properties, or double-click on the point-to-point link. 2. From the Networks tab in the Table View panel, do one of the following: a. Double-click on the row for the point-to-point link. b. Right-click on the row for the point-to-point link and choose Properties. The point-to-point link properties editor is shown in Figure 3-40 and its tabs are described below.

FIGURE 3-40.

Point-to-Point Link Properties Editor

Tab
General Network Protocol Routing Protocol ARP Faults Background Traffic

Description
This group is for configuring link type: wired, wireless or Microwave, MAC protocol, and Virtual LAN (VLAN) parameters. This group is for specifying the network protocol and corresponding network address and subnet mask. Routing-related parameters, including multicast routing protocols at the link level. This enables/disables the ARP configuration for the point-to-point link. Specifies faults for interfaces at both ends of the link. Specifies the background traffic on this link.

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3.3.8 Satellite Properties Editor
The properties editor for a satellite can be opened by one of the following ways: 1. From the canvas, select the satellite on the canvas, right-click and choose Properties, or double-click on the satellite. 2. From the Nodes tab in the Table View panel, do one of the following: a. Double-click on the row for the satellite. b. Right-click on the row for the satellite and choose Properties. The satellite properties editor is shown in Figure 3-41 and its tabs are described below.

FIGURE 3-41.

Satellite Properties Editor

Tab
General Satellite Configuration Router Properties

Description
This tab is for name, icons, and partition parameters. This tab is for MAC and network protocol parameters for the satellite. This tab is used to set the router type for the satellite.

3.3.9 Switch Properties Editor
The properties editor for a switch can be opened by one of the following ways: 1. From the canvas, select the switch on the canvas, and choose Properties, or double-click on the switch. 2. From the Nodes tab in the Table View panel, do one of the following: a. Double-click on the row for the switch. b. Right-click on the row for the switch and choose Properties.

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Chapter 3 The switch properties editor is shown in Figure 3-42 and its tabs are described below.

Properties Editors

FIGURE 3-42.

Switch Properties Editor

Tab
General Switch

Description
This tab is for configuring basic switch properties, such as name and icons. This tab has the following property groups: • General: Spanning tree, VLAN, and queue parameters • Faults: Switch faults

Interfaces Ports

This tab is for configuring interface properties such as the interface name and type and IP address and subnet mask and for configuring interface faults. This tab is available only when a switch is connected to devices and is used for configuring port level properties. This tab has the following property groups for each port: • STP: Spanning tree parameters • VLAN: VLAN parameters

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3.3.10 ATM Device Properties Editor
The properties editor for an ATM device can be opened by one of the following ways: 1. From the canvas, select the ATM node on the canvas, right-click and choose Properties, or doubleclick on the ATM node. 2. From the Nodes tab in the Table View panel, do one of the following: a. Double-click on the row for the ATM node. b. Right-click on the row for the ATM node and choose Properties. The ATM Device Properties editor is shown in Figure 3-43 and its tabs are described below.

FIGURE 3-43.

ATM Device Properties Editor

Tab
General Node Configuration

Description
This tab is for configuring ATM device properties such as node name, icons, partition, and device type (ATM end system or ATM switch). This tab has the following property groups: • Mobility and Placement: Mobility model and related parameters • Network Layer: Network protocol, queues, schedulers, and other Network Layer parameters • Routing Protocol: Routing-related parameters, including unicast and multicast routing protocols • Router Properties: Router configuration parameters • Transport Layer: Transport protocol (UDP, TCP, or RSVP) configuration parameters

File Statistics Adaptation Protocol

Parameters to collect different statistics at the node level This tab provides options to configure ATM Adaptation Layer properties

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Tab
ATM Interfaces

Description
This tab is available only when the ATM device is connected to another ATM device. This tab has the following property groups for each ATM interface: • ATM Layer 2: ATM layer 2, queue, and scheduler parameters • Adaptation Protocol: ATM Adaptation Protocol parameters • ARP Specific: ARP parameter

Interfaces

This tab is available only when an ATM end system is connected to a device of a different (non-ATM) type. This tab is the same as the Interfaces tab of the Default Device Properties Editor (see Section 3.3.3).

3.3.11 ATM Link Properties Editor
The properties editor for an ATM link can be opened by one of the following ways: 1. From the canvas, select the ATM link on the canvas, right-click and choose Properties, or double-click on the ATM link. 2. From the Networks tab in the Table View panel, do one of the following: a. Double-click on the row for the ATM link. b. Right-click on the row for the ATM link and choose Properties. The ATM Link Properties editor is shown in Figure 3-44 and its tabs are described below.

FIGURE 3-44.

ATM Link Properties Editor

Tab
General

Description
This tab is for configuring the bandwidth and propagation delay of the ATM link.

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3.3.12 Hierarchy Properties Editor
The properties editor for a hierarchy can be opened by one of the following ways: 1. From the canvas, select the hierarchy on the canvas, right click, and choose Properties. 2. From the Hierarchies tab in the Table View panel, do one of the following: a. Double-click on the row for the hierarchy link. b. Right-click on the row for the hierarchy and choose Properties. The Hierarchy Properties editor is shown in Figure 3-45 and its tabs are described below.

FIGURE 3-45.

Hierarchy Properties Editor

Tab
General

Description
This tab is for configuring hierarchy parameters such as name, icons, background images, and autonomous system specifications. Refer to the description of Border Gateway Protocol in Multimedia and Enterprise Model Library for configuring autonomous systems.

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3.3.13 Application Properties Editors
The scenario properties of applications are used to configure parameters such as source, destination, start and end times, and traffic characteristics. The properties editors of different applications are described in the model libraries. Figure 3-46 shows the properties editor for the Voice over IP application. The other application properties editors have a similar layout.

FIGURE 3-46.

Voice over IP Application Properties Editor

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3.4 Advanced Features
This section describes some advanced features of Architect in Design mode.

3.4.1 Multiple Select and Move
Multiple objects can be selected and moved using the Select or Lasso tools. Once these objects are selected, they can be moved as a group or their properties can be modified as a group. Using the Select Arrow The Select arrow is used for selecting objects individually, such as units (devices, subnets, switches, hierarchies, etc.) and links (communication links and application links). When a link is selected, it appears in red. The Select arrow can also be used to select all objects within a rectangular region. 1. To select a rectangular region, click on the Select arrow, position the cursor at one corner of the region, left-click the mouse, drag the cursor to the diagonally opposite corner and release the mouse. All objects within the rectangle are selected (see Figure 3-47). 2. Select multiple objects by keeping the control key pressed while clicking on the objects. 3. Deselect objects by left-clicking the mouse anywhere on the window.

FIGURE 3-47.

Selecting a Rectangular Region Using Select Button

When a region is selected, coordinate information displays showing the following information:

• Start: The starting point of the selected area • End: The end point of the selected area • Size: Width, height, and length of the diagonal of the selected rectangular region, in meters
Notes: Groups of objects can also be selected by pressing the control key while clicking on individual objects, as well as typing Ctrl+A to select all.

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Using the Lasso The Lasso button can also be used to select objects individually or to select all objects within a region of an arbitrary shape. 1. To select a region of an arbitrary shape, click the Lasso button. Left-click the mouse and select the desired region by tracing the region with the cursor, then release the mouse. All objects within the traced region are selected (see Figure 3-48). 2. Select multiple objects by keeping the control key pressed while clicking on the objects. 3. Deselect objects by left-clicking the mouse anywhere on the window.

FIGURE 3-48.

Selecting an Irregular Region Using Lasso Button

Moving Objects To move a selected object, left-click on it and drag it to a new location. To move a group of selected objects, left-click on any one of them and move it to the new location. All selected objects will move maintaining their relative positions.

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3.4.2 Recording and Using Multiple Scenario Views
In 3D view, it is possible to record scenario views from multiple camera positions and switch between them. This provides a convenient way to navigate to different parts of the scenario terrain. Recording Scenario Views To record the current scenario view, do one of the following:

• Press the “C” key • Right click on the canvas and select Save Current View
Pressing the Saved Views button on the View toolbar displays the list of saved views. The most recent nine recorded views are saved. Note: The list of saved views contains scenario views saved from all scenarios, not just the current scenario.

Refreshing Saved Views When a scenario view is saved, the current scenario view is added to the list of saved views. The current camera position is also recorded with the saved view. The list of saved views may contain views (and camera positions) saved from other scenarios. Hence, when the Saved Views button is pressed, the scenario views that are displayed in the list may be from multiple scenarios. To apply the camera positions recorded with the saved views to the current scenario and regenerate the views displayed in the list, do one of the following:

• Press the “V” key • Right click on the canvas and select Reload All Saved Views
Switching Between Views To switch from the current scenario view to one generated by a recorded camera position, do one of the following:

• Click the Saved Views button in the View Toolbar and select a view from the displayed list. The camera position recorded with the selected view will be applied to the current scenario.

• Press one of the keys “1” to “9” to select a recorded camera position.
Deleting Recorded Camera Positions To delete all recorded camera positions, do one of the following:

• Press the “0” key (in Design and Visualize modes) • Right click on the canvas and select Delete All Saved Views (only in Design mode)

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3.4.3 Modifying Properties of Multiple Objects
The properties of multiple objects of the same type can be modified as a group. This is a convenient way of applying the same properties to a group of objects. To assign the same value for a parameter for multiple objects of the same type: 1. Select the objects on the canvas or in the Table View panel. 2. Right-click on one of the selected objects and select Properties. This launches the group properties editor of the type of selected objects. Figure 3-49 shows the Group Default Device Properties editor.

FIGURE 3-49.

Group Default Properties Window

3. Edit the properties as needed and click OK to apply the changes to all of the selected objects.

Note:

1. If the selection includes objects of different types, the Properties menu entry will be disabled. 2. Properties that are unique to each object (such as Node Name in the General tab of the Group Default Device Properties editor) appear in red and the corresponding Value field is grayed out indicating that a value can not be entered in the field. 3. For properties that need not be unique, if the values for different objects are different, then the property name appears in red. However, a new value can be entered for the property and that value will apply to all objects in the group.

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3.4.4 Defining Node Groups
Node groups provide an alternative way of modifying properties of multiple nodes. Nodes that are logically related can be placed in the same node group and the same set of properties can be conveniently applied to all nodes in the group. Node groups are also used for defining mobility parameters for the Group Mobility model (see Section 4.2.6). Creating Node Groups To create a node group, do the following: 1. Place nodes on the canvas by using the Node Placement Wizard (under the Tools menu) or by placing nodes individually (see Section 3.2.1.1). 2. Open the Table View panel and select the Groups tab (see Figure 3-51). 3. Click the Add Group button. This opens a dialog box (see Figure 3-50) in which you can set a name for the group and specify the nodes that belong to the group. Note: You can also select the nodes on the canvas to associate together as a group, and then click the Add Group button. The selected nodes are automatically added to the new group.

4. The members of the group can be defined by listing them one after another, each separated by whitespace character(s) or commas. A range of nodes can be defined by using the keyword “thru”.  For example: A node member definition “5 7 10 thru 14 19” includes nodes 5, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 19.

FIGURE 3-50. 5. Click the OK button to save the group.

Creating a Node Group

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Figure 3-51 shows the membership of two node groups in the Groups tab of the Table View panel.

FIGURE 3-51.

Node Groups

Modifying and Deleting Node Groups To modify the members of a group, select the group in the Groups tab and click the Modify Group button. To delete a group, select the group and click the Delete Group button. Note: Deleting a node group does not delete its member nodes.

Modifying Properties for Nodes in a Group To modify properties for all nodes in a group, do the following: 1. Select the node group in the table. All member nodes of the group become selected and are highlighted on the canvas. 2. Right-click on the row and select Properties or double-click on the row. This opens the Group Default Device Properties editor. 3. Edit the properties, as described in Section 3.4.3.

3.4.5 Setting Mobility Waypoints
The mobility pattern of a mobile object (such as a device, satellite, or weather pattern) can be specified by setting waypoints. To set a waypoint, a location and a time need to be specified: the object will be at the specified location at the specified time. From one waypoint to the next, the object moves in a straight line at a constant speed that is determined by the two waypoint locations and times. To set waypoints for an object, perform the following steps: 1. Select the Waypoint button from the Other Components toolbar of the Standard Toolset. 2. Select the object for which you want to set waypoints by left-clicking on it. 3. Next, left-click on the canvas at the desired location for the first waypoint. A waypoint marker is placed at the waypoint location and a line is drawn between the object and the waypoint marker.

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4. Click on the canvas at the location of the next waypoint. A waypoint marker is placed at that location and it is connected by a line to the previous waypoint. Similarly, place subsequent waypoints on the canvas. See Figure 3-52.

FIGURE 3-52.

Setting Mobility Waypoints

5. After adding the last waypoint, click the right mouse button. 6. To specify the waypoint times, open the Mobility Waypoint Editor by right-clicking on any waypoint marker and selecting properties. Enter the waypoint times in increasing order, as described in Section 3.4.5.1. Adding Additional Waypoints If waypoints have already been added for a node and you want to add additional waypoints, perform the following steps: 1. Select the Waypoint button from the Other Components toolbar of the Standard Toolset. 2. Select the object for which you want to add waypoints by clicking on it. 3. Click on the canvas at the desired location for the new waypoint. A waypoint marker is placed at the waypoint location and a line is drawn between the waypoint marker and the previous last waypoint. 4. Continue adding waypoints in a similar way. Right-click to exit from insert waypoint mode. 5. Open the Mobility Waypoint Editor and enter the time for the new waypoints.

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Note:

Waypoints can only be added at the end. You can not add a new waypoint between two existing waypoints.

You can also add waypoints by using the Mobility Waypoint Editor (see Section 3.4.5.1). Moving and Deleting Waypoints A waypoint can be deleted or moved by selecting the waypoint marker and deleting or moving it, just like any other object on the canvas. Any waypoint can be moved or deleted. Group operations (select, move, delete) can be performed on waypoint markers, just like other objects. A waypoint can be moved by using the Mobility Waypoint Editor (see Section 3.4.5.1).

3.4.5.1 Mobility Waypoint Editor
The Mobility Waypoint Editor is used to specify waypoint times. It can also be used to change waypoint coordinates and orientation, to add new waypoints, and to delete waypoints. It can also be used to configure waypoints for nodes as well as weather effects. To open the Mobility Waypoint Editor, right-click on a waypoint marker and select Properties. All waypoints for all nodes are displayed in the editor. Figure 3-53 shows the Mobility Waypoint Editor for a scenario with seven nodes.

FIGURE 3-53.

Mobility Waypoint Editor

• To display the waypoints for a node, select the node from the left panel of the Mobility Waypoint
Editor. The waypoints for the selected node are displayed in the right panel.

• To specify a waypoint time, enter the numeric time value and select a time unit in the table. • To modify the waypoint coordinates and orientation (azimuth and elevation), enter the new values in the table. table.

• To add a new waypoint, click the

button. A new waypoint is added at the end of the waypoints button.

• To delete a waypoint, select the waypoint and click the
Note:

All waypoints for a particular node should be in ascending order of time in the waypoints table. Also, the initial node position (position at time 0) is not listed in the waypoints table. The times associated with waypoints should be greater than 0.

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3.4.6 Configuring Weather Patterns
You may specify weather patterns that move and affect propagation. Currently, the weather pattern model supports latitude/longitude coordinates. A weather pattern is configured by drawing its shape on the canvas (in the form of a polygon). To specify a weather pattern, perform the following steps: 1. Select the Weather Pattern Toolset. 2. Draw the polygon representing the weather pattern by clicking on the canvas locations corresponding to the corners of the polygon. When you add a new point, lines is drawn from the last point to new point and the very first point to the new point. 3. After placing the last corner of the polygon, press the right mouse button. 4. You can start drawing another weather pattern polygon by clicking on the canvas locations corresponding to the corners of the new weather pattern. 5. To end the weather pattern insert mode and switch to select mode, select a different component in the toolset or click the Select, Lasso, or Region Zoom buttons on the toolbar or press the Escape key. button from the Other Components toolbar of the Standard

FIGURE 3-54.

Drawing a Weather Pattern

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Mobility can be added to a weather pattern in the same manner as a node (see Section 3.4.5). Note that after clicking on a weather object with the waypoint tool selected, a shadow of the weather object will follow the mouse pointer to indicate what area the weather will cover.

FIGURE 3-55.

Adding Mobility to Weather Pattern

Properties of weather patterns can be specified using the Weather Property editor. Refer to Wireless Model Library for details.

3.4.7 Building Hierarchies
Hierarchies are used in QualNet GUI to aid in the design of large network scenarios. A hierarchy represents another view of the canvas. If the hierarchy is unconstrained, it represents a view of the entire canvas. If the hierarchy is constrained, it represents a view of a section of the canvas. Typically, objects that have a logical or topological relationship among them are put into a hierarchy. The entire hierarchy itself is represented by a single icon in the scenario. Objects in a hierarchy can be viewed by opening the hierarchy, which can be done by double-clicking on the hierarchy icon on the canvas. Thus, hierarchies can be used to design scenarios in a modular fashion. Note: Hierarchies can be nested, i.e., a hierarchy can contain another hierarchy. There is no limit on the level of nesting.

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Hierarchies serve as a visual aid that enable viewing subsets of the scenario independently. Hierarchies do not impose any constraint on how different network objects can be connected. For example, a node that is in a hierarchy can be connected to a wireless subnet icon that is placed on the main canvas. Creating Unconstrained Hierarchies To create an unconstrained hierarchy, do the following: 1. Select the Hierarchy button from the Network Components toolbar in the toolset. 2. Place a hierarchy icon anywhere on the canvas. 3. Open the hierarchy by double-clicking on the icon or by right-clicking and selecting Open Hierarchy. This opens the hierarchy window, which is another view of the canvas. 4. Place network components that are part of the hierarchy in the hierarchy window and connect them just as you would on the canvas. Creating Constrained Hierarchies To create a constrained hierarchy, do the following: 1. Select the Constrained Hierarchy button from the Network Components toolbar in the toolset. 2. Position the cursor at one corner of the area to be covered by the hierarchy, drag the cursor to the diagonally opposite corner, and release the mouse. A gray rectangle is drawn on the canvas to represent the area covered by the hierarchy (see Figure 3-56).

FIGURE 3-56.

Creating Unconstrained Hierarchies

3. Open the hierarchy by double-clicking on rectangle or by right-clicking and selecting Open Hierarchy. This opens the hierarchy window. Only the part of the canvas that is covered by the hierarchy is shown in this window.

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4. Place network components that are part of the hierarchy in the hierarchy window and connect them just as you would on the canvas. Connecting to Objects across Hierarchies To connect an object from outside the hierarchy to an object inside the hierarchy, draw a link from one of the objects to the other. A link connecting two objects in different hierarchies is represented by two line segments: one line segment inside the hierarchy window from the connected object to the upper left corner of the hierarchy window and the other outside the hierarchy from the connected object to the hierarchy icon. Note: When drawing a line between objects across hierarchies, only the first segment of the line is visible.

Figure 3-57 shows a scenario consisting of three nodes (host1, host2, and host3) and a hierarchy (Hierarchy1). (The scenario itself is treated as a top-level hierarchy and is labeled Hierarchy0 by default.) The three nodes in Hierarchy0 are connected to a wireless subnet. Hierarchy1 itself has three nodes (host4, host5, and host6) which are connected to a wireless subnet. Figure 3-57 shows the state when a point-to-point link is being drawn between host3 and host4. Note that only the line segment on the main canvas is visible. Figure 3-58 shows the state after the link has been drawn.

FIGURE 3-57.

Creating a Link across Hierarchies

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FIGURE 3-58.

Representation of a Link across Hierarchies

Creating Nested Hierarchies To created nested hierarchies, do the following: 1. Open a hierarchy and place a hierarchy icon in it. 2. Double-click on this hierarchy icon to open it and place network components in it. All operations can be performed on the nested hierarchy, including connecting to objects outside the hierarchy. Hierarchies can be nested to arbitrary depths. Figure 3-59 shows an example of nested hierarchies. Hierarchy1 consists of three devices connected to a wireless subnet and a child hierarchy (Hierarchy2). Hierarchy2 consists of three devices connected to a wireless subnet. There is a point-point-link between a device in Hierachy1 and a device in Hierarchy2. There is also a point-to-point link between Hierarchy1 and the main (default) hierarchy. Note: You can also close a hierarchy window by pressing the escape key, in addition to the usual ways of closing a window.

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To set the properties of a hierarchy (including designating it as a constrained hierarchy), use the Hierarchy Properties editor, as explained in Section 3.4.7.1

FIGURE 3-59.

Nested Hierarchies

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3.4.7.1 Hierarchy Properties Editor
The Hierarchy Properties editor is used to modify the properties of hierarchies. The Hierarchy Properties editor can be opened in one of the following ways: 1. From the canvas, select the hierarchy icon, right-click, and choose Properties. 2. From the Hierarchies tab in the Table View panel, do one of the following: a. Double-click on the row for the hierarchy. b. Right-click on the row for the hierarchy and choose Properties. The Hierarchy Properties editor is shown in Figure 3-60. Attributes such as the hierarchy name, background image, and icons can be specified using the hierarchy properties editor.

FIGURE 3-60.

Hierarchy Properties Editor

Autonomous Systems An autonomous system (AS) is part of the routing infrastructure of a large IP internetwork. An AS is essentially a portion of a large internetwork whose routing is administered by a single authority. These autonomous systems are connected by the Internet’s core routers, which use an exterior routing protocol called Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) for communication among themselves. See Multimedia and Enterprise Model Libraryfor details. To designate a hierarchy as an autonomous system, set Autonomous System to Yes. The ID of the autonomous system can be specified in the AS-ID field.

3.4.8 Viewing Modified Parameters
The Modified Parameters window displays a list all scenario parameters that have been set to values that are different from their default values. (Chapter 4 describes how scenario parameters are set.) To open the Modified Parameters window, select Tools > Modified Parameters from the menu bar.

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FIGURE 3-61.

Modified Parameters

The Component column lists the properties editor in which the parameter is set. The Property column displays the name of the parameter as it appears in the properties editor. The Command Line Parameter column shows the equivalent command line parameter for the property. The Current Value and Default Value columns list the current value and default value of the parameter. To sort the data based on any of the columns, click the column's header to sort ascending, and click the same column header again to sort descending. Double-clicking a row of the table opens the properties editor in which the parameter is set, enabling you to conveniently change its value.

3.4.9 Configuring Batch Experiments
The batch experiment capability allows you to configure several experiments based on a scenario and run them as a batch. The core elements of the scenario (network components and topology) are the same in all experiments. The experiments differ from each other in the values of one or more configurable parameters (batch parameters). The Batch Experiments panel is used to configure batch experiments. To configure batch experiments, first configure the scenario. Then add the batch parameters to the batch parameter table in the Batch Experiments panel. Next, specify the values for each batch parameter. Note that each combination of batch parameter values constitutes an experiment. Note: If the batch parameter is a dependent parameter of a controlling parameter, then the controlling parameter should be added first to the batch parameter table.

Figure 3-62 shows the Batch Experiments panel before adding any batch parameters.

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FIGURE 3-62.

Batch Experiments Panel

To configure and run batch experiments, perform the following steps: 1. Configure a scenario, as described in Section 4.2. 2. Open the properties editor that contains the first batch parameter. For example, if you want to run experiments with different values for the AODV Hello Interval for a particular node, open the Default Device Properties editor for that node. 3. Open the tab and/or parameter group that contains the batch parameter. Select the batch parameter by clicking on it, and then clicking the Add To Batch button. This adds the parameter to the batch parameter table. If the selected parameter is dependent on a controlling parameter, then you will have to first add the controlling parameter to the batch parameter table. To add the node-level parameter AODV Hello Interval to a batch experiment: a. Go to Default Device Properties Editor > Node Configuration > Routing Protocol. b. Set Routing Protocol IPv4 to AODV. This displays the AODV parameters. c. Select the parameter Routing Protocol IPv4 and add it to the batch parameter table by clicking the Add to Batch button. Similarly, add the parameters Enable Hello Messages and Hello Interval to the batch parameter table. Note: You can not add the parameter Hello Interval to the batch parameter table without first adding the parameters Routing Protocol IPv4 and Enable Hello Messages because parameter Hello Interval is a dependent parameter of the controlling parameter Enable Hello Messages, which is dependent on controlling parameter Enable Hello Messages.

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FIGURE 3-63. 4. Close the properties editor.

Adding Parameters to a Batch Experiment

5. Add the other batch parameters to the batch parameter table in a similar way.

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Figure 3-64 shows the batch parameter table after adding Routing Protocol IPv4 and AODV parameters My Route Timeout Interval, Enable Hello Messages, and Hello Interval.

FIGURE 3-64.

Batch Parameter Table

6. Next, specify the values for each batch parameter. To do this, select the batch parameter in the batch experiments table and click the button in the Value column. This opens an editor for specifying values of the batch parameter.

FIGURE 3-65.

Specifying Values for a Batch Parameter

7. In the values editor, enter or select a value for the batch parameter and click the Add button. The added value is displayed in the list. Similarly, add the other values for the batch parameter. 8. To remove a value from the list, select the value from the list and click the Remove button. 9. After adding all values for the batch parameter, close the values editor.

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10.Specify the values for all batch parameters in a similar way. Figure 3-66 shows the batch parameter table after specifying multiple values for the AODV parameters My Route Timeout Interval and Hello Interval.

FIGURE 3-66.

Batch Parameter Table with Multiple Values of Batch Parameters

11. To remove a parameter from the batch parameter table, select the parameter and click the Remove Property button. 12.Click the Run Experiments button. 13.In the Batch Run Mode window that is displayed, select either the Interactive or Non-Interactive button and then click OK to run the batch experiment. These two modes of batch execution are described below. Interactive and Non-interactive Execution If the batch experiment is run interactively, the experiments in the batch are loaded in Architect one at a time.The experiment can be run by pressing the Play button. The scenario is executed with animation. After one experiment has finished executing, the next experiment in the batch is loaded in a different tab and waits for user input to start running. If the batch experiment is run non-interactively, all experiments in the batch are executed one after the other without user input. The scenario execution is not animated. However, the progress of the simulation is displayed in the Output Window of Architect. Names of Experiments and Output Files Experiments in a batch are called Experiment-1, Experiment-2, etc., and the files associated with each experiment are named accordingly. Thus, input files associated with the first experiment are called, Experiment-1.config, Experiment-1.app, Experiment-1.nodes, etc. The statistics file generated for the first experiment is called Experiment-1.<date_time>.stat, where <date_time> denotes the date and time when the experiment is run. The files associated with a batch experiment are stored in a sub-folder called BatchRun in the scenario folder. Note: The contents of the batch experiment folder, including all statistics files, are overwritten every time you run another batch experiment.

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3.5 Customization
This section describes the customization features of Architect and contains the following sections:

• Creating Custom Network Object Models • Creating Custom Hierarchy Models • Creating and Customizing Toolsets

3.5.1 Creating Custom Network Object Models
Using the Device Model Editor, custom models for network objects (devices, wired and wireless subnets, satellites, and switches) can be created. Properties can be assigned to the custom model and a button can be added in the toolset for the model, using which the model can be conveniently used in scenarios. Properties of custom network object models can also be modified using the Device Model Editor. To open the Device Model Editor, select Tools > Device Model Editor. The left panel displays the list of existing network object models (see Figure 3-67).

FIGURE 3-67.

Device Model Editor

Creating a New Custom Network Object Model To create a new custom network object model, perform the following steps: 1. Open the Device Model Editor. 2. Click the button in the left panel and enter the model name in the Model Name field.

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3. In the Model Type field, select the type of the model (device, wired subnet, wireless subnet, satellite, or switch) from the drop-down list. A Device model type has the same set of properties as the Default Device selected from the Devices toolbar of the toolset. A model of type WiredSubnet, WirelessSubnet, or Satellite has the same set of properties as the Wired Subnet, Wireless Subnet, or Satellite, respectively, selected from the Network Components toolbar of the toolset. A Switch model type has the same set of properties as the Switch selected from the Devices toolbar of the toolset. Default values for all properties are used for the custom model. Non-default values for properties can be set as described in the following steps. 4. To assign non-default values to the properties of the custom model, click the Custom Properties. This opens the Device Model Property Editor. button next to

The properties displayed by the editor depend on the type of the model. For example, if Model Type is set to Device, then the Device Model Property Editor (see Figure 3-68) is the same as the Default Device Properties editor (except that the Interfaces tab is disabled). 5. To associate an icon with the custom model, in the 2D Icon field, enter the name (including the full path) of the image file to be associated with the model.

FIGURE 3-68.

Device Model Property Editor for Model of Type Device

6. Set the properties to their desired values in the Device Model Property Editor. See Section 3.3 for details on setting properties. Click Apply or OK to save the assigned values. All properties that were modified in the previous step are displayed in the right panel along with their values. Properties that were not modified are not displayed. Note: Default values are used for all properties that are not displayed in the right panel.

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Figure 3-69 shows the Device Model Editor after creating a customized wireless subnet with RADIO TYPE and MAC PROTOCOL set to MACDOT11E and PHY-ABSTRACT, respectively.

FIGURE 3-69.

Properties of Custom Wireless Subnet Model

7. To change the value of a modified property, double-click on the property in the right panel. This opens the Device Model Property Editor in which a new value can be assigned to the property. 8. To remove a property from the table, select the property and click the Note: button in the right panel.

If a modified property is deleted from the table, the default value is used for that property. button in the left panel.

9. To remove a model from the list, click the 10.Click Apply or OK to save your changes.

The new model can be made available for use in scenarios by associating a button with it in the toolset (see Section 3.5.3). The new model can also be used in creating hierarchy models (see Section 3.5.2). Modifying and Deleting Custom Network Object Models To modify or delete a custom network object model, perform the following steps: 1. Open the Device Model Editor. 2. To modify a network object model, select the model in the left panel. In the right panel, add a new property, delete a property, or modify a property as described in the previous section. 3. To delete a network object model, select the model in the left panel and click the panel. button in the left

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3.5.2 Creating Custom Hierarchy Models
To create a custom hierarchy model, perform the following steps. 1. Select Tools > Hierarchy Model Editor. This opens the Hierarchy Model Editor (see Figure 3-70). 2. The left panel displays the existing hierarchy models. a. To change the properties of an existing model, select it from the list. b. To create a new hierarchy model, click the button and enter the name in the Name field.

FIGURE 3-70.

Hierarchy Model Editor

3. In the Icon field, enter the name (including the full path) of the icon file to be associated the hierarchy model. You can also open a file selection window by pressing the button and select the icon file by navigating to it. 4. Similarly, in the Background File field, specify the name of the image file to be used as the background of the hierarchy. 5. Check the Constrained Hierarchy box if you wish to make a constrained hierarchy. 6. Specify the components of the hierarchy in the components table. Each row in the table specifies a device type, the number of devices of the type, and the placement policy used for them. a. Add a row in the component table by clicking the button.

b. Select the type of device from the pull-down list in the Device Type column. Enter the number of devices of that type in the Count column. Select the placement policy for these devices from the pull-down list in the Placement column. c. Add as many devices as desired by adding rows to the components table. 7. To remove a device from the table, select it and click the button.

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8. To remove a hierarchy model from the list, select the model name in the left panel and click the button. 9. Click Apply or OK to save your changes. The new hierarchy model can be made available for use in scenarios by associating a button with it in the toolset (see Section 3.5.3). Example: The sample hierarchy (see Figure 3-71) was created using the above procedure for reference, and contains a background image of california_south_sky_light, ten aircraft, two ground stations, and 20 humans.

FIGURE 3-71.

Sample Hierarchy

3.5.3 Creating and Customizing Toolsets
Architect has a predefined Standard toolset which can be customized. In addition, you can create new toolsets. The Standard toolset can be modified in the following ways:

• New toolbars can be added to the toolset. • New buttons can be added to any of the toolbars. • Any toolbar or any button on any toolbar can be removed.
Note: Although buttons and toolbars can be removed from the Standard toolset, it is strongly recommended that users do not modify the Standard toolset other than adding buttons and toolbars.

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Chapter 3 To create a new toolset or customize an existing toolset, perform the following steps. 1. Select Tools > Toolset Editor. This opens the Toolset Editor (see Figure 3-72). The Toolset Editor has two tabs, Toolset List and Customize Toolbar.

Customization

FIGURE 3-72.

Toolset Editor: Toolset List Tab

2. Open the Toolset List tab. The left panel displays the list of available toolsets and the right panel displays the list of toolbars in the toolset selected in the left panel. a. To add a toolset, click the button above the toolset (left) panel. This adds a toolset to the list with the default name Toolset0, Toolset1, etc. Note: The new toolset is a copy of the Standard toolset and has all the toolbars of the Standard toolset (Devices, Applications, Single Host Applications, Links, Network Components, and Other Components). The new toolset can be modified as described in the following steps.

b. To change the name of a toolset, double-click on it and type the new name. c. To delete a toolset from the list, select it in the list and click the button above the toolset panel. d. To add a toolbar to a toolset, select the toolset in the toolset panel. The toolbars in the selected toolset are displayed in the toolbar (right) panel. Click the button above the toolbar panel to add a new toolbar. This adds a toolbar to the list with the default name Toolbar0, Toolbar1, etc. e. To change the name of a toolbar, double-click on it and type the new name. f. To delete a toolbar from a toolset, select it in the list and click the panel. button above the toolbar

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3. To customize a toolbar, open the Customize Toolbar tab. The left panel displays tool categories and the tools (buttons) in each category which are available for placing in toolbars. The right panel displays toolbars, and for each toolbar the tools that are currently in the toolbar.

FIGURE 3-73.

Toolset Editor: Customize Toolbar Tab

a. From the drop-down list at the top, select the toolset that you want to customize (e.g., Standard). b. In the toolbar (right) panel, select the toolbar to customize from the drop-down list. The tools in the selected toolbar are displayed below it. c. In the tool category (left) panel, select a tool category from the drop-down list. The following tool categories are available: Devices, Applications, Single Host Applications, Links, Network Components, and Other Components. The tools in the selected category are displayed below it. Note: Each tool category contains a predefined list of items. You can add custom tools to the categories by using the Device Model Editor (see Section 3.5.1) and the Hierarchy Model Editor (see Section 3.5.2). A custom model created by using the Device Model Editor with Model Type Device, WiredSubnet, Satellite, or Switch is added to the Devices category, while a model with Model Type WirelessSubnet is added to the Network Components category. A custom hierarchy created using the Hierarchy Model Editor is added to the Network Components category.

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Chapter 3 d. To add a tool to the selected toolbar, select a tool in the left panel and click the all tools in the tool category to the toolbar, click the button.

Customization button. To add

e. To remove a tool from a toolbar, select the tool in the right panel and click the button. To remove all tools from the toolbar, click the button. Figure 3-74 shows the customize toolbar for a standard toolset for network components.

FIGURE 3-74.

Toolset Editor

Figure 3-75 shows the results of creating a custom network object model (MAC-Subnet) using the Device Model Editor (Section 3.5.1), creating a custom hierarchy model (Sample-Hierarchy) using the Hierarchy Model Editor (Section 3.5.2), then adding them to the Standard Toolset using the Toolset Editor. Note: Double-clicking the Sample-Hierarchy icon on the canvas opens the hierarchy window.

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Customization

FIGURE 3-75.

Customized Toolset Example

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4

Modeling Networks

This chapter describes how to create networks models in QualNet (in both command line and GUI) and how to use QualNet for emulation. Section 4.1 describes conventions used in this chapter. Section 4.2 gives a detailed description of configuring network scenarios. It describes how to configure high-level parameters in command line and in Architect. References to model libraries are provided to configure model-dependent parameters. Section 4.3 describes the parameters for configuring QualNet for a multi-core/multi-processor environment. Section 4.4 describes the parameters for achieving trade-off between simulation speed and accuracy of results. Section 4.5 gives an overview of advanced network modeling features. These features are described in detail in the model libraries.

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4.1 Conventions Used
4.1.1 Conventions for Command Line Configuration
In this document, most parameters are described using a tabular format described below. The parameter description tables have three columns labeled “Parameter”, “Value”, and “Description”. Table 4-1 shows the format of parameter tables. Table 4-3 shows examples of parameter descriptions in this format.

TABLE 4-1. Parameter
<Parameter Name> [<Dependency>] <Designation> <Scope> [<Instances>]

Parameter Table Format Description
<Description>

Values
<Type> [<Range>] [<Default Value>] [<Unit>]

Parameter Column The first column contains the following entries:

• <Parameter Name>: The first entry is the parameter name (this is the exact name of the parameter to be used in the input files).

• <Dependency>: This entry specifies the condition for the parameter to be included in the input file.

Usually, the condition is some other parameter being set to a certain value). If the only condition for including the parameter is to select the model, then this entry is omitted. Examples of dependencies are: Dependency: MAC-DOT-11-ASSOCIATION = DYNAMIC Dependency: ANTENNA-MODEL-TYPE

≠ OMNIDIRECTIONAL

• <Designation>: This entry can be Optional or Required. These terms are explained below.
- Optional: This indicates that the parameter is optional and may be omitted from the configuration file. (If applicable, the default value for this parameter is included in the second column.) - Required: This indicates that the parameter is mandatory and must be included in the configuration file. Note: The parameter designation is relative to the dependency. For example, if a parameter must be included if some condition is true, then the condition is listed in the <Dependency> field and the parameter designation is set to Required.

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• <Scope>: This entry specifies the possible scope of the parameter, i.e., if the parameter can be

specified at the global, node, subnet, or interface levels. Any combination of these levels is possible.If the parameter can be specified at all four levels, the keyword “All” is used to indicate that. Examples of scope specification are: Scope: All Scope: Subnet, Interface Scope: Global, Node

• <Instances>: If the parameter can have multiple instances, this entry indicates the type of index. If the parameter can not have multiple instances, then this entry is omitted. Examples of instance specification are: Instances: channel number Instances: interface index Instances: queue index Values Column The second column contains the following information:

• <Type>: The first entry is the parameter type and can be one of the following: Integer, Real, String,

Time, Filename, IP Address, Coordinates, Node-list, or List. If the type is a List, then all possible values in the list are enumerated below the word “List”. (In some cases, the values are listed in a separate table and a reference to that table is included in place of the enumeration.)

Table 4-2 shows the values a parameter can take for each type. TABLE 4-2. Type
Integer Real String Time Filename Integer value Examples: 2, 10 Real value Examples: 15.0, -23.5 String value Examples: TEST, SWITCH1 Time value expressed in QualNet time syntax (see Section 2.2.2) Examples: 1.5S, 200MS, 10US Name of a file in QualNet filename syntax (see Section 2.2.6) Examples: ../../data/terrain/los-angeles-w (For Windows and UNIX) C:\snt\qualnet\5.0\scenarios\WF\WF.nodes (For Windows) /root/snt/qualnet/5.0/scenarios/WF/WF.nodes (For UNIX)

Parameter Types Description

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Chapter 4 TABLE 4-2. Type
Path Examples: ../../data/terrain

Conventions Used Parameter Types (Continued) Description
Path to a directory in QualNet path syntax (see Section 2.2.6) (For Windows and UNIX) (For Windows) /root/snt/qualnet/5.0/scenarios/default (For UNIX) IP Address IPv4 Address IPv6 Address Coordinates IPv4 or IPv6 address Examples: 192.168.2.1, 2000:0:0:1::1 IPv4 address Examples: 192.168.2.1 IPv6 address Examples: 2000:0:0:1::1 Coordinates in Cartesian or Lat-Lon-Alt system. The altitude is optional. Examples: (100, 200, 2.5), (-25.3478, 25.28976) Node-list List List of node IDs separated by commas and enclosed in “{“ and “}”. Examples: {2, 5, 10}, {1, 3 thru 6} One of the enumerated values. Example: See the parameter MOBILITY in Table 4-3.

C:\snt\qualnet\5.0\scenarios\default

Note:

If the parameter type is List, then options for the parameter available in QualNet and the commonly used model libraries are enumerated. Additional options for the parameter may be available if some other model libraries or addons are installed. These additional options are not listed in this document but are described in the corresponding model library or addon documentation.

• <Range>: This is an optional entry and is used if the range of values that a parameter can take is

restricted. The permissible range is listed after the label “Range:” The range can be specified by giving the minimum value, the maximum value, or both. If the range of values is not restricted, then this entry is omitted.

If both the minimum and maximum values are specified, then the following convention is used to indicate whether the minimum and maximum values are included in the range: (min, max) [min, max) (min, max] [min, max] min < parameter value < max min ≤ parameter value < max min < parameter value ≤ max min ≤ parameter value ≤ max

min (or max)can be a parameter name, in which case it denotes the value of that parameter.

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Conventions Used Examples of range specification are: Range: ≥ 0 Range:(0.0, 1.0] Range:[1, MAX-COUNT] Range: [1S, 200S] Note:

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If an upper limit is not specified in the range, then the maximum value that the parameter can take is the largest value of the type (integer, real, time) that can be stored in the system.

• <Default>: This is an optional entry which specifies the default value of an optional or conditionaloptional parameter. The default value is listed after the label “Default:”

• <Unit>: This is an optional entry which specifies the unit for the parameter, if applicable. The unit is listed after the label “Unit:”. Examples of units are: meters, dBm, slots. Description Column The third column contains a description of the parameter. The significance of different parameter values is explained here, where applicable. In some cases, references to notes, other tables, sections in the User’s Guide, or to other model libraries may be included here. Table 4-3 shows examples of parameter descriptions using the format described above. TABLE 4-3. Parameter MOBILITY
Optional Scope: Global, Node List: • NONE • FILE • GROUPMOBILITY • PEDESTRIANMOBILITY • RANDOMWAYPOINT Default: NONE

Example Parameter Table Description
Mobility model used for the node. If MOBILITY is set to NONE, then the nodes remain fixed in one place for the duration of the simulation. See Table 4-29 for a description of mobility models.

Values

BACKOFF-LIMIT
Dependency: USE-BACKOFF = YES Required Scope: Subnet, Interface

Integer Range: [4,10) Unit: slots

Upper limit of backoff interval after collision. A backoff interval is randomly chosen between 1 and this number following a collision.

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Chapter 4 TABLE 4-3. Parameter IP-QUEUE-PRIORITY-QUEUESIZE
Required Scope: All Instances: queue index

Conventions Used Example Parameter Table (Continued) Values
Integer Range: [1, 65535] Unit: bytes

Description
Size of the output priority queue.

MAC-DOT11-DIRECTIONALANTENNA-MODE
Optional Scope: All

List • YES • NO Default: NO

Indicates whether the radio is to use a directional antenna for transmission and reception.

4.1.2 Conventions for GUI Configuration
The GUI configuration section for a model outlines the steps to configure the model using the GUI. The following conventions are used in the GUI configuration sections: Path to a Parameter Group As a shorthand, the location of a parameter group in a properties editor is represented as a path consisting of the name of the properties editor, name of the tab within the properties editor, name of the parameter group within the tab (if applicable), name of the parameter sub-group (if applicable), and so on. Example The following statement: Go to Default Device Properties Editor > Interfaces > Interface # > MAC Layer is equivalent to the following sequence of steps: 1. Open the Default Device Properties Editor for the node. 2. Click the Interfaces tab. 3. Expand the applicable Interface group. 4. Click the MAC Layer parameter group.

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The above path is shown in Figure 4-1.

FIGURE 4-1.

Path to a Parameter Group

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Path to a Specific Parameter As a shorthand, the location of a specific parameter within a parameter group is represented as a path consisting of all ancestor parameters and their corresponding values starting from the top-level parameter. The value of an ancestor parameter is enclosed in square brackets after the parameter name. Example The following statement: Set MAC Protocol [= 802.11] > Station Association Type [= Dynamic] > Set as Access Point [= Yes] > Enable Power Save Mode to Yes is equivalent to the following sequence of steps: 1. Set MAC Protocol to 802.11. 2. Set Station Association Type to Dynamic. 3. Set Set as Access Point to Yes. 4. Set Enable Power Save Mode to Yes. The above path is shown in Figure 4-2.

FIGURE 4-2.

Path to a Specific Parameter

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Parameter Table GUI configuration of a model is described as a series of a steps. Each step describes how to configure one or more parameters. Since the GUI display name of a parameter may be different from the name in the configuration file, each step also includes a table that shows the mapping between the GUI names and command line names of parameters configured in that step. For more information on a GUI parameter, see the description of the equivalent command line parameter in the command line configuration section. The mapping table also indicates the levels at which the parameter can be configured in the GUI. The format of a parameter mapping table is shown in Table 4-4 TABLE 4-4. GUI Parameter
<GUI Display Name>

Example Mapping Table Command Line Parameter
<Command Line Parameter>

Scope of GUI Parameter
<Scope>

The first column, labeled “GUI Parameter”, lists the name of the parameter as it is displayed in the GUI. The second column, labeled “Scope of GUI Parameter”, lists the level(s) at which the parameter can be configured. <Scope> can be any combination of: Global, Node, Subnet, Wired Subnet, Wireless Subnet, Point-to-point Link, and Interface. Table 4-5 lists the Properties Editors where parameters with different scopes can be set. Notes: 1. Unless otherwise stated, the “Subnet” scope refers to “Wireless Subnet”. 2. The scope column can also refer to Properties Editors for special devices and network components (such as ATM Device Properties Editor) which are not included in Table 45. TABLE 4-5. Properties Editors for Different Scopes Properties Editor
Scenario Properties Editor Default Device Properties Editor (General and Node Configuration tabs) Wireless Subnet Properties Editor Wired Subnet Properties Editor Point-to-point Link Properties Editor Interface Properties Editor, Default Device Properties Editor (Interfaces tab)

Scope of GUI Parameter
Global Node Subnet Wireless Subnet Wired Subnet Point-to-point Link Interface

The third column, labeled “Command Line Parameter”, lists the equivalent command line parameter. Note: For some parameters, the scope may be different in command line and GUI configurations (a parameter may be configurable at fewer levels in the GUI than in the command line).

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Chapter 4 Table 4-6 is an example of a parameter mapping table. TABLE 4-6. GUI Parameter
Short Packet Transmit Limit Long Packet Transmit Limit RTS Threshold

Configuring Scenarios

Example Mapping Table Command Line Parameter
MAC-DOT11-SHORT-PACKETTRANSMIT-LIMIT MAC-DOT11-SHORT-PACKETTRANSMIT-LIMIT MAC-DOT11-RTS-THRESHOLD

Scope of GUI Parameter
Subnet, Interface Subnet, Interface Subnet, Interface

.........................................................................
4.2 Configuring Scenarios
Several input files together constitute a scenario description (see Section 2.1.1.1). The primary input files are: scenario configuration (.config) file, initial node position (.nodes) file, and application (.app) file. Other input files may be required by some scenarios. This section describes how to create input files for a typical scenario. Notes: 1. Only the high-level parameters are described in this chapter. Model-specific parameters are described in the model libraries. To complete a scenario configuration, you must include the model-specific parameters in the input file(s), and, in some cases, create supplemental input files. For example, you can select the routing protocol to be Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) version 2 by setting the parameter ROUTING-PROTOCOL to OSPFv2 in the scenario configuration (.config) file (see Section 4.2.8.3.2). To complete the scenario configuration, you will need to include OSPFv2-specific parameters in the scenario configuration file. You may also need to create an OSPFv2 configuration file. These OSPFv2-specific parameters and the format of the OSPFv2 configuration file are described in Multimedia and Enterprise Model Library. 2. Unless otherwise stated, parameters described in this section should be included in the scenario configuration (.config) file. 3. A parameter declaration should be on a single line by itself, using the format described in Section 2.2.9.1. 4. Comments can be entered anywhere in the input files (see Section 2.2.1). 5. In the scenario configuration file, parameters can be entered in any order. It may be convenient to start with input files for one of the scenarios distributed with QualNet and modify them for your scenario. Make copies of the supplied input files and work on the copies. Keep the original input files for reference. For example, to start with the sample scenario in the folder QUALNET_HOME/ scenarios/default, do the following: 1. Copy default.config to new.config. 2. Copy default.app to new.app. 3. Copy default.nodes to new.nodes 4. In new.config, change the value of the parameter APP-CONFIG-FILE to new.app. 5. In new.config, change the value of the parameter NODE-POSITION-FILE to new.nodes. 6. Make modifications to new.config, new.nodes and new.app, as needed.

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The sample scenario configuration file, default.config, contains descriptive information about the parameters that can be configured. It also contains several available options for a large number of parameters, all of which are commented, except for the parameter currently selected. In order to select a different option than the one already selected, add a “#” symbol in front of the current selection, and remove it from the option to be used instead. This section gives a brief overview of how to develop a simulation scenario for the Command Line Interface. Details are provided in later sections. Only high-level scenario parameters are described in this chapter. Configuration parameters required for specific scenario components, such as protocols, are described in the model libraries. Note that the following is not a comprehensive list of steps involved in developing a scenario: some scenarios may need additional steps to configure. Section 4.5 gives an overview of some advanced features in network modeling which are described in detail in the model libraries.

4.2.1 General Parameters
This set of parameters define the general attributes of the experiment, such as experiment name, length of simulation, and seed for random number generation.

4.2.1.1 Command Line Configuration
To configure general simulation parameters for the command line interface, include the parameters listed in Table 4-7 in the scenario configuration (.config) file.. TABLE 4-7. Parameter VERSION
Required Scope: Global String

General Parameters Description
QualNet version number. Set this to 5.0.

Value

EXPERIMENT-NAME
Optional Scope: Global

String Default: qualnet

Name of the experiment. Names of output files (.stat and.trace files) are based on the experiment name unless the command-line parameter is specified (see Section 2.1.1.2). Comment used as an experiment annotation. This comment is reproduced at the beginning of the trace file generated by running the experiment, and can be used to distinguish trace files from different runs.

EXPERIMENT-COMMENT
Optional Scope: Global

String

SIMULATION-TIME
Required Scope: Global

Time Range: > 0S

Length of simulation.

SEED
Required Scope: Global

Integer Range: > 0

Seed used to generate random number streams.

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4.2.1.2 GUI Configuration
To set the general simulation parameters in the GUI, do the following: 1. Go to Scenario Properties Editor > General > General Settings. 2. Set the parameters listed in Table 4-8.

FIGURE 4-3.

Setting General Simulation Parameters

TABLE 4-8. GUI Parameter
Version Experiment Name Experiment Comment Simulation Time Seed

Command Line Equivalent of General Simulation Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Global Global Global Global Global

Command Line Parameter
VERSION EXPERIMENT-NAME EXPERIMENT-COMMENT SIMULATION-TIME SEED

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3. To display a background image on the canvas, set Scenario Background Image File to the name of image file.

FIGURE 4-4.

Setting Background Image

4.2.2 Terrain Specification
This set of parameters defines the coordinate system to be used, the terrain size to simulate, and the terrain features. Terrain features, such as ground elevation at different points and the dimensions of buildings, affect the strength of signals transmitted by nodes. To accurately model the extent of signal attenuation, QualNet makes use of the terrain specification.

4.2.2.1 Command Line Configuration
To configure terrain properties for the command line interface, include the parameters listed in Table 4-9 in the scenario configuration (.config) file. TABLE 4-9. Parameter COORDINATE-SYSTEM
Optional Scope: Global List: • CARTESIAN • LATLONALT Default: CARTESIAN Pair of real numbers in the format (x, y) Unit: meters

Terrain Parameters Description
Coordinate system used in the scenario. CARTESIAN : Cartesian coordinate system is used. LATLONALT : Latitude-Longitude-Altitude system is used.

Value

TERRAIN-DIMENSIONS
Dependency: COORDINATE-SYSTEM = CARTESIAN Required Scope: Global

Dimensions of the terrain. The x-dimension and y-dimension of the terrain (in meters) are specified as a pair of real numbers  (> 0.0) separated by a comma and enclosed in parentheses. Example: (1000, 1500)

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Chapter 4 TABLE 4-9. Parameter TERRAIN-SOUTH-WEST-CORNER
Dependency: COORDINATE-SYSTEM = LATLONALT Required Scope: Global

Configuring Scenarios Terrain Parameters (Continued) Value
Lat-Lon pair in the format (x, y) Unit: degrees

Description
Coordinates of the south-west corner of the terrain. The latitude and longitude of the terrain (in degrees) are specified as a pair of real numbers (> 0.0) separated by a comma and enclosed in parentheses. Example: (34.99, -120.00)

TERRAIN-NORTH-EAST-CORNER
Dependency: COORDINATE-SYSTEM = LATLONALT Required Scope: Global

Lat-Lon pair in the format (x, y) Unit: degrees

Coordinates of the north-east corner of the terrain. The latitude and longitude of the terrain (in degrees) are specified as a pair of real numbers (> 0.0) separated by a comma and enclosed in parentheses. Example: (35.0, -119.99)

TERRAIN-DATA-TYPE
Optional Scope: Global

List: • • • • NONE CARTESIAN DEM DTED

Format used for terrain elevation data. If TERRAIN-DATA-TYPE is set to NONE, then terrain elevation data are not used in the simulation. See Table 4-10 for a description of terrain elevation data formats.

Default: NONE

TERRAIN-DATA-BOUNDARYCHECK
Dependency: TERRAIN-DATA-TYPE ≠ NONE Optional Scope: Global

List: • YES • NO Default: YES

Indicates whether a check should be made to see if, during the simulation, a node’s position is within the range covered by the terrain data. YES : If a node moves to a location for which there is no terrain data, the simulation terminates. NO : If a node moves to a location for which there is no terrain data, the simulation continues by assuming that the elevation at that location is 0.0 meters.

TERRAIN-FEATURES-SOURCE
Optional Scope: Global

List: • FILE • SHAPEFILE

Format used for urban terrain features (such as buildings and roads) data. If this parameter is not included in the scenario configuration (.config) file, urban terrain features data are not used in the simulation. See Table 4-11 for a description of formats used for urban terrain features data.

TERRAIN-FEATURESSUBTRACT-TERRAINELEVATION
Dependency: TERRAIN-FEATURESSOURCE is included Optional Scope: Global

List: • YES • NO Default: NO

Indicates whether terrain elevation (ground level) should be subtracted from the altitude for all terrain features.

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Table 4-10 describes the different formats for terrain elevation data. See the corresponding model library for the description of each format. TABLE 4-10. Command Line Name
CARTESIAN

Terrain Elevation Data Formats Description Model Library
Wireless

GUI Name
Cartesian

Cartesian terrain data type. The Cartesian terrain format is intended to provide terrain data for small areas specified in Cartesian coordinates.

DEM

USGS DEM

Digital Elevation Model (DEM) data type. DEM files are produced by the USGS. QualNet supports only the 1 degree files, corresponding to DTED level 1, with elevation points in a grid at approximately 100 meters spacing.

Wireless

DTED

DTED

Digital Terrain Elevation Data (DTED) data type. DTED data are available from a variety of sources and in various resolutions. All resolutions contain grids of elevation points. DTED level 0 is spaced at about 1000 meters per data point, DTED level 1 at 100 meters, DTED level 2 at 30 meters, DTED level 3 at 10 meters, DTED level 4 at 3 meters, and DTED level 5 at 1 meter.

Wireless

Table 4-11 describes the different formats for urban terrain features data. See the corresponding model library for the description of each format. TABLE 4-11. Command Line Name
FILE

Urban Terrain Features Formats Description Model Library
Wireless

GUI Name
QualNet Terrain Format

QualNet Terrain Format This is a proprietary XML format provided by Scalable Network Technologies that allows users to define urban terrain features, such as buildings, roads, parks, and train stations. ESRI Shapefile Terrain Format This is a common format for storing geopspatial data. It can be used to define building exteriors and foliage.

SHAPEFILE

Shapefile

Wireless

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4.2.2.2 GUI Configuration
To set the terrain parameters in the GUI, do the following: 1. Go to Scenario Properties Editor > Terrain. 2. Set Coordinate System to Cartesian or Latitude-Longitude. Note: You can not change the coordinate system after placing objects on the canvas.

FIGURE 4-5. TABLE 4-12. GUI Parameter
Coordinate System

Setting Coordinate System to Cartesian

Command Line Equivalent of Coordinate System Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Global

Command Line Parameter
COORDINATE-SYSTEM

a. If Coordinate System is set to Cartesian, then, enter values for the X and Y components of the Scenario Dimensions parameter (see Figure 4-5). TABLE 4-13. Command Line Equivalent of Cartesian Coordinate System Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Global

GUI Parameter
Scenario Dimensions

Command Line Parameter
TERRAIN-DIMENSIONS

b. If Coordinate-System is set to Latitude-Longitude, then, enter values for the Lat and Lon components (latitude and longitude, respectively) of the SW Corner and NE Corner parameters.

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FIGURE 4-6.

Setting Coordinate System to Latitude-Longitude

TABLE 4-14.

Command Line Equivalent of Latitude-Longitude System Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Global Global

GUI Parameter
SW Corner NE Corner

Command Line Parameter
TERRAIN-SW-CORNER TERRAIN-NE-CORNER

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3. Set the Above Sea Level and Below Sea Level components of the parameter Altitude Range. This parameter specifies the range of altitudes that can be displayed in the GUI.

FIGURE 4-7. Note:

Setting Altitude Range Parameters

Parameter Altitude Range does not have an equivalent in the command line interface.

4. Select the terrain elevation data format by setting Terrain Data Format to the appropriate value. The available terrain elevation data formats are described in Table 4-10.

FIGURE 4-8. Selecting Terrain Elevation Data Format TABLE 4-15. Command Line Equivalent of Terrain Elevation Data Format Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Global

GUI Parameter
Terrain Data Format

Command Line Parameter
TERRAIN-DATA-TYPE

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5. If Terrain Data Format is set to a value other than None, set the parameters listed in Table 4-16 and the other dependent parameters for the selected terrain elevation data format. See the model library referenced in Table 4-10 for details.

FIGURE 4-9. TABLE 4-16. GUI Parameter
Check Terrain Data Boundary

Setting Terrain Data Boundary Parameters

Command Line Equivalent of Terrain Data Boundary Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Global

Command Line Parameter
TERRAIN-DATA-BOUNDARY-CHECK

6. To specify urban terrain features, set Specify Urban Terrain Features to Yes. a. Set the dependent parameters listed in Table 4-17. The available urban terrain features formats are described in Table 4-11.

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FIGURE 4-10. TABLE 4-17. GUI Parameter
Urban Terrain Features Format Subtract Terrain Elevation

Setting Urban Terrain Features Parameters

Command Line Equivalent of Urban Terrain Features Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Global Global

Command Line Parameter
TERRAIN-FEATURES-SOURCE TERRAIN-FEATURES-SUBTRACTTERRAIN-ELEVATION

b. Set the dependent parameters for the selected urban terrain features format. See the model library referenced in Table 4-11 for details.

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4.2.3 Node Placement
This section describes the parameters and models that determine the initial positions of nodes.

4.2.3.1 Command Line Configuration
In command line, nodes are created as part of the topology specification (see Section 4.2.5). To configure node placement parameters for the command line interface, include the parameters listed in Table 4-18 in the scenario configuration (.config) file. TABLE 4-18. Parameter NODE-PLACEMENT
Required Scope: Global, Node List: • • • • • • FILE GRID GROUP PEDESTRIAN RANDOM UNIFORM

Node Placement Parameters Description
Specification of policy to place nodes in a scenario. See Table 4-19 for a description of node placement models.

Value

MOBILITY-GROUND-NODE
Dependency: TERRAIN-DATA-TYPE ≠ NONE Optional Scope: Global, Node

List: • YES • NO Default: NO

Indication whether the node’s altitude is read from a terrain file. This parameter is used only if a terrain file is also specified in the scenario (see Section 4.2.2). YES : At each point along the node’s path as it moves on the terrain, the node’s z-coordinate (for Cartesian system) or altitude (for LatLon-Alt system) is the same as the altitude specified in the terrain file for that point. The value read from the terrain file overrides the z-coordinate or altitude determined by the mobility model. NO : The node’s z-coordinate or altitude is determined by the mobility model.

Table 4-19 describes the different node placement models in QualNet. See the corresponding model library for the description of each model and its parameters. TABLE 4-19. Command Line Name
FILE GRID

Node Placement Models Description Model Library
Wireless Wireless

GUI Name
File Grid

File-based node placement policy. The initial node positions are read from a file. Grid node placement policy. The terrain is divided into a number of squares. One node is placed at each grid point.

GROUP

N/A

Group-based node placement policy. This node placement model is used with the Group mobility model (see Section 4.2.6).

Wireless

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Chapter 4 TABLE 4-19. Command Line Name
PEDESTRIAN

Configuring Scenarios Node Placement Models (Continued) Description
Pedestrian node placement policy. This node placement model is used with the Pedestrian mobility model (see Section 4.2.6).

GUI Name
Pedestrian

Model Library
Wireless

RANDOM UNIFORM

Random Uniform

Random node placement policy. Nodes are placed on the terrain randomly. Uniform node placement policy. The terrain is divided into a number of equal-sized square cells. One node is placed in each cell randomly.

Wireless Wireless

4.2.3.2 GUI Configuration
In the GUI, nodes can be placed manually (see Section 4.2.3.2.1) or automatically by using the Node Placement Wizard (see Section 4.2.3.2.2). When the Node Placement Wizard is used, File, Random, Uniform, Grid, or Pedestrian placement strategy can be specified. If the File placement strategy is specified, the initial node positions are read from a file. If the Random, Uniform, or Grid placement strategy is specified, Architect places nodes on the canvas using a strategy similar to the Random, Uniform, and Grid placement strategies in command line configuration (see Table 4-19). A combination of placement strategies can be used to place different groups of nodes. Once nodes have been placed on the canvas, either manually or automatically, Architect creates a node position file which contains the initial positions of all nodes. When the scenario is run, the simulator uses the File node placement model (see Table 4-19) with the node position file created by Architect. 4.2.3.2.1 Placing Nodes Manually To manually place a device, click on the desired device in the Devices toolbar. Then click on the canvas to place the device. You can move a device to another location on the canvas by selecting and moving it to the desired location. In addition, you can move a device to a specific position by selecting the device on the canvas, and entering the desired coordinates in the Position Indicators.

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Configuring Scenarios 4.2.3.2.2 Using Node Placement Wizard To place nodes through the Node Placement Wizard, do the following:

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1. Select Tools > Node Placement. This opens the Node Placement Wizard shown in Figure 4-11.

FIGURE 4-11.

Node Placement Wizard

2. In the Number of Nodes field, enter the desired number of nodes. 3. In the Device Type field, select the type of device from the list. All devices that appear in the Devices toolbar in the Toolset also appear in the list. 4. Under Placement Strategy, select the Placement Model from the list. See Table 4-19 for a description of the placement models. a. If Placement Model is File, then specify the name of the position file in the field Node Placement File to Import. b. If Placement Model is Grid, then specify the grid unit in the Grid Unit field. c. If Placement Model is Random or Uniform, then specify a value for the seed in the Seed field. This seed is used to generate random numbers that determine the position of nodes on the canvas. 5. Select the check box Use Altitudes from Terrain File if terrain elevation data are used in the scenario and the nodes’ altitudes should be read from the terrain file (see Section 4.2.2). 6. Under Placement Data, specify the coordinates of the origin and the dimensions of the area in which the nodes are placed (for Cartesian coordinate system) or the latitude and longitude of the south-west and north-east corners of the placement area (for Latitude-Longitude coordinate system). 7. Click Apply or OK.

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TABLE 4-20. GUI Parameter
Placement Model Use Altitudes from Terrain File

Command Line Equivalent of Node Placement Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Global Global, Node

Command Line Parameter
NODE-PLACEMENT MOBILITY-GROUND-NODE

4.2.3.2.3 Configuring Individual Node Placement Parameters To configure node placement parameters for a specific node, do the following: 1. Go to Default Device Properties Editor > Node Configuration > Mobility and Placement. 2. If terrain elevation data are used in the scenario (see Section 4.2.2) and the node’s altitude should be read from the terrain file, then set Use Altitudes from Terrain File to Yes.

FIGURE 4-12. TABLE 4-21. GUI Parameter
Use Altitudes from Terrain File

Setting Node Altitude Parameters

Command Line Equivalent of Node Altitude Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Global, Node

Command Line Parameter
MOBILITY-GROUND-NODE

3. To specify the node orientation, set Specify Node Orientation to Yes and set the dependent parameters listed in Table 4-22.

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FIGURE 4-13. TABLE 4-22. GUI Parameter
Azimuth Elevation

Setting Node Orientation

GUI Node Orientation Parameters Description
Initial (at time 0) azimuth of the node. Initial (at time 0) elevation of the node.

Note:

GUI parameters Azimuth and Elevation do not have direct equivalents in the command line interface. In command line, the initial azimuth and elevation of a node are specified with the initial node position in the node placement file.

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4.2.4 Node Properties
Node properties are node-specific attributes of nodes. Some of these are display attributes (such as icons) that are used only by the GUI and do not have equivalent parameters for the command line interface.

4.2.4.1 Command Line Configuration
The configure node properties for the command line interface, include the parameters listed in Table 4-23 in the scenario configuration (.config) file. TABLE 4-23. Parameter HOSTNAME
Optional Scope: Node String

Node Properties Parameters Description
Name associated with the node. This parameter is used to associate a meaningful name with a node and is printed in the statistics file. This name is also displayed in QualNet GUI if the scenario is loaded in the GUI.

Value

4.2.4.2 GUI Configuration
To configure node properties in the GUI, do the following: 1. Go to Default Device Properties Editor > General. 2. Set the node name parameters listed in Table 4-24.

FIGURE 4-14. TABLE 4-24. GUI Parameter
Node Name

Setting General Node Parameters

Command Line Equivalent of Node Name Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Node

Command Line Parameter
HOSTNAME

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Configuring Scenarios 3. Set the icon parameters listed in Table 4-25.

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Notes: 1. Icon parameters can be configured for the following GUI components: Default Device, Switch, ATM Device, Hierarchy, Wired Subnet, Wireless Subnet, and Satellite. These parameters are listed in the General tab of the corresponding Properties Editor. 2. Icon parameters do not have equivalents in the command line interface.

FIGURE 4-15.

Setting Icon Parameters

TABLE 4-25. GUI Parameter
2D Icon

Icon Parameters Description
Image file used to display the component in the GUI when a 2dimensional plane of view is selected. Image file used to display the component in the GUI when the 3D view is selected. Scale factor used for displaying the 3D icon. By default, this parameter is set to 100. The size of the icon can be increased or decreased by setting this to a higher or lower value.

Scope of GUI Parameter
Node, Switch, ATM Device, Hierarchy, Wired, Subnet, Wireless Subnet, Satellite Node, Switch, ATM Device, Hierarchy, Wired, Subnet, Wireless Subnet, Satellite Node, Switch, ATM Device, Hierarchy, Wired, Subnet, Wireless Subnet, Satellite

3D Icon

Scale Factor for 3D Icon

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4.2.5 Topology Specification
The next step is to instantiate nodes and specify the network topology of the scenario, i.e., identify the wired and wireless links between nodes and the subnets that each node belongs to. For the command line interface, nodes are also created as part of the topology specification.

4.2.5.1 Command Line Configuration
For the command line interface, the keywords SUBNET, LINK and ATM-LINK are used to instantiate the nodes and define the network topology. Every node in the scenario must appear in at least one SUBNET, LINK or ATM-LINK declaration. 4.2.5.1.1 Subnets The SUBNET keyword is used to describe a network composed of two or more nodes. It also instantiates the network interfaces on those nodes to connect them to the network. The following syntax is used to define a subnet: SUBNET <Subnet Address> {<List of Nodes>} where <Subnet Address> <List of Nodes> Address of the subnet in the QualNet N syntax (see Section 2.2.4). List of node IDs in the subnet, separated by commas. A range of nodes using the keyword thru can also be specified.

The following are examples of declarations to create IPv4 subnets: SUBNET N8-192.168.1.0 {1, 2, 5, 9} SUBNET N16-1.0.0 {3 thru 7} SUBNET N24-1.0.0.0 {2, 4, 5 thru 7, 10} The following is an example of a declaration to create IPv6 subnets: SUBNET N64-2000:0:0:1:: {1, 3 thru 5, 8 thru 10} To create a subnet in a dual-IP network, both IPv4 and IPv6 addresses need to be listed. For example: SUBNET N8-192.168.1.0 N64-2000:0:0:1:: {1, 2, 3} A subnet can be wired or wireless. Whether a subnet is a wired subnet or a wireless subnet is determined by the MAC protocol specified for the subnet (see Section 4.2.8.2). Interface Addresses A node can be in more than one subnet and has an interface on each of the subnets of which it is a member. The interface addresses can be derived from the subnet address used in the subnet declaration, as explained in Section 2.2.4.

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Configuring Scenarios As an example, consider the following declarations in the scenario configuration (.config) file: SUBNET N8-1.0 {1 thru 3} SUBNET N8-2.0 {2 thru 4}

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In the above example, nodes 2 and 3 are in both subnets and have interfaces to both of them. Nodes 1 and 4 have one interface each. The following table lists the interface addresses of the four nodes. Node ID
1 2 2 3 3 4

Subnet Address
N8-1.0 N8-1.0 N8-2.0 N8-1.0 N8-2.0 N8-2.0

Interface Address
0.0.1.1 0.0.1.2 0.0.2.1 0.0.1.3 0.0.2.2 0.0.2.3

4.2.5.1.2 Links A point-to-point link is a communication channel that is used to connect two communicating devices, like two nodes in a network. In QualNet, a point-to-point link can be one of three types:

• Wired: A wired point-to-point link models a wired physical connection between two devices. • Wireless: A wireless point-to-point link models a wireless communication medium between two nodes • Microwave: A microwave point-to-point link is a special type of wireless link for which the propagation characteristics can be configured. The LINK keyword is used to define a point-to-point link. A link is a special case of a subnet with exactly two nodes. The keyword ATM-LINK is similar to the keyword LINK and is used to define a point-to-point link for ATM networks. The following syntax is used to define a point-to-point link: LINK <Subnet Address> {<Node 1>, <Node 2>} where <Subnet Address> <Node 1>, <Node 2> Address of the link in the QualNet N syntax (see Section 2.2.4). Node IDs of nodes at the end points of the link.

using some form of energy like radio frequency (RF), infrared light, etc., to information transfer. The link is assumed to be error-free

Interface Addresses A node can be connected to more than one link and/or subnet. A node has an interface to each link or subnet to which it is connected. The interface addresses are derived from the link or subnet address as explained in Section 4.2.5.1.1.

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Link Properties The configure link properties for the command line interface, include the parameters listed in Table 4-26 in the scenario configuration (.config) file. TABLE 4-26. Parameter LINK-PHY-TYPE
Optional Scope: Global, Subnet, Interface List: • WIRED • WIRELESS • MICROWAVE Default: WIRED

Link Properties Parameters Description
Link type.

Value

Set the MAC protocol for the link by setting the parameter LINK-MAC-PROTOCOL, as described in Section 4.2.8.2.1. In addition, if LINK-MAC-PROTOCOL is set to MICROWAVE, then set the microwave link parameters as described in the MIcrowave Links section of Wireless Model Library.

4.2.5.2 GUI Configuration
In the GUI, a wireless subnet is modeled by placing a wireless subnet (cloud) icon on the canvas and connecting it to the nodes that belong to the subnet. The link between a wireless subnet icon and a node is a logical connection, not a physical link. A wired subnet is modeled by placing a wired subnet (hub) icon on the canvas and connecting it to the nodes that belong to the subnet. Point-to-point connections between devices are modelled by direct links between them. Note: Every scenario has a default wireless subnet. Any node placed on the canvas that is not connected to any other device or subnet belongs to the default wireless subnet. The default wireless subnet is not represented by any icon on the canvas.

For details of creating subnets and links in the GUI, see Section 3.2.1.

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By default, a point-to-point link created in the GUI is a wired link. To change the link properties, do the following: 1. Go to Point-to-Point Link Properties Editor > General. 2. Set the parameters listed in Table 4-27.

FIGURE 4-16. TABLE 4-27. GUI Parameter
Link Type

Setting Link Properties

Command Line Equivalent of Link Properties Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Point-to-point Link

Command Line Parameter
LINK-PHY-TYPE

3. Set the dependent parameters for the selected link model. Set the MAC protocol as described in Section 4.2.8.2.2. In addition, if Link Type is set to Microwave, then set the microwave link parameters as described in the Microwave Links section of Wireless Model Library.

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4.2.6 Mobility Specification
A mobility model determines how each node moves during the simulation, i.e., how the positions of nodes at different simulation times are calculated.

4.2.6.1 Command Line Configuration
The configure mobility characteristics for the command line interface, include the parameters listed in Table 4-28 in the scenario configuration (.config) file. TABLE 4-28. Parameter MOBILITY
Optional Scope: Global, Node List: • NONE • FILE • GROUPMOBILITY • PEDESTRIANMOBILITY • RANDOMWAYPOINT Default: NONE

Mobility Parameters Description
Mobility model used for the node. If MOBILITY is set to NONE, then the nodes remain fixed in one place for the duration of the simulation. See Table 4-29 for a description of mobility models.

Value

MOBILITY-POSITIONGRANULARITY
Dependency: MOBILITY ≠ NONE Optional Scope: Global, Node

Real Range: > 0.0 Default: 1.0 Unit: meters

Distance by which a node moves in a single step. Note: The mobility position granularity also impacts the frequency of pathloss updates. Finer position granularity leads to more position updates, more pathloss updates, and generally greater accuracy. Courser granularity leads to fewer position and pathloss updates, and less accuracy, but faster execution. See Section 4.4 for details.

Table 4-29 describes the different mobility models in QualNet. See the corresponding model library for the description of each model and its parameters. TABLE 4-29. Command Line Name
FILE

Mobility Models Description Model Library
Wireless

GUI Name
File

File-based mobility model The node positions at different simulation times are read from a file. The node moves from one position to the next in a straight line at a constant speed.

GROUP

Group Mobility

Group-based mobility model. In this model, groups of nodes move together. The entire group moves following the Random Waypoint model, and each node moves within the group area, also following the Random Waypoint model. Note: This mobility model can only be used if the Group placement model is used to place nodes (see Section 4.2.3).

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Configuring Scenarios TABLE 4-29. Command Line Name
PEDESTRIANMOBILITY

Chapter 4 Mobility Models (Continued) Description
Pedestrian mobility model. In this model, nodes simulate the behavior of pedestrians in an urban environment, such as entering and leaving subway stations and parks, walking along streets, pausing for events, etc. Note: This mobility model can only be used if the Pedestrian placement model is used to place nodes (see Section 4.2.3).

GUI Name
Pedestrian Mobility

Model Library
Wireless

RANDOMWAYPOINT

Random Waypoint

Random Waypoint mobility model. The node selects a random position, moves towards it in a straight line at a constant speed that is randomly selected from a range, and pauses at that destination. The node repeats this process. throughout the simulation.

Wireless

4.2.6.2 GUI Configuration
In Architect, the mobility model can be specified for individual nodes. In addition, waypoints can be set up for nodes on the canvas. Note: If the File node placement model is used to place nodes on the canvas (see Section 4.2.3), then any mobility waypoint information (i.e., positions of nodes after time 0) contained in the node position file is also imported. If the node position file contains waypoints for a node, then the mobility model for that node is automatically set to Filebased mobility. Waypoint markers are placed on the canvas using the waypoint information in the node position file. The mobility model for a node can be modified, as described in Section 4.2.6.2.1.

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Chapter 4 4.2.6.2.1 Specifying Mobility Model To specify a mobility model for a node, do the following:

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1. Go to Default Device Properties Editor > Node Configuration > Mobility and Placement. 2. Set the parameters listed in Table 4-30. The available mobility models are described in Table 4-29.

FIGURE 4-17. TABLE 4-30. GUI Parameter
Mobility Model Position Granularity

Setting Mobility Properties

Command Line Equivalent of Mobility Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Node Node

Command Line Parameter
MOBILITY MOBILITY-POSITIONGRANULARITY

3. Set the dependent parameters for the selected mobility model. See the model library referenced in Table 4-29 for details. Note: To use the File-based mobility model, the node position file must be specified in the Node Placement Wizard (see Section 4.2.3.2.2).

4.2.6.2.2 Setting Mobility Waypoints on Canvas Setting mobility waypoints for nodes on the canvas is described in Section 3.4.5. Waypoint attributes can be modified by using the Mobility Waypoint Editor, as described in Section 3.4.5.1. When mobility waypoints are set for a node, the Mobility Model parameter (see Figure 4-17) is automatically set to File and the mobility waypoint attributes (location and time) are added to the node position file. When the scenario is run, the simulator uses the File-based mobility model (see Table 4-29) with the node position file created by Architect. Note: Mobility waypoint markers associated with a node are not automatically deleted even if the mobility model for the node is changed, i.e., parameter Mobility Model is set to a value other than File.

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4.2.7 Channel Properties
This section describes the parameters for setting up channels and the related pathloss, fading, and shadowing models in a wireless scenario.

4.2.7.1 Command Line Configuration
To configure channel properties for the command line interface, include the parameters listed in Table 4-31 in the scenario configuration (.config) file. TABLE 4-31. Parameter PROPAGATION-CHANNELFREQUENCY
Optional Scope: Global Instances: channel index Real Range: > 0.0 Unit: Hz

Channel Configuration Parameters Value Description
Channel frequency. Include as many instances of this parameter as the number of channels in the simulation. Note: This parameter must be specified for a wireless scenario.

PROPAGATION-PATHLOSSMODEL
Dependency: PROPAGATIONCHANNEL-FREQUENCY is included Required Scope: Global Instances: channel index

List: • ASAPS • COST231-HATA • COST231WALFISHIKEGAMI • FREE-SPACE • ITM • OKUMURA-HATA • PATHLOSSMATRIX • STREET- M-TO-M • STREETMICROCELL • SUBURBAN • TIREM • TWO-RAY • URBAN-MODELAUTOSELECT List: • NONE • CONSTANT • LOGNORMAL Default: NONE

Pathloss model for the channel. If PROPAGATION-PATHLOSS-MODEL is set to URBAN-MODEL-AUTOSELECT, the most appropriate model based on the node location and urban terrain features is chosen automatically. The model is updated during the simulation as the node position changes. See Urban Propagation Model Library for details. See Table 4-32 for a description of the pathloss models. Note: This parameter must be specified for each channel in a wireless scenario.

PROPAGATION-SHADOWINGMODEL
Dependency: PROPAGATIONCHANNEL-FREQUENCY is included Optional Scope: Global Instances: channel index

Shadowing model for the channel. If this parameter is set to NONE, no shadowing model is used for the channel. See Table 4-33 for a description of the shadowing models.

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Chapter 4 TABLE 4-31. Parameter PROPAGATION-FADING-MODEL
Optional Scope: Global Instances: channel index List: • NONE • FASTRAYLEIGH • RAYLEIGH • RICEAN Default: NONE

Configuring Scenarios Channel Configuration Parameters (Continued) Value Description
Fading model for the channel If this parameter is set to NONE, no fading model is used for the channel. See Table 4-34 for a description of the fading models.

PROPAGATION-SPEED
Optional Scope: Global Instances: channel index

Real Range: > 0.0 Default: 3.0e8 Unit: meters/sec Real Default: -110.0 Unit: dBm

Signal propagation speed.

PROPAGATION-LIMIT
Optional Scope: Global Instances: channel index

Threshold for delivering signals to nodes. Signals with power below this limit (before accounting for antenna gain at the receiver) are not delivered to nodes. This parameter is meant for optimizing simulation performance. A lower value of the parameter results in a more accurate simulation but at the expense of longer execution time. See Section 4.4 for details. Maximum distance for which a node’s transmission is considered for communication or interference. Note: If this parameter is set to a value ≤ 0.1, then it is not considered in the estimation of a node’s propagation range, i.e., the maximum distance is effectively infinity. In this case, the propagation range is determined only by the parameter PROPAGATION-LIMIT. This parameter is important for optimization (speed/ accuracy tradeoff). See Section 4.4 for details.

PROPAGATION-MAX-DISTANCE
Optional Scope: Global Instances: channel index

Real Range: ≥ 0.0 Default: 0.0 (see note) Unit: meters

PROPAGATIONCOMMUNICATION-PROXIMITY
Optional Scope: Global Instances: channel index

Real Range: > 0.0 Default: 400.0 Unit: meters Real Range: [0.0, 1.0] Default: 0.0

Communication proximity used to calculate the frequency of pathloss updates (see Section 4.4). This parameter should be set to the approximate optimistic radio range. This parameter is important for optimization (speed/ accuracy tradeoff). See Section 4.4 for details. Update ratio used to calculate the frequency of pathloss updates (see Section 4.4). A larger value of this parameter results in a more aggressive optimization. This parameter is important for optimization (speed/ accuracy tradeoff). See Section 4.4 for details.

PROPAGATION-PROFILEUPDATE-RATIO
Optional Scope: Global Instances: channel index

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Table 4-32 describes the different pathloss models in QualNet. See the corresponding model library for the description of each model and its parameters. TABLE 4-32. Command Line Name
ASAPS

Pathloss Models Description Model Library
ALE/ASAPS Advanced Propagation

GUI Name
ASAPS

Advanced Stand Alone Prediction System. This model allows the prediction of Sky Wave communication conditions in the High Frequency (HF) and low Very High Frequency (VHF) radio spectrum or Short Wave Band (1 to 45MHz).

COST231-HATA

COST231HATA

COST 231-Hata pathloss model. This model can be used for urban, suburban, or open areas. It is a refinement of the Okumura-Hata pathloss model. COST 231-Walfish-Ikegami pathloss model. This model can be used for urban or metropolitan areas. Friis free-space pathloss model. The model assumes an omni-directional line-ofsight propagation path. The signal strength decays with the square of the distance between the transmitter and receiver.

Urban Propagation

COST231WALFISHIKEGAMI FREE-SPACE

COST231WALFISHIKEGAMI Free Space

Urban Propagation

Wireless

ITM

Irregular Terrain Model

Irregular Terrain Model, also known as the LongleyRice model. This model uses the information from a terrain data file to calculate line-of-sight between nodes, ground reflection characteristics, and pathloss.

Wireless

OKUMURA-HATA

OKUMURAHATA

Okumura-Hata pathloss model for macro-cellular systems. This model can be used for urban, suburban, or open areas.

Urban Propagation

PATHLOSSMATRIX

Pathloss Matrix

Matrix-based pathloss model. This model uses a four-dimensional matrix of pathloss values indexed by source node, destination node, simulation time, and channel number. Street mobile-to-mobile pathloss model. This model calculates pathloss between a source and a destination in an urban canyon communicating across several building obstacles.

Wireless

STREET-M-TO-M

Street M-To-M

Urban Propagation

STREETMICROCELL

Street Microcell

Street micro-cell pathloss model. This model calculates the path-loss between transmitter-receiver pairs that are located in adjacent streets in an urban canyon. Suburban pathloss model. This model characterizes propagation in a suburban environment and takes into account the effects of terrain and foliage on signals.

Urban Propagation

SUBURBAN

Suburban

Urban Propagation

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TIREM

Configuring Scenarios Pathloss Models (Continued) Description
Terrain Integrated Rough Earth Model. This model considers terrain effects, transmitter and receiver attributes such as antenna height and frequency, and atmospheric and ground constants. This model is distributed by the Joint Spectrum Center of the Department of Defense and is interfaced with QualNet. This model requires a terrain data file.

GUI Name
TIREM

Model Library
TIREM Advanced Propagation

TWO-RAY

Two Ray

Two-ray pathloss model. The two-ray pathloss model considers a line-ofsight path and a reflection from flat earth in pathloss calculation.

Wireless

URBAN-MODELAUTOSELECT

Urban Model Autoselect

Urban pathloss model auto-selection feature. This feature selects among a variety of urban pathloss models based on the relative situation of the two nodes and the communication environment.

Urban Propagation

Table 4-33 describes the different shadowing models in QualNet. See the corresponding model library for the description of each model and its parameters. TABLE 4-33. Command Line Name
CONSTANT LOGNORMAL

Shadowing Models Description Model Library
Wireless Wireless

GUI Name
Constant Lognormal

Constant shadowing model. This model uses a constant shadowing offset. Lognormal shadowing model. This model uses a lognormal distribution for the shadowing value.

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Table 4-34 describes the different fading models in QualNet. See the corresponding model library for the description of each model and its parameters. TABLE 4-34. Command Line Name
FAST-RAYLEIGH

Fading Models Description Model Library
Wireless

GUI Name
Fast Rayleigh

Fast Rayleigh fading model. The fast Rayleigh fading model is a statistical model to represent the fast variation of signal amplitude at the receiver due to the motion of the transmitter/receiver pair.

RAYLEIGH

Rayleigh

Rayleigh fading model. Rayleigh fading model is a statistical model to represent the fast variation of signal amplitude at the receiver. In wireless propagation, Rayleigh fading occurs when there is no line of sight between the transmitter and receiver.

Wireless

RICEAN

Ricean

Ricean fading model. This model can be used for scenarios where there is line of sight communication and the line of sight signal is the dominant signal seen at the receiver.

Wireless

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4.2.7.2 GUI Configuration
To configure channel properties in the GUI, do the following: 1. Go to Scenario Properties Editor > Channel Properties. 2. Set Number of Channels to the number of channels in the scenario. This creates as many occurrences of the dependent parameters as the number of channels. Figure 4-18 shows the Channel Properties tab when Number of Channels is set to 2.

FIGURE 4-18.

Setting Channel Properties

3. For each channel, set the parameters listed in Table 4-35. The available pathloss models are described in Table 4-32. The available shadowing models are described in Table 4-33. The available fading models are described in Table 4-34. The speed and accuracy trade-off parameters (Propagation Limit, Maximum Propagation Distance, Propagation Communication Proximity, and Propagation Profile Update Ratio are described in Section 4.4.

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TABLE 4-35. GUI Parameter
Channel Frequency Pathloss Model Shadowing Model Fading Model Signal Propagation Speed Propagation Limit

Command Line Equivalent of Channel Configuration Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Global Global Global Global Global Global Global Global Global

Command Line Parameter
PROPAGATION-CHANNELFREQUENCY PROPAGATION-PATHLOSS-MODEL PROPAGATION-SHADOWING-MODEL PROPAGATION-FADING-MODEL PROPAGATION-SPEED PROPAGATION-LIMIT PROPAGATION-MAX-DISTANCE PROPAGATION-COMMUNICATIONPROXIMITY PROPAGATION-PROFILE-UPDATERATIO

Maximum Propagation Distance Propagation Communication Proximity Propagation Profile Update Ratio

4. Set the dependent parameters for the selected pathloss, shadowing, and fading models. See the model library referenced in Table 4-32, Table 4-33, and Table 4-34 for details.

4.2.8 Configuring the Protocol Stack
Network protocols are usually divided into layers as defined by the OSI Reference Model. These layers form a protocol stack. QualNet primarily models the TCP/IP protocol stack, which consists of the following five layers (from top to bottom): Application Layer, Transport Layer, Network Layer, MAC/Data Link Layer, and Physical Layer. At each layer, multiple protocols are available. This section describes how to configure protocols at each layer. In QualNet, both wired and wireless networks implement the top four layers. For wired networks, the Physical Layer functionality is integrated with the MAC Layer. For wireless networks, the Physical Layer needs to be configured by specifying the antenna model and the radio model.

4.2.8.1 Physical Layer Configuration
For each wireless interface in the scenario, Physical Layer properties need to be configured, which consist of the following:

• • • • •

Channel masks Radio model Antenna model Thermal noise parameters Radio energy models

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4.2.8.1.1 Channel Masks Channel masks identify which channels a node can potentially listen to during the simulation and which channel it is configured to listen to when simulation starts. 4.2.8.1.1.1 Command Line Configuration To set channel masks for the command line interface, include the parameters listed in Table 4-36 in the scenario configuration (.config) file.

TABLE 4-36. Parameter PHY-LISTENABLE-CHANNELMASK
Dependency: Scenario is a wireless scenario Required Scope: All

Channel Mask Parameters Description
Listenable channel mask. A channel mask is a string of 0’s and 1’s. The length of the string is equal to the number of channels in the scenario. Each bit in the mask corresponds to a channel: the left-most bit corresponds to the first channel (with index 0), the next bit corresponds to the second channel, and so on. If a bit value in the listenable channel mask is 1, the node can potentially listen to the corresponding channel during the simulation; otherwise, the node can not listen to the corresponding channel at any time during the simulation. Note: This parameter must be specified for a wireless scenario.

Value
String of 0’s and 1’s

PHY-LISTENING-CHANNELMASK
Dependency: Scenario is a wireless scenario Required Scope: All

String of 0’s and 1’s

Listening channel mask. If a bit value is 1, the node is configured (at the start of simulation) to listen to the corresponding channel; otherwise, the node is not configured to listen to the corresponding channel when the simulation starts. A bit for a channel in the listening mask can be set to 1 only if the corresponding bit in the listenable mask is also set to 1. Note: This parameter must be specified for a wireless scenario.

Example: Consider the following declarations: PROPAGATION-CHANNEL-FREQUENCY[0] 2.4e6 PROPAGATION-CHANNEL-FREQUENCY[1] 2.5e6 PROPAGATION-CHANNEL-FREQUENCY[2] 2.6e6 SUBNET N8-1.0 {1 thru 5} SUBNET N8-2.0 {5 thru 10} SUBNET N8-3.0 {10 thru 15} PHY-LISTENABLE-CHANNEL-MASK 111 [N8-1.0] PHY-LISTENING-CHANNEL-MASK 001 [N8-2.0] PHY-LISTENING-CHANNEL-MASK 010 [N8-3.0] PHY-LISTENING-CHANNEL-MASK 100

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All three subnets can potentially listen to all three channels. At the start of simulation, subnet N8-1.0 is configured to listen to channel 2, subnet N8-2.0 is configured to listen to channel 1, and subnet N8-3.0 is configured to listen to channel 0. 4.2.8.1.1.2 GUI Configuration See Table 4-36 for a description of channel masks. By default, each bit of the listenable and listening channel masks is set to 1. The channels masks can be modified by using the PHY Channel Mask Editor, as described below. Note: Before setting the channel masks, the number of channels must be specified using the Scenario Properties Editor (see Section 4.2.7).

To configure channel masks in the GUI, do the following: 1. Go to one of the following locations:

• To set properties for a specific subnet, go to Wireless Subnet Properties Editor > Physical Layer. • To set properties for a specific interface of a node, go to one of the following locations: - Interface Properties Editor > Interfaces > Interface # > Physical Layer - Default Device Properties Editor > Interfaces > Interface # > Physical Layer
In this section, we show how to configure channel masks in the Wireless Subnet Properties Editor. Parameters can be set in the other properties editors in a similar way.

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Chapter 4 2. In the value field for the parameter Listenable Channel Mask, click on the PHY Channel Mask Editor.

Configuring Scenarios button. This opens the

FIGURE 4-19. TABLE 4-37. GUI Parameter
Listenable Channel Mask Listening Channel Mask

Specifying Channel Masks

Command Line Equivalent of Channel Mask Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Subnet, Interface Subnet, Interface

Command Line Parameter
PHY-LISTENABLE-CHANNEL-MASK PHY-LISTENING-CHANNEL-MASK

3. The PHY Channel Mask Editor displays the frequency for each channel. To set the bit in the channel mask for a channel, select the check box in the Enabled column. Press Apply or OK. Figure 4-20 shows the PHY Channel Mask Editor for a scenario with three channels.

FIGURE 4-20.

PHY Channel Mask Editor

4. Set the parameter Listening Channel Mask in a similar way.

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Configuring Scenarios 4.2.8.1.2 Radio Models A radio model characterizes the transmitter/receiver behavior at an interface.

Chapter 4

4.2.8.1.2.1 Command Line Configuration To configure the radio model for the command line interface, include the parameters listed in Table 4-38 in the scenario configuration (.config) file.

TABLE 4-38. Parameter PHY-MODEL
Dependency: Scenario is a wireless scenario Required Scope: All List: • • • • • • •

Radio Configuration Parameters Value Description
Name of the radio model. See Table 4-39 for a description of radio models.

PHY802.11a PHY802.11b PHY802.15.4 PHY802.16 PHY-ABSTRACT PHY-GSM SATELLITE-RSV

Table 4-39 describes the different radio models. See the corresponding model library for a detailed description of each model and its parameters. TABLE 4-39. Command Line Name
PHY802.11a

Radio Models Description Model Library
Wireless

GUI Name
802.11a/g Radio

Models the IEEE 802.11a PHY specification. This radio operates in the 5 GHz frequency band, uses Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) and supports the following data rates (in Mbits/s): 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 54. Models the IEEE 802.11b PHY specification. This radio operates in the 2.4 GHz frequency band, uses Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) and supports the following data rates (in Mbits/s): 1, 2, 5.5, 11.

PHY802.11b

802.11b Radio

Wireless

PHY802.15.4

802.15.4 Radio 802.16 Radio

Models the IEEE 802.15.4 PHY specification. This radio uses different waveforms in different frequency bands to support different data rates. Models the IEEE 802.16 PHY specification. This radio uses OFDM and uses the following modulation and encoding combinations: QPSK 1/2, QPSK 3/4, 16QAM 1/2, 16QAM 3/4, 64QAM 1/2, 64QAM 2/3, and 64QAM 3/4.

Sensor Networks

PHY802.16

Advanced Wireless

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Chapter 4 TABLE 4-39. Command Line Name
PHY-ABSTRACT

Configuring Scenarios Radio Models (Continued) Description
Abstract PHY model. This is a generic PHY model and can be used to simulate different PHYs. This model simulates a PHY that is capable of carrier sensing and is able to work with both BER-based and SNR thresholdbased reception models.

GUI Name
Abstract

Model Library
Wireless

PHY-GSM SATELLITE-RSV

GSM Satellite RSV PHY

Models the GSM Physical Layer. Models the Aloha satellite model with ReedSolomon/Viterbi (RSV) support. This is a model for satellites in geosynchronous orbits. Both bent-pipe and process payload modes are modeled.

Cellular Satellite

4.2.8.1.2.2 GUI Configuration To set radio configuration parameters in the GUI, do the following: 1. Go to one of the following locations:

• To set properties for a specific subnet, go to Wireless Subnet Properties Editor > Physical Layer. • To set properties for a specific interface of a node, go to one of the following locations: - Interface Properties Editor > Interfaces > Interface # > Physical Layer - Default Device Properties Editor > Interfaces > Interface # > Physical Layer.
In this section, we show how to configure the radio model in the Wireless Subnet Properties Editor. Parameters can be set in the other properties editors in a similar way.

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2. Select the radio model by setting the parameter Radio Type. The available radio models are described in Table 4-39.

FIGURE 4-21. TABLE 4-40. GUI Parameter
Radio Type

Setting Radio Configuration Parameters

Command Line Equivalent of Radio Configuration Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Subnet, Interface

Command Line Parameter
PHY-MODEL

3. Set the dependent parameters for the selected radio model. See the model library referenced in Table 4-39 for details. 4.2.8.1.3 Antenna Models Antenna models represent the characteristics of radio antennas. Antennas are the electronic devices which generate waveforms at the transmitter side and detect and receive waveforms at the receiver side. QualNet models omni-directional antennas, static patterned antennas, and smart antennas. The major characteristics of an antenna are the gains it provides during transmission and receiving, and the efficiency or loss due to various mechanical and electronic factors. An omni-directional antenna is the simplest one and provides the same antenna gain regardless of the direction of the signal transmitted or received. A patterned antenna has different gains in different directions. The value of the gain in different directions follow a gain pattern. A smart antenna is a special type of patterned antenna and can be one of two types: switched beam or steerable. A switched beam antenna can utilize multiple antenna patterns. A steerable antenna can rotate the antenna to achieve the maximum gain.

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4.2.8.1.3.1 Command Line Configuration To configure antenna models for the command line interface, include the parameters listed in Table 4-41 in the scenario configuration (.config) file.

TABLE 4-41. Parameter ANTENNA-GAIN
Optional Scope: All Real

Antenna Configuration Parameters Value Description
Antenna gain relative to an isotropic antenna. This parameter is used to specify the antenna gain for an omni-directional antenna. For directional antennas, the gain is specified in antenna pattern files. Efficiency of the antenna. Antenna efficiency is the ratio of the power radiated into space to the power accepted from the source. The lower the wasted power, the higher is the efficiency of the antenna. Loss caused by the mismatch between the antenna and the cable.

Default: 0.0 Unit: dBi Real Range: (0.0, 1.0] Default: 0.8 Real Default: 0.3 Unit: dB Real Default: 0.0 Unit: dB

ANTENNA-EFFICIENCY
Optional Scope: All

ANTENNA-MISMATCH-LOSS
Optional Scope: All

ANTENNA-CABLE-LOSS
Optional Scope: All

Antenna cable loss. This is a function of the cable type and the distance between the antenna and the transmitter/receiver. This value is typically in the range of 0 to several tens of dB. Loss caused by the connectors between the transmitter/receiver and the cable, and between the cable and the antenna. In general, this value should be in the range od 0 to 1 dB. Height above the ground that the antenna is installed. The antenna height affects the propagation loss. The higher the antenna, the lower is the signal attenuation during propagation.

ANTENNA-CONNECTION-LOSS
Optional Scope: All

Real Default: 0.2 Unit: dB Real Range: ≥ 0.0 Default: 1.5 Unit: meters

ANTENNA-HEIGHT
Optional Scope: All

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Configuring Scenarios TABLE 4-41. Parameter ANTENNA-MODEL
Optional Scope: All List: • • • • OMNIDIRECTIONAL SWITCHED-BEAM STEERABLE Value of any occurrence of parameter ANTENNA-MODELNAME in the file ANTENNA-MODELCONFIG-FILE

Chapter 4 Antenna Configuration Parameters (Continued) Value Description
Antenna model or configuration name. See Table 4-42 for a description of the antenna models. It is also possible to pre-configure antenna parameters and assign names to the configurations. The file ANTENNA-MODELCONFIG-FILE is used for this purpose. The name of a user-defined antenna configuration can be specified as the value of the parameter ANTENNA-MODEL. See Section 4.5.2 for details.

Default: OMNIDIRECTIONAL

ANTENNA-MODEL-CONFIG-FILE
Optional Scope: All

Filename

Name of file containing user-defined antenna models. See Section 4.5.2 for details.

Table 4-42 describes the different antenna models. See the corresponding model library for a detailed description of each model and its parameters. TABLE 4-42. Command Line Name
OMNIDIRECTIONAL

Antenna Models Description Model Library
Wireless

GUI Name
Omnidirectional

Omnidirectional antenna model. This is the model for the basic antenna, which yields the same antenna gain irrespective of the signal direction.

SWITCHED-BEAM

Switched Beam

Switched-beam antenna model. The switched-beam antenna can switch among multiple antenna patterns and uses the pattern that yields the maximum antenna gain.

Wireless

STEERABLE

Steerable

Steerable antenna model. The steerable antenna can rotate the antenna and uses the direction that yields the maximum antenna gain.

Wireless

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4.2.8.1.3.2 GUI Configuration This section describes how to configure antenna models in the GUI. You can specify a standard antenna model, a pre-configured antenna model, or a custom antenna model. Pre-configured antenna models are imported into the scenario by specifying an antenna models file or by using the Antenna Model Editor. Custom antenna models are created using the Antenna Model Editor. Section 4.2.8.1.3.2.1 describes how to use the Antenna Model Editor to import, create, and modify antenna models. Specifying Antenna Models File To use pre-configured antenna models in a scenario, the name of the file that contains the antenna models must be specified. To specify the name of the antenna models file, do the following (or import this file using the Antenna Model Editor, as described in Section 3): 1. Go to Scenario Properties Editor > Supplemental Files. 2. Set the parameter Antenna Models File to the name of the antenna models file.

FIGURE 4-22. TABLE 4-43. GUI Parameter
Antenna Models File

Specifying the Antenna Models File

Command Line Equivalent of Custom Antenna Model Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Global

Command Line Parameter
ANTENNA-MODEL-CONFIG-FILE

Configuring Antenna Model for an Interface To configure the antenna model for an interface, do the following: 1. Go to one of the following locations:

• To set properties for a specific subnet, go to Wireless Subnet Properties Editor > Physical Layer. • To set properties for a specific interface of a node, go to one of the following locations: - Interface Properties Editor > Interfaces > Interface # > Physical Layer - Default Device Properties Editor > Interfaces > Interface # > Physical Layer.
In this section, we show how to configure the antenna model in the Wireless Subnet Properties Editor. Parameters can be set in the other properties editors in a similar way. 2. To specify a standard antenna model, set Specify Antenna Model From File to No and set the antenna parameters listed in Table 4-44. The available antenna models are described in Table 4-42. Set the dependent parameters for the selected antenna model. See the model library referenced in Table 4-42 for details.

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FIGURE 4-23. TABLE 4-44. GUI Parameter
Antenna Gain Antenna Height Antenna Efficiency Antenna Mismatch Loss Antenna Cable Loss Antenna Connection Loss Antenna Model

Specifying a Standard Antenna Model

Command Line Equivalent of Standard Antenna Model Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Subnet, Interface Subnet, Interface Subnet, Interface Subnet, Interface Subnet, Interface Subnet, Interface Subnet, Interface

Command Line Parameter
ANTENNA-GAIN ANTENNA-HEIGHT ANTENNA-EFFICIENCY ANTENNA-MISMATCH-LOSS ANTENNA-CABLE-LOSS ANTENNA-CONNECTION-LOSS ANTENNA-MODEL

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3. You can specify a custom antenna model if you have specified an Antenna Models File or imported or created custom antenna models using the Antenna Model Editor (see Section 4.2.8.1.3.2.1). To specify a custom antenna model, set Specify Antenna Model From File to Yes and select a value for the parameter Antenna Model from the list. The names of all imported or created antenna models appear in the list.

FIGURE 4-24. TABLE 4-45. GUI Parameter
Antenna Model

Specifying a Custom Antenna Model

Command Line Equivalent of Custom Antenna Model Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Subnet, Interface

Command Line Parameter
ANTENNA-MODEL

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4.2.8.1.3.2.1 Using the Antenna Model Editor The Antenna Model Editor allows importing selected antenna models from existing files, creating new antenna models, and modifying existing antenna models in a scenario. To open the Antenna Model Editor, select Tools > Antenna Model Editor. Importing Antenna Models The Import tab is used to import antenna models from an external file. To import antenna models do the following: 1. Click on the button next to the Select Antenna Models from Files edit box. 2. Use the file browser dialog to select the desired file. This file should typically have a name ending in “.antenna-models”. The list box on the left will be populated with the names of antenna models found in the file specified. 3. To import a single antenna model, select it from the list box on the left and press the 4. To import all available antenna models, press the button. or button. 5. To cancel the import of one or all of the antenna models, use the button.

FIGURE 4-25.

Importing Antenna Models

Adding, Removing and Modifying Antenna Models The Properties tab is used to add, remove, or modify custom antenna models.

• To create a new antenna model, click on the

button. To change the automatically assigned name, select the new model from the list box on the left and then edit the name in the Selected Model text box. The desired properties can then be set using the embedded property editor on the right. button.

• To delete an antenna model, select it from the list box on the left and click on the

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• To change the properties of an existing antenna model, select it from the list box on the left and use the embedded property editor on the right.

FIGURE 4-26.

Modifying an Antenna Model

4.2.8.1.4 Thermal Noise Settings The noise power (in watts) for the physical radio model is computed as the product T*k*B*f, where, T is the temperature in Kelvin, k is the Boltzmann constant (= 1.381 x 10-23 Joules/Kelvin), B is the bandwidth in Hz, and f is a constant called the noise factor. Parameters T and f can be specified by the user.

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4.2.8.1.4.1 Command Line Configuration To set the thermal noise parameters for the command line interface, include the parameters listed in Table 4-46 in the scenario configuration (.config) file. TABLE 4-46. Parameter PHY-TEMPERATURE
Dependency: Scenario is a wireless scenario Optional Scope: All Real Range: ≥ 0.0 Default: 290.0 Unit: °K Real Range: ≥ 0.0 Default: 10.0 Noise factor used in the calculation of the thermal noise level.

Thermal Noise Parameters Description
Ambient temperature used in the calculation of the thermal noise level.

Value

PHY-NOISE-FACTOR
Dependency: Scenario is a wireless scenario Optional Scope: All

4.2.8.1.4.2 GUI Configuration To set the thermal noise parameters in the GUI, perform the following steps: 1. Go to one of the following locations:

• To set properties for a specific subnet, go to Wireless Subnet Properties Editor > Physical Layer. • To set properties for a specific interface of a node, go to one of the following locations: - Interface Properties Editor > Interfaces > Interface # > Physical Layer. - Default Device Properties Editor > Interfaces > Interface # > Physical Layer.
In this section, we show how to configure the thermal noise parameters in the Wireless Subnet Properties Editor. Parameters can be set in the other properties editors in a similar way.

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Chapter 4 2. Set the thermal noise parameters listed in Table 4-47.

Configuring Scenarios

FIGURE 4-27. TABLE 4-47. GUI Parameter
Temperature Noise Factor

Setting Thermal Noise Parameters

Command Line Equivalent of Thermal Noise Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Subnet, Interface Subnet, Interface

Command Line Parameter
PHY-TEMPERATURE PHY-NOISE-FACTOR

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4.2.8.1.5 Radio Energy Models A radio energy model computes the energy consumed in transmitter and receiver circuitry (baseband circuits and circuits of power amplifier) and power amplifier of the transmitter in the various power state functions of the radio (primarily transmit, receive, idle, and sleep modes). 4.2.8.1.5.1 Command Line Configuration To configure the radio energy model for the command line interface, include the parameters listed in Table 4-48 in the scenario configuration (.config) file. TABLE 4-48. Parameter ENERGY-MODEL
Dependency: Scenario is a wireless scenario Optional Scope: All List: • • • • • NONE GENERIC MICA-MOTES MICAZ USER-DEFINED

Radio Energy Model Parameters Value
Energy model. If this parameter is set to NONE, no energy model is used at the interface. See Table 4-49 for a description of the energy models.

Description

Default: NONE

Table 4-49 describes the different radio energy models. See the corresponding model library for a detailed description of each model and its parameters. TABLE 4-49. Command Line Name
GENERIC

Radio Energy Models Description Model Library
Wireless

GUI Name
Generic

This is a generic radio energy model that computes power consumption of the radio in different power modes and for variable transmission power. This is a radio-specific energy model which is preconfigured with the specification of power consumption of Mica motes (embedded sensor nodes). This is a radio-specific energy model which is preconfigured with the specification of power consumption of MicaZ motes (embedded sensor nodes). This radio energy model allows the user to specify the energy consumption of the radio in different power modes.

MICA-MOTES

Mica Motes

Wireless

MICAZ

MicaZ

Wireless

USER-DEFINED

User Specified

Wireless

4.2.8.1.5.2 GUI Configuration To configure the radio energy model in the GUI, perform the following steps: 1. Go to one of the following locations:

• To set properties for a specific subnet, go to Wireless Subnet Properties Editor > Physical Layer. • To set properties for a specific interface of a node, go to one of the following locations: - Interface Properties Editor > Interfaces > Interface # > Physical Layer - Default Device Properties Editor > Interfaces > Interface # > Physical Layer.

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In this section, we show how to configure the radio energy model in the Wireless Subnet Properties Editor. Parameters can be set in the other properties editors in a similar way. 2. Select the radio energy model by setting Energy Model to the desired value. The available radio energy models are described in Table 4-49.

FIGURE 4-28. TABLE 4-50. GUI Parameter
Energy Model

Specifying Radio Energy Model

Command Line Equivalent of Energy Model Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Subnet, Interface

Command Line Parameter
ENERGY-MODEL

3. Set the dependent parameters for the selected radio energy model. See the model library referenced in Table 4-49 for details.

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4.2.8.2 MAC Layer
The Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol controls access to a channel to enable multiple devices to share the same channel. 4.2.8.2.1 Command Line Configuration To configure the MAC protocol for the command line interface, include the parameters listed in Table 4-51 in the scenario configuration (.config) file.

TABLE 4-51. Parameter MAC-PROTOCOL
Dependency: Interface is created by the SUBNET keyword Required Scope: All List: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

MAC Layer Parameters Description
MAC protocol running at the subnet interface. See Table 4-52 for a description of MAC protocols.

Value
ALE ALOHA ANE CELLULAR-MAC CSMA GENERICMAC GSM MAC-WORMHOLE MAC802.3 MAC802.15.4 MAC802.16 MACA MACDOT11 MACDOT11e SATCOM SATELLITEBENTPIPE • SWITCHEDETHERNET • TDMA • USAP List: • MAC802.3 • ABSTRACT Default: ABSTRACT

LINK-MAC-PROTOCOL
Dependency: Interface is created by the LINK or ATM-LINK keyword Optional Scope: All

MAC protocol running at the link interface. Note: LINK-MAC-PROTOCOL can be set to MAC802.3 only for a wired link, i.e., if LINK-PHY-TYPE is WIRED (see Section 4.2.5.1.2). See Table 4-52 for a description of MAC protocols.

MAC-PROPAGATION-DELAY
Optional Scope: All

Time Range: ≥ 0S Default: 1US

Average propagation delay in a wireless subnet. This is usually used by wireless MAC protocols as an estimate of the actual propagation delay. For example, a node that transmits a RTS waits for at least 2 * MAC-PROPAGATION-DELAY to receive the CTS.

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Chapter 4 TABLE 4-51. Parameter PROMISCUOUS-MODE
Optional Scope: All List: • YES • NO Default: NO List: • YES • NO Default: NO

Configuring Scenarios MAC Layer Parameters (Continued) Value Description
Indication whether the MAC Layer should pass received packets not addressed to the node to the higher layers.

LLC-ENABLED
Optional Scope: All

Indication whether the Logical Link Control (LLC) protocol is enabled at the node. Refer to Developer Model Library for details.

Table 4-52 describes the different MAC protocol models for wireless subnets in QualNet. See the corresponding model library for a detailed description of each protocol and its parameters. TABLE 4-52. Command Line Name
ALE

MAC Protocols for Wireless Subnets Description Model Library
ALE/ASAPS Advanced Propagation Satellite

GUI Name
ALE

Models the Automatic Link Establishment MAC protocol. Models the Abstract Satellite Equation MAC protocol for satellites.

ANE

Abstract Network Equation (ANE) Satellite Aloha Cellular MAC

ALOHA CELLULAR-MAC

Models the Aloha MAC protocol. Indicates that a cellular system MAC protocol is to be used. When this option is selected, the MAC protocol for the cellular system should be specified by using the parameter CELLULAR-MAC-PROTOCOL.

Wireless Cellular

CSMA GENERICMAC GSM MAC-WORMHOLE MAC802.15.4 MAC802.16 MACA MACDOT11 MACDOT11e

CSMA Generic MAC GSM Wormhole 802.15.4 802.16 MACA 802.11 802.11e

Models the Carrier Sense Multiple Access (CSMA) MAC protocol. Models an abstract wireless MAC protocol. Models the GSM MAC Layer. Models the MAC protocol used in the Worm Hole adversary model. Models the IEEE 802.15.4 MAC (ZigBee MAC) specification. Models the IEEE 802.16 MAC (WiMAX MAC) specification. Models the Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance (MACA) MAC protocol. Models the IEEE 802.11 MAC specification. Models the IEEE 802.11e MAC specification. This is a QoS enhancement to the IEEE 802.11 MAC.

Wireless Wireless Cellular Network Security Sensor Networks Advanced Wireless Wireless Wireless Wireless

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Configuring Scenarios TABLE 4-52. Command Line Name
SATCOM

Chapter 4 MAC Protocols for Wireless Subnets (Continued) Description
Models an abstract MAC protocol for satellites.

GUI Name
Abstract Satellite (SATCOM) MAC Satellite-RSV MAC TDMA USAP

Model Library
Developer

SATELLITEBENTPIPE TDMA USAP

Models the bentpipe MAC protocol for satellites. This MAC protocol is used with the Satellite-RSV PHY model. Models the Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) MAC protocol. Models the Unifying Slot Assignment Protocol (USAP).

Satellite

Wireless Wireless

Table 4-53 describes the different MAC protocol models for wired subnets in QualNet. TABLE 4-53. MAC Protocols for Wired Subnets Command Line Name
MAC802.3 SWITCHEDETHERNET

GUI Name
802.3 Switched Ethernet

Description
Models the IEEE 802.3 MAC specification. Models an abstract switch connecting a subnet. This model does not have detailed models of switch ports, etc., and is limited to one subnet.

Model Library
Developer Multimedia and Enterprise

Table 4-54 describes the different MAC protocol models for point-to-point links in QualNet. TABLE 4-54. Command Line Name
ABSTRACT MAC802.3

MAC Protocols for Point-to-point Links Description Model Library
Developer Developer

GUI Name
Abstract Link MAC 802.3

Models the abstract MAC protocol for point-to-point links. Models the IEEE 802.3 MAC specification.

4.2.8.2.2 GUI Configuration for Wireless Subnets To configure the MAC Layer parameters for wireless subnets in the GUI, do the following: 1. Go to one of the following locations:

• To set properties for a specific subnet, go to Wireless Subnet Properties Editor > MAC Layer. • To set properties for a specific interface of a node, go to one of the following locations: - Interface Properties Editor > Interfaces > Interface # > MAC Layer - Default Device Properties Editor > Interfaces > Interface # > MAC Layer.
In this section, we show how to configure the wireless subnet MAC properties in the Wireless Subnet Properties Editor. Parameters can be set in the other properties editors in a similar way.

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2. Set the MAC Layer parameters listed in Table 4-55. The available MAC protocols for wireless subnets are listed in Table 4-52.

FIGURE 4-29. TABLE 4-55. GUI Parameter
MAC Protocol MAC Propagation Delay Enable Promiscuous Mode Enable LLC

Specifying MAC Parameters for a Wireless Subnet Command Line Equivalent of Wireless MAC Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Wireless Subnet, Interface Wireless Subnet, Interface Wireless Subnet, Interface Wireless Subnet, Interface

Command Line Parameter
MAC-PROTOCOL MAC-PROPAGATION-PROTOCOL PROMISCUOUS-MODE LLC-ENABLED

3. Set the dependent parameters for the selected MAC protocol. See the model library referenced in Table 4-52 for details. 4.2.8.2.3 GUI Configuration for Wired Subnets To configure the MAC Layer parameters for wired subnets in the GUI, do the following: 1. Go to one of the following locations:

• To set properties for a specific subnet, go to Wired Subnet Properties Editor > General. • To set properties for a specific interface of a node, go to one of the following locations: - Interface Properties Editor > Interfaces > Interface # > MAC Layer - Default Device Properties Editor > Interfaces > Interface # > MAC Layer.
In this section, we show how to configure the wireless subnet MAC properties in the Wireless Subnet Properties Editor. Parameters can be set in the other properties editors in a similar way.

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2. Set the MAC Layer parameters listed in Table 4-56. The available MAC protocols are listed in Table 453.

FIGURE 4-30. TABLE 4-56. GUI Parameter
MAC Protocol Enable Promiscuous Mode Enable LLC

Specifying MAC Parameters for a Wired Subnet Command Line Equivalent of Wired MAC Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Wired Subnet, Interface Wired Subnet, Interface Wired Subnet, Interface

Command Line Parameter
MAC-PROTOCOL PROMISCUOUS-MODE LLC-ENABLED

3. Set the dependent parameters for the selected MAC protocol. See the model library referenced in Table 4-53 for details.

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4.2.8.2.4 GUI Configuration for Point-to-point Links To configure the MAC Layer parameters for point-to-point links in the GUI, do the following: 1. Go to Point-to-point Link Properties Editor > General. 2. Set the MAC Layer parameters listed in Table 4-57. The available MAC protocols are listed in  Table 4-54.

FIGURE 4-31. TABLE 4-57. GUI Parameter
MAC Protocol

Specifying MAC Parameters for a Point-to-point Link

Command Line Equivalent of Point-to-point Link MAC Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Point-to-point Link

Command Line Parameter
LINK-MAC-PROTOCOL

3. Set the dependent parameters for the selected MAC protocol. See the model library referenced in Table 4-54 for details.

4.2.8.3 Network Layer
The Network Layer provides the functionality of transferring variable length data sequences from a source to a destination via one or more networks while maintaining the quality of service requested by the Transport Layer. 4.2.8.3.1 General Network Layer Parameters General Network Layer parameters include specification of the network and related protocols, parameter to enable forwarding of packets, and parameters to assign IP addresses and subnet masks to interfaces.

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4.2.8.3.1.1 Command Line Configuration To configure the general Network Layer parameters for the command line interface, include the parameters listed in Table 4-58 in the scenario configuration (.config) file. TABLE 4-58. Parameter NETWORK-PROTOCOL
Required Scope: All List: • CELLULARLAYER3 • DUAL-IP • GSM-LAYER3 • IP • IPv6 List: • YES • NO Default: NO IPv4 Address IPv4 loopback address of the node.

General Network Layer Parameters Value Description
Network protocol in use at the node. See Table 4-59 for a description of network protocols.

IP-ENABLE-LOOPBACK
Optional Scope: Global, Node

Indication whether the loopback function is enabled for the node.

IP-LOOPBACK-ADDRESS
Dependency: IP-ENABLELOOPBACK = YES Required Scope: Global, Node

IP-FRAGMENTATION-UNIT
Optional Scope: Global, Node, Subnet

Integer Range: [256, 65535] Default: 2048 Unit: bytes

Maximum size of an IP fragment.

ECN
Optional Scope: All

List: • YES • NO Default: NO List: • YES • NO Default: NO IPv4 Address

Indication whether Explicit Congestion Notification (ECN) is enabled. Note: ECN is effective only in combination with an active queue management policy, such as Random Early Detection (RED). Indication whether the Internet Control Message protocol (ICMP) is in use at a node. See Developer Model Library for details of configuring ICMP. IPv4 address to be assigned to the interface. Note: This parameter must be specified in the format described below the table.

ICMP
Optional Scope: Global, Node

IP-ADDRESS
Optional (See note below table)

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Chapter 4 TABLE 4-58. Parameter IP-SUBNET-MASK
Optional (See note below table)

Configuring Scenarios General Network Layer Parameters (Continued) Value
IPv4 Address

Description
IPv4 subnet mask to be assigned to the interface. Note: This parameter must be specified in the format described below the table.

IPV6-ADDRESS
Optional (See note below table)

IPv6 Address

IPv6 address to be assigned to the interface. Note: This parameter must be specified in the format described below the table.

IPV6-PREFIX-LEN
Optional (See note below table)

Integer Range: [0, 128]

Length of the prefix of the IPv6 interface address. Note: This parameter must be specified in the format described below the table. Configures the interface as an unnumbered interface. Note: The 0th interface of a node can not be configured as an unnumbered interface. Note: If any of the interfaces of a node is configured as an unnumbered interface, then the Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) and Logical Link Control (LLC) protocol should also be configured for the node. See Developer Model Library for details of the ARP and LLC models.

UNNUMBERED
Optional Scope: Global, Node Instances: interface-number

List: • YES • NO Default: NO

Note:

Parameters IP-ADDRESS, IP-SUBNET-MASK, IP-ADDRESS-IPv6, and IPV6-PREFIXLEN must be specified using the following format: <Node ID> <Parameter Name> [<Index>] <Parameter Value> where <Node ID> <Parameter Name> <Index> Node identifier to which this parameter declaration is applicable, enclosed in square brackets. Name of the parameter (IP-ADDRESS, IP-SUBNETMASK, IP-ADDRESS-IPv6, or IPV6-PREFIX-LEN). Interface index to which this parameter declaration is applicable, enclosed in square brackets. This should be in the range 0 to n -1, where n is the number of interfaces. The interface index is optional. If the interface index is not included, then the parameter declaration is applicable to the 0th interface. <Parameter Value> Value of the parameter.

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Table 4-59 describes the different network protocol models in QualNet. See the corresponding model library for a detailed description of each protocol and its parameters. TABLE 4-59. Command Line Name
CELLULARLAYER3

Network Protocols Description Model Library
Cellular

GUI Name
Cellular Layer 3

Indicates that a cellular system Network Layer model is to be used. When this option is selected, the Network Layer model for the cellular system should be specified by using the parameter CELLULAR-LAYER3PROTOCOL.

GSM-LAYER3 DUAL-IP

GSM Layer 3 Dual-IP

Models the GSM Network Layer. Indicates that both IPv4 and IPv6 are used at the node. When this option is selected, the Network Layer can handle both IPv4 and IPv6 packets.

Cellular Developer

IP IPv6

IPv4 IPv6

Models the Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) specified in RFC 791. Models the Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) specified in RFC 2460.

Developer Developer

4.2.8.3.1.2 GUI Configuration To configure the general Network Layer parameters in the GUI, perform the following steps: 1. Go to one of the following locations:

• To set properties for a specific wireless subnet, go to Wireless Subnet Properties Editor >
Network Layer > General.

• To set properties for a specific wired subnet, go to Wired Subnet Properties Editor > General. • To set properties for a specific point-to-point link, go to Point-to-point Link Properties Editor >
Point-to-point Link Properties > Network Protocol. Configuration > Network Layer.

• To set properties for a specific node, go to Default Device Properties Editor > Node • To set properties for a specific interface of a node, go to one of the following locations: - Interface Properties Editor > Interfaces > Interface # > Network Layer - Default Device Properties Editor > Interfaces > Interface # > Network Layer.

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2. Set the Network Layer parameters listed in Table 4-60. The available network protocols are listed in Table 4-59.

FIGURE 4-32.

General Network Layer Parameters for a Wireless Subnet

FIGURE 4-33.

General Network Layer Parameters for a Wired Subnet

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FIGURE 4-34.

General Network Layer Parameters for a Point-to-Point Link

FIGURE 4-35.

General Network Layer Parameters for a Node

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FIGURE 4-36. TABLE 4-60. GUI Parameter
Network Protocol

General Network Layer Parameters for an Interface

Command Line Equivalent of General Network Layer Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Node, Wireless Subnet, Wired Subnet, Point-to-point Link, Interface Node, Wireless Subnet, Wired Subnet Node, Wireless Subnet, Wired Subnet, Interface Node

Command Line Parameter
NETWORK-PROTOCOL

IP Fragmentation Unit Enable Explicit Congestion Notification Enable ICMP

IP-FRAGMENTATION-UNIT ECN ICMP

3. When a subnet or point-point link is created, the GUI assigns default IP address(es) and IPv4 subnet mask to the subnet. To overwrite the default IP address(es) and subnet mask assigned to a subnet or link, do the following:

• If Network Protocol is set to IPv4, then set IPv4 Network Address and IPv4 Subnet Mask. • If Network Protocol is set to IPv6, then set IPv6 Network Address and IPv6 Prefix Length. • If Network Protocol is set to Dual-IP, then set IPv4 Network Address, IPv4 Subnet Mask, IPv6
Network Address, and IPv6 Prefix Length.

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Figure 4-37 shows the subnet address parameters in the Wireless Subnet Properties Editor when Network Protocol has been set to Dual-IP.

FIGURE 4-37. Note:

Assigning IP Address(es) and Subnet Mask to a Wireless Subnet

These parameters correspond to the argument(s) of the SUBNET and LINK keywords in Command Line Interface (see Section 4.2.5).

4. Architect assigns default IP address(es) and IPv4 subnet mask each interface based on the IP address(es) and IPv4 subnet mask of the subnet of which the interface is a part. To overwrite the default IP address(es) and subnet mask assigned to an interface, set the appropriate parameters listed in Table 4-61.

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Figure 4-38 shows the interface address parameters in the Interface Properties Editor when Network Protocol has been set to Dual-IP.

FIGURE 4-38.

Assigning IP Address(es) and Subnet Mask to an Interface

TABLE 4-61. Command Line Equivalent of Interface Address Parameters GUI Parameter
IPv4 Address IPv4 Mask IPv6 Address

Scope of GUI Parameter
Interface Interface Interface

Command Line Parameter
IP-ADDRESS IP-SUBNET-MASK IP-ADDRESS-IPv6

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5. To enable the loopback function for an IPv4 or dual IP node, set Enable IP Loopback to Yes and set the dependent parameters listed in Table 4-62.

FIGURE 4-39. TABLE 4-62. GUI Parameter
Enable IP Loopback IP Loopback Address

Enabling IP Loopback for a Node

Command Line Equivalent of IP Loopback Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Node Node

Command Line Parameter
IP-ENABLE-LOOPBACK IP-LOOPBACK-ADDRESS

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6. To configure an interface as an unnumbered interface in the GUI, set Configure as Unnumbered Interface to Yes. Note: The 0th interface of a node can not be configured as an unnumbered interface.

FIGURE 4-40. TABLE 4-63. GUI Parameter
Configure as Unnumbered Interface

Configuring an Unnumbered Interface

Command Line Equivalent of Unnumbered Interface Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Interface

Command Line Parameter
UNNUMBERED

4.2.8.3.2 Unicast Routing A routing protocol determines the path of a packet from the source to the destination. To forward a packet, the network protocol needs to know the next node in the path as well as the outgoing interface on which to send the packet. A routing protocol computes such routing information. In general, routing protocols can be divided into two categories: proactive routing protocols and ondemand routing protocols. A proactive routing protocol discovers the network topology and computes the routing information regardless of whether the network protocol has a packet which needs that information. An on-demand routing protocol tries to discover a path to a destination only when the network protocol receives a packet addressed to that destination.

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4.2.8.3.2.1 Command Line Configuration To configure the unicast routing parameters for the command line interface, include the parameters listed in Table 4-64 in the scenario configuration (.config) file.

TABLE 4-64. Parameter ROUTING-PROTOCOL
Optional Scope: All List: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Unicast Routing Parameters Value Description
Name of the routing protocol used at the interface. Note: This parameter must be used to specify the routing protocol at the interface if the node is an IPv4 node or a dual IP node. It can also be used if the node is an IPv6 node. If the node is an IPv6 node and both ROUTING-PROTOCOL and ROUTINGPROTOCOL-IPv6 are specified, then the routing protocol specified by ROUTINGPROTOCOL-IPv6 is used. If the node is an IPv4 node or a dual IP node, then this parameter specifies the IPv4 routing protocol at the interface. If this parameter is set to NONE, no IPv4 routing protocol is used at the interface. If the node is an IPv6 node, then this parameter specifies the IPv6 routing protocol at the interface. If the node is an IPv6 node and this parameter is set to NONE, no IPv6 routing protocol is used at the interface unless one is specified by the parameter ROUTINGPROTOCOL-IPv6.

NONE ANODR AODV BELLMANFORD DSR DYMO EIGRP FISHEYE FSRL IARP IERP IGRP LAR1 OLSR-INRIA OLSRv2-NIIGATA OSPFv2 OSPFv3 RIP STAR ZRP

Default: BELLMANFORD

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Chapter 4 TABLE 4-64. Parameter ROUTING-PROTOCOL-IPv6
Optional Scope: All List: • • • • • • • AODV DYMO NONE OLSR-INRIA OLSRv2-NIIGATA OSPFv3 RIPng

Configuring Scenarios Unicast Routing Parameters (Continued) Value Description
Name of the IPv6 routing protocol used at the interface. Note: This parameter must be used to specify the routing protocol at the interface if the node is a dual IP node. It can also be used if the node is an IPv6 node. If the node is an IPv6 node and both ROUTINGPROTOCOL and ROUTING-PROTOCOLIPv6 are specified, then the routing protocol specified by ROUTINGPROTOCOL-IPv6 is used. If the node is an IPv6 node or a dual IP node, then this parameter specifies the IPv6 routing protocol at the interface. If the node is a dual IP node and this parameter is set to NONE, no IPv6 routing protocol is used at the interface. If the node is an IPv6 node and this parameter is set to NONE, no IPv6 routing protocol is used at the interface unless one is specified by the parameter ROUTING-PROTOCOL.

Default: NONE

IP-FORWARDING
Optional Scope: Global, Node

List: • YES • NO Default: YES List: • YES • NO Default: NO List: • YES • NO Default: NO Integer (> 0) or IPv4 Address

Indication whether the node forwards IP packets.

STATIC-ROUTE
Optional Scope: Global, Node

Indication whether the node uses static routes. See Section 4.2.8.3.2.1.1 for a description of static routes.

DEFAULT-ROUTE
Optional Scope: Global, Node

Indication whether the node uses default routes. See Section 4.2.8.3.2.1.1 for a description of default routes.

DEFAULT-GATEWAY
Optional Scope: Global, Node

Node ID or IPv4 address of the default gateway for the node. If the node receives a packet for which it has no routing information, the node sends the packet to the default gateway, if one is specified; otherwise, the node drops the packet.

Table 4-65 describes the different unicast routing protocols in QualNet. The table also specifies whether a routing protocol is a proactive or on-demand protocol, and if it is supported in IPv4 networks, IPv6 networks, or both. See the corresponding model library for a detailed description of each protocol and its parameters.

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TABLE 4-65. Command Line Name
ANODR

Unicast Routing Protocols Type
On-demand

GUI Name
ANODR

Description
ANonymous On-Demand Routing (ANODR) protocol. This is a secure routing protocol. Ad-hoc On-demand Distance Vector (AODV) routing protocol. Bellman-Ford routing protocol. Dynamic Source Routing (DSR) protocol. DYnamic MANET On-demand (DYMO) routing protocol. Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP). This is a distance vector routing protocol designed for fast convergence.

IP Version(s)
IPv4

Model Library
Network Security Wireless Developer Wireless Wireless Multimedia and Enterprise

AODV BELLMANFORD DSR DYMO EIGRP

AODV Bellman Ford DSR DYMO EIGRP

On-demand Proactive On-demand On-demand Proactive

IPv4, IPv6 IPv4 IPv4 IPv4, IPv6 IPv4

FISHEYE

Fisheye

Fisheye Routing Protocol. This is a link state-based routing protocol.

Proactive

IPv4

Wireless

FSRL

LANMAR

Landmark Ad-hoc Routing (LANMAR) protocol. This protocol uses Fisheye as the local scope routing protocol.

Proactive

IPv4

Wireless

IARP

IARP

IntrA-zone Routing Protocol (IARP) This is a vector-based proactive routing protocol and is a component of ZRP.

Proactive

IPv4

Wireless

IERP

IERP

Inter-zone Routing Protocol (IERP) This is an on-demand routing protocol and is a component of ZRP.

On-demand

IPv4

Wireless

IGRP

IGRP

Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (IGRP). This is a distance vector Interior Gateway protocol (IGP).

Proactive

IPv4

Multimedia and Enterprise Wireless

LAR1

LAR1

Location-Aided Routing (LAR) protocol, version 1. This protocol utilizes location information to improve scalability of routing.

On-demand

IPv4

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Command Line Name
OLSR-INRIA

GUI Name
OLSR INRIA

Description
Optimized Link State Routing (OLSR) protocol. This is a link state-based routing protocol.

Type
Proactive

IP Version(s)
IPv4, IPv6

Model Library
Wireless

OLSRv2NIIGATA

OLSRv2 NIIGATA

Optimized Link State Routing, version 2 (OLSRv2) protocol. This is a successor of the OLSR protocol.

Proactive

IPv4, IPv6

Wireless

OSPFv2

OSPFv2

Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) routing protocol, version 2. This is a link state-based routing protocol for IPv4 networks.

Proactive

IPv4

Multimedia and Enterprise Multimedia and Enterprise Developer Developer

OSPFv3

OSPFv3

Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) routing protocol, version 3. This is a link state-based routing protocol for IPv6 networks.

Proactive

IPv6

RIP RIPng

RIP RIPng

Routing Information Protocol (RIP) routing protocol. Routing Information Protocol, next generation (RIPng) routing protocol. This protocol can be used for IPv6 networks.

Proactive Proactive

IPv4 IPv6

STAR ZRP

STAR ZRP

Source Tree Adaptive Routing (STAR) protocol. Zone Routing Protocol.

Proactive Hybrid (Proactive and Ondemand)

IPv4 IPv4

Wireless Wireless

4.2.8.3.2.1.1 Static and Default Routes Static and default routes are used to pre-configure the IP forwarding table with permanent routes. Static and default routes work in the same manner but have different priorities. Static routes have a higher priority than routes added to the IP forwarding table by dynamic routing protocols, which have a higher priority than default routes. Static routes can be used to bypass dynamic routing protocols for specific destinations. Default routes are usually serve as fallback routes to be used when dynamic routing protocols fail to discover a route. Default routes are also used to direct all packets at a host to its default gateway. If a node is configured to use an on-demand routing protocol (see Table 4-65), then only routes discovered by the routing protocol are used even if static and/or default routes are enabled at the node. If a node is configured to use a proactive routing protocol and static routes are enabled at the node, then the static routes take precedence over routes discovered by the routing protocol. If static routes are disabled at a node and the node is not configured to use any routing protocol, then default routes are used default routes are enabled at the node.

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Configuring Scenarios Refer to Developer Model Library for a description of static and default routes. 4.2.8.3.2.2 GUI Configuration To configure the unicast routing parameters in the GUI, do the following: 1. Go to one of the following locations:

Chapter 4

• To set properties for a specific wireless subnet, go to Wireless Subnet Properties Editor >
Routing Protocol > General. Protocol > General.

• To set properties for a specific wired subnet, go to Wired Subnet Properties Editor > Routing • To set properties for a specific point-to-point link, go to Point-to-point Link Properties Editor >
Point-to-point Link Properties > Routing Protocol.

• To set properties for a specific node, go to Default Device Properties Editor > Node
Configuration > Routing Protocol.

• To set properties for a specific interface of a node, go to one of the following locations: - Interface Properties Editor > Interfaces > Interface # > Routing Protocol - Default Device Properties Editor > Interfaces > Interface # > Routing Protocol.
In this section, we show how to configure unicast routing parameters in the Default Device Properties Editor when Network Protocol is set as Dual IP. Parameters can be set in the other properties editors in a similar way.

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2. Set the unicast routing parameters listed in Table 4-66. The available unicast routing protocols are listed in Table 4-65.

FIGURE 4-41. TABLE 4-66. GUI Parameter
Routing Protocol IPv4

Setting Unicast Routing Parameters for a Dual IP Node Command Line Equivalent of Unicast Routing Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Node, Wireless Subnet, Wired Subnet, Point-to-point Link, Interface Node, Wireless Subnet, Wired Subnet, Point-to-point Link, Interface Node, Wireless Subnet, Wired Subnet, Point-to-point Link, Interface

Command Line Parameter
ROUTING-PROTOCOL

Routing Protocol IPv6

ROUTING-PROTOCOL-IPv6

Enable IP Forwarding

IP-FORWARDING

3. Set the dependent parameters for the selected routing protocol. See the model library referenced in Table 4-65 for details.

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4. To enable static and/or default routes, set the parameters listed in Table 4-67, and set the dependent parameters. Static and default routes are described in Section 4.2.8.3.2.1.

FIGURE 4-42. TABLE 4-67. GUI Parameter
Specify Static Routes Specify Default Routes

Enabling Static and Default Routes for a Node

Command Line Equivalent of Static and Default Route Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Node, Point-to-point Link Node, Point-to-point Link

Command Line Parameter
STATIC-ROUTE DEFAULT-ROUTE

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5. To configure a default gateway for a node, set Configure Default Gateway to Yes and set the dependent parameters listed in Table 4-68.

FIGURE 4-43. TABLE 4-68. GUI Parameter
Default Gateway

Enabling Default Gateway for a Node

Command Line Equivalent of Default Gateway Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Node

Command Line Parameter
DEFAULT-GATEWAY

4.2.8.3.3 Multicast Routing Multicast routing protocols are used to forward packets to groups of nodes. Group formation and management is an integral part of multicasting. Very often (but not always) a group management protocol, such as the Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP), is used to form and manage groups. Thus, for a multicast scenario, IGMP may need to be configured in addition to the multicast routing protocol.

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4.2.8.3.3.1 Command Line Configuration To configure the multicast routing parameters for the command line interface, include the parameters listed in Table 4-69 in the scenario configuration (.config) file. TABLE 4-69. Parameter MULTICAST-PROTOCOL
Optional Scope: All List: • • • • • NONE DVMRP MOSPF ODMRP PIM

Multicast Routing Parameters Value Description
Name of the multicast routing protocol used at the interface. If this parameter is not specified, no multicast routing protocol is used at the interface.

MULTICAST-STATIC-ROUTE
Optional Scope: Global, Node

List: • YES • NO Default: NO List: • IGMP

Indication whether the node uses static multicast routes. See Section 4.2.8.3.3.1.2 for a description of static multicast routes. Group management protocol to be used. Note: If this parameter is not specified, then no group management protocol is used. Name of the multicast membership file. This file specifies when nodes join and leave multicast groups. The format of this file is described in Section 4.2.8.3.3.1.1.

GROUP-MANAGEMENT-PROTOCOL
Optional Scope: Global, Node

MULTICAST-GROUP-FILE
Dependency: MULTICASTPROTOCOL ≠ NONE for some interface Required Scope: Global

Filename

Table 4-70 describes the different multicast routing protocols in QualNet. The table also specifies whether a routing protocol is a proactive or on-demand protocol. See the corresponding model library for a detailed description of each protocol and its parameters. Note: All multicast protocols listed in Table 4-70 are supported only for IPv4 networks.

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Chapter 4 TABLE 4-70. Command Line Name
DVMRP

Configuring Scenarios Multicast Routing Protocols Description
Distance Vector Multiple Routing Protocol (DVMRP) DVMRP is a multicast routing protocol designed for wired networks. It is a tree-based multicast scheme that uses reverse path multicasting.

GUI Name
DVMP

Type
Proactive

Model LIbrary
Multimedia and Enterprise

MOSPF

MOSPF

Multicast Open Path Shortest First (MOSPF) protocol. This is a multicast extension of OSPFv2. MOSPF is a pruned tree-based, multicast scheme that takes advantage of commonality of paths from source to destinations.

Proactive

Multimedia and Enterprise

ODMRP

ODMRP

On-Demand Multicast Routing Protocol (ODMRP). This is a mesh-based, wireless ad-hoc routing protocol for single subnets. It applies a soft ondemand procedures to build routes and uses soft state to maintain multicast group membership.

On-demand

Wireless

PIM

PIM

Protocol Independent Multicast (PIM) routing protocol. PIM relies on an underlying topology-gathering protocol to populate a routing table with routes. The routing table provides the next hop router along a multicast-capable path to each destination subnet. Both sparse mode and dense mode versions of the protocol are supported.

Proactive

Multimedia and Enterprise

4.2.8.3.3.1.1 Format of the Multicast Group File The multicast group file specifies when each node joins or leaves a multicast group. Each line in this file has the following format: <Node ID> <Group ID> <Join Time> <Leave Time> where <Node ID> <Group ID> <Join Time> <Leave Time> Node identifier. IP address of the group to join. Time when the node joins the group. Time when node leaves the group.

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Configuring Scenarios Example: The following lines show a segment of a multicast group file: 5 225.0.0.0 7 225.0.0.0 8 225.0.0.0 9 225.0.0.0 5 225.0.0.0 7 225.0.0.0 ... 1M 13M 2M 13M 3M 30M 4M 30M 17M 30M 17M 30M

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4.2.8.3.3.1.2 Static Multicast Routes Static multicast routes are used to configure permanent multicast routes in the IP multicast forwarding table. These are similar to static and default routes described in Section 4.2.8.3.2. The IP multicast forwarding capability implemented in QualNet does not support multiple routes for the same multicast address discovered by different multicast routing protocols. Thus, if both static multicast routes and multicast routing protocols are configured, the multicast routing protocol may overwrite the static multicast routes. Refer to Developer Model Library for a description of static multicast routes. 4.2.8.3.3.2 GUI Configuration To configure the unicast routing parameters in the GUI, perform the following steps: 1. Go to one of the following locations:

• To set properties for a specific wireless subnet, go to Wireless Subnet Properties Editor >
Routing Protocol > General.

• To set properties for a specific wired subnet, go to Wired Subnet Properties Editor > Routing
Protocol > General.

• To set properties for a specific point-to-point link, go to Point-to-point Link Properties Editor >
Point-to-point Link Properties > Routing Protocol. Configuration > Routing Protocol.

• To set properties for a specific node, go to Default Device Properties Editor > Node • To set properties for a specific interface of a node, go to one of the following locations: - Interface Properties Editor > Interfaces > Interface # > Routing Protocol - Default Device Properties Editor > Interfaces > Interface # > Routing Protocol.
In this section, we show how to configure multicast routing parameters for a node in the Default Device Properties Editor. Parameters can be set in the other properties editors in a similar way.

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2. To configure multicast routing, set Enable Multicast to Yes and set the dependent parameters listed in Table 4-71. The available multicast routing protocols are listed in Table 4-70.

FIGURE 4-44.

Setting Multicast Routing Parameters for a Dual IP Node

TABLE 4-71. GUI Parameter
Group Management Protocol

Command Line Equivalent of Unicast Routing Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Node, Wireless Subnet, Wired Subnet, Point-to-point Link, Interface Node, Wireless Subnet, Wired Subnet, Point-to-point Link, Interface

Command Line Parameter
GROUP-MANAGEMENT-PROTOCOL

Multicast Protocol

MULTICAST-PROTOCOL

3. Set the dependent parameters for the selected multicast protocol. See the model library referenced in Table 4-66 for details.

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4. To enable static multicast routes, set Specify Static Multicast Routes to Yes and set the dependent parameters listed in Table 4-72. Static multicast routes are described in Section 4.2.8.3.3.1.

FIGURE 4-45. TABLE 4-72. GUI Parameter
Specify Static Multicast Routes

Enabling Static and Default Routes for a Node

Command Line Equivalent of Static Multicast Route Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Node, Point-to-point Link

Command Line Parameter
MULTICAST-STATIC-ROUTE

5. Using the Multicast Group Editor, specify the name of the multicast group file or create multicast groups, as described in Section 4.2.8.3.3.2.1.

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4.2.8.3.3.2.1 Multicast Group Editor To launch the Multicast Group Editor, go to the Tools menu and select Multicast Group Editor.

FIGURE 4-46.

Multicast Group Editor

To import multicast groups from a file, click the button next to the Import Multicast Group File and select a file from the file browser. All multicast groups in the selected file are displayed in the left panel. To create a new multicast group, do the following: 1. Set the IP version (IPv4 or IPv6) of the multicast group to be created in the IP Type field. button next to Multicast Groups in the left panel. This creates an empty multicast group 2. Click the of the selected IP type. A default address is assigned to the multicast group. 3. To change the address of a group, select the group and specify a new address in the Multicast Address field. 4. To specify when nodes join and leave a group, select the group in the left panel and do the following: a. Click the button next to Nodes in Multicast Group in the right panel. This creates a new row in

the right panel. Each row in the right panel specifies the times when a node joins and leaves the selected group. By default, each newly created row corresponds to node 1 joining the selected group at the start of simulation and leaving the group at the end of simulation. b. To specify the join and leave times for a node, select the node from the pull-down list in the Node ID column, set the join time in the Join Time column, and set the leave time in the Leave Time column. c. To delete a row, select the row and click the To delete a group, select the group and click the button in the right panel. button in the left panel.

Note:

Adding a node to a multicast group does not automatically enable mutlicasting at that node. To enable multicast at a node, see Section 4.2.8.3.2.2.

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4.2.8.3.4 Schedulers and Queues Since data links have limited capacity, the Network Layer may need to temporarily buffer data packets in queues before handing them to the data link layer. The network protocol usually maintains separate queues for different outgoing interfaces. In addition, for each outgoing interface, it usually maintains multiple queues which have different priorities. Packets are assigned to appropriate queues according to their priorities. When multiple queues are implemented at an interface, a scheme is needed to determine the order in which packets from these queues are transmitted. This scheme is implemented by a scheduler. 4.2.8.3.4.1 Command Line Configuration To configure queues and schedulers for the command line interface, include the parameters listed in Table 4-73 in the scenario configuration (.config) file. TABLE 4-73. Parameter IP-QUEUE-PRIORITY-INPUTQUEUE-SIZE
Optional Scope: All Integer Range: > 0 Default: 150000 Unit: bytes List: • CBQ • DIFFSERVENABLED • ROUND-ROBIN • SELF-CLOCKEDFAIR • STRICTPRIORITY • WEIGHTED-FAIR • WEIGHTEDROUND-ROBIN Integer Range: [1, 256] Number of priority queues at an interface. Type of scheduler at the interface.

Scheduler and Queue Parameters Value Description
Size of each input priority queue.

IP-QUEUE-SCHEDULER
Required Scope: All

IP-QUEUE-NUM-PRIORITIES
Required Scope: All

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Chapter 4 TABLE 4-73. Parameter IP-QUEUE-PRIORITY-QUEUESIZE
Optional Scope: All Instances: queue index Integer Range: > 0 Default: 150000 Unit: bytes List: • • • • FIFO RED RIO WRED

Configuring Scenarios Scheduler and Queue Parameters (Continued) Value Description
Size of each output priority queue.

IP-QUEUE-TYPE
Required Scope: All Instances: queue index

Type of the priority queue.

Table 4-74 describes the different scheduler models in QualNet. See the corresponding model library for a detailed description of each model and its parameters. TABLE 4-74. Command Line Name
CBQ

Scheduler Models Description Model Library
Developer

GUI Name
Class Based Queuing

Class-based queuing algorithm. This algorithm is usually used by DiffServ. Queues are divided into classes. The network protocol allocates bandwidth for each queue. Scheduling is based on the bandwidth available to each class. Differentiated services (DiffServ) quality of service protocol. When this option is selected, DiffServ queues and schedulers are configured. The DiffServ scheduler for IP is a combination of two schedulers: the inner and outer schedulers. Generally, the weighted fair or weighted round-robin scheduler is chosen as the inner scheduler and the strict priority scheduler is chosen as the outer scheduler.

DIFFSERVENABLED

DiffServ

Multimedia and Enterprise

ROUND-ROBIN SELF-CLOCKEDFAIR STRICTPRIORITY

Round Robin Self Clocked Fair Strict Priority

Round-robin scheduler. Queues are scheduled in a round-robin fashion. Self-clocked fair scheduler. Scheduling is based on the Self-Clocked Fair Queuing (SFFQ) algorithm. Strict priority scheduler. Packets are scheduled strictly based on their priority. A packet is scheduled only when all higher priority queues are empty.

Developer Developer

Developer

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Configuring Scenarios TABLE 4-74. Command Line Name
WEIGHTED-FAIR

Chapter 4 Scheduler Models (Continued) Description
Weighted fair scheduler. Scheduling is based on the Weighted Fair Queuing (WFQ) algorithm.

GUI Name
Weighted Fair

Model Library
Developer

WEIGHTEDROUND-ROBIN

Weighted Round Robin

Weighted Round-Robin (WRR) scheduler. This is a variant of the round-robin scheduler. The round-robin scheduler services one packet from each queue in turn. The WRR scheduler services multiple packets from each queue in turn, where the number of packets serviced depends on the queue’s weight.

Developer

Table 4-75 describes the different queue models in QualNet. See the corresponding model library for a detailed description of each model and its parameters. TABLE 4-75. Command Line Name
FIFO

Queue Models Description Model Library
Developer

GUI Name
FIFO

First In First Out (FIFO) queue. This is the basic queue type and is also called the Drop Tail queue. Packets are enqueued as long as there is buffer space available. If the queue is full when a packet arrives, the packet is dropped.

RED

RED

Random Early Drop (RED) queue. This queue is similar to FIFO, except that when the queue length exceeds a certain threshold, arriving packets are randomly dropped with a probability that depends on the queue length.

Developer

RIO

RIO

RED with In/Out bit (RIO) queue. RIO is a multiple average multiple threshold variant of RED that operates two-color and three-color modes. Twin and three RED algorithms are used in two-color and three-color modes, respectively.

Developer

WRED

WRED

Weighted Random Early Drop (WRED) queue. WRED is a variant of RED and uses three RED algorithms for three drop precedence levels.

Developer

4.2.8.3.4.2 GUI Configuration To configure scheduler and queue models in the GUI, perform the following steps: 1. Go to one of the following locations:

• To set properties for a specific wireless subnet, go to Wireless Subnet Properties Editor >
Network Layer > Schedulers and Queues.

• To set properties for a specific node, go to Default Device Properties Editor > Node
Configuration > Network Layer > Schedulers and Queues.

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• To set properties for a specific interface of a node, go to one of the following locations: - Interface Properties Editor > Interfaces > Interface # > Network Layer > Schedulers and
Queues

- Default Device Properties Editor > Interfaces > Interface # > Network Layer > Schedulers and Queues. In this section, we show how to configure scheduler and queue parameters for a node in the Default Device Properties Editor. Parameters can be set in the other properties editors in a similar way. 2. Set the queue and scheduler parameters listed in Table 4-76. The available scheduler models are listed in Table 4-74.

FIGURE 4-47. TABLE 4-76. GUI Parameter
IP Input Queue Size IP Output Queue Scheduler Number of IP Output Queue

Setting Scheduler Parameters

Command Line Equivalent of Scheduler Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Node, Subnet, Interface Node, Subnet, Interface Node, Subnet, Interface

Command Line Parameter
IP-QUEUE-PRIORITY-INPUTQUEUE-SIZE IP-QUEUE-SCHEDULER IP-QUEUE-NUM-PRIORITIES

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3. Specify the type and size of each queue by setting the parameters listed in Table 4-77. The available queue models are listed in Table 4-75.

FIGURE 4-48. TABLE 4-77. GUI Parameter
IP Queue Size IP Queue Type

Setting Queue Parameters

Command Line Equivalent of Queue Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Node, Subnet, Interface Node, Subnet, Interface

Command Line Parameter
IP-QUEUE-PRIORITY-QUEUESIZE IP-QUEUE-TYPE

4. Set the dependent parameters for the selected scheduler and queue models. See the model library referenced in Table 4-74 and Table 4-75 for details.

4.2.8.4 Transport Layer
A transport protocol provides end-to-end data transport services. It serves the Application Layer and allows multiple Application Layer sessions to be multiplexed on the transport services. The two major transport protocols are the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and User Datagram Protocol (UDP). TCP is a connection-based protocol and provides reliable data transmissions with congestion control and flow control. UDP is a simple, connection-less protocol. QualNet also implements another transport protocol, the Traffic Extension to Resource Reservation Protocol (RSVP-TE), which is a special protocol for distributing the labels for MPLS networks. TCP and UDP are always enabled. RSVP-TE can be enabled or disabled.

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4.2.8.4.1 Command Line Configuration To configure RSVP-TE for the command line interface, include the parameters listed in Table 4-78 in the scenario configuration (.config) file. TABLE 4-78. Parameter TRANSPORT-PROTOCOL-RSVP
Optional Scope: Global, Node List: • YES • NO Default: YES

RSVP-TE Protocol Parameters Value Description
Indication whether RSVP-TE is enabled at the node. YES : RSVP-TE is enabled. NO : RSVP-TE is not enabled

Table 4-79 describes the different transport protocols in QualNet. The table also specifies whether a transport protocol is supported in IPv4 networks, IPv6 networks, or both. See the corresponding model library for a detailed description of each protocol and its parameters. TABLE 4-79. Protocol
RSVP-TE

Transport Protocols IP Version(s)
IPv4

Description
Resource Reservation Protocol - Traffic Extension (RSVP-TE). This transport protocol is used to distribute MPLS labels.

Model Library
Developer

TCP

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP). This is a connection-based transport protocol that provides reliable, end-to-end data transmission service.

IPv4, IPv6

Developer

UDP

User Datagram Protocol (UDP). This is a connection-less transport protocol that provides best-effort data transmission service.

IPv4, IPv6

Developer

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Configuring Scenarios 4.2.8.4.2 GUI Configuration To configure RSVP-TE for a specific node, do the following: 1. Go to Default Device Properties Editor > Node Configuration > Transport Layer. 2. To enable or disable RSVP-TE, set the parameter Enable RSVP.

Chapter 4

FIGURE 4-49. TABLE 4-80. GUI Parameter
Enable RSVP

Enabling RSVP-TE for a Node

Command Line Equivalent of RSVP-TE Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Node

Command Line Parameter
TRANSPORT-PROTOCOL-RSVP

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3. To configure TCP parameters, set Configure TCP to Yes and set the dependent parameters. Refer to Developer Model Library for details.

FIGURE 4-50.

Configuring TCP Parameters

4.2.8.5 Application Layer
The Application Layer implements traffic generators which simulate user data traffic, such as FTP, Telnet, etc. Note: In addition to traffic generators, some routing protocols are also implemented at the Application Layer. These routing protocols are described with the Network Layer routing protocols in Section 4.2.8.3.2 and Section 4.2.8.3.3.

4.2.8.5.1 Command Line Configuration Traffic generators are configured in an application configuration file (which usually has the extension “.app”). The name of the application file is specified in the scenario configuration (.config) file. The Application Layer parameters are described in Table 4-81. TABLE 4-81. Parameter APP-CONFIG-FILE
Required Scope: Global

Application Layer Parameters Value Description
Name of the application configuration file. The application file can have any valid file name and extension, but it is recommended that it have the extension .app. The syntax of the application file is described in Section 4.2.8.5.1.1.

Filename

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Table 4-82 describes the different application protocols in QualNet. The table also specifies whether a application protocol is supported in IPv4 networks, IPv6 networks, or both. See the corresponding model library for a detailed description of each protocol and its parameters. TABLE 4-82. Application Protocol Abbreviation
CBR

Traffic Generators IP Version(s)
IPv4, IPv6

Description
Constant Bit Rate (CBR) traffic generator. This UDP-based client-server application sends data from a client to a server at a constant bit rate.

Model Library
Developer

CELLULARABSTRACT-APP FTP

Abstract cellular application. This is an application to generate traffic for networks running abstract cellular models. File Transfer Protocol (FTP). This tcplib application generates TCP traffic based on historical trace data.

IPv4,

Cellular

IPv4, IPv6

Developer

FTP/GENERIC

Generic FTP. This model is similar to the FTP model but allows the user to have more control over the traffic properties. It uses FTP to transfer a user-specified amount of data.

IPv4, IPv6

Developer

GSM

Global System for Mobile communications (GSM). This is an application for generating traffic for GSM networks.

IPv4

Cellular

HTTP

Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). The HTTP application generates realistic web traffic between a client and one or more servers. The traffic is randomly generated based on historical data.

IPv4, IPv6

Developer

LOOKUP

Look-up traffic generator. This is an abstract model of unreliable query/ response traffic, such as DNS look-up, or pinging.

IPv4

Developer

MCBR

Multicast Constant Bit rate (MCBR). This model is similar to CBR and generates multicast constant bit rate traffic.

IPv4

Developer

PHONE-CALL

Phone call application. This model simulates a phone call between two end users in a UMTS network.

IPv4, IPv6

UMTS

SUPERAPPLICATION

Super application. This model can simulate both TCP and UDP flows as well as two-way (request-response type) UDP sessions. Telnet application. This model generates realistic Tenet-style TCP traffic between a client and a server based on historical data. It is part of the tcplib suit of applications.

IPv4, IPv6

Developer

TELNET

IPv4, IPv6

Developer

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Chapter 4 TABLE 4-82. Application Protocol Abbreviation
TRAFFIC-GEN

Configuring Scenarios Traffic Generators (Continued) IP Version(s)
IPv4, IPv6

Description
Random distribution-based traffic generator. This is a flexible UDP traffic generator that supports a variety of data size and interval distributions and QoS parameters.

Model Library
Developer

TRAFFIC-TRACE

Trace file-based traffic generator. This model generates traffic according to a userspecified file, and like Traffic-Gen, it supports QoS parameters.

IPv4

Developer

VBR

Variable Bit Rate (VBR) traffic generator. This model generates fixed-size data packets transmitted using UDP at exponentially distributed time intervals.

IPv4

Developer

VOIP

Voice over IP traffic generator. This model simulates IP telephony sessions.

IPv4

Multimedia and Enterprise

4.2.8.5.1.1 Format of the Application Configuration File The application configuration file specifies all applications (or traffic-generators) in the scenario. The application file can have any valid filename and extension, but it is recommended that it have the extension “.app”. See the file default.app in the folder QUALNET_HOME/scenarios/default for an example of an application file. Each line in the application configuration file specifies one application and has the following format: <Application Name> <Application Parameters> where <Application Name> <Application Parameters> Abbreviation for the application protocol. See Table 4-82. List of parameters for the application protocol. The list of parameters depends on the application. See the application protocol’s description in the model libraries for a description of its parameters. Notes: 1. Each application specification should be on a single line by itself. 2. Comments can be entered any where in the application file (see Section 2.2.1).

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Configuring Scenarios Example: The following lines show a segment of an application configuration file: FTP/GENERIC 1 2 3 512 10 150S FTP 1 2 10 150S TELNET 3 4 10S 150S CBR 19 17 10000 512 5S 70S 100S CBR 11 29 10000 512 2.5S 82.49S 199S

Chapter 4

For some application parameters that take numerical values, it is possible to specify a random distribution instead of a specific numerical value. See Section 2.2.8 for details of specifying random number distributions. 4.2.8.5.2 GUI Configuration In the GUI, traffic-generators can be configured in the following ways:

• By specifying an application configuration file • By configuring applications on the canvas. The following types of applications can be configured: - Client-server applications - Single host applications - Loopback applications
Specifying the Application Configuration File To specify an application configuration file, do the following: 1. Go to Scenario Properties Editor > Supplemental Files. 2. Set Application Configuration File to the name of the application configuration file. See Section 4.2.8.5.1.1 for the format of the Application configuration file.

FIGURE 4-51. TABLE 4-83.

Specifying the Application Configuration File

Command Line Equivalent of Application Configuration File Parameter Scope of GUI Parameter
Global

GUI Parameter
Application Configuration File

Command Line Parameter
APP-CONFIG-FILE

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Chapter 4 Specifying Client-Server Applications on the Canvas To set up a client-server application, do the following: 1. Click on the desired application button in the Applications toolbar.

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2. Click on the source node and drag the mouse to the destination node. A solid green line is drawn from the source to the destination. Figure 4-52 shows a FTP session set up from node 1 to node 3.

FIGURE 4-52.

Types of Applications in a Scenario

3. Set the dependent parameters for the application. See the model library referenced in Table 4-82 for details. Specifying Single Host Applications on the Canvas Single host applications can be used to model multicast applications in which traffic is sent from a source node to a group of destination nodes. To configure a single host application, do the following: 1. Click on the desired application button in the Single Host Applications toolbar. 2. Click on the host node. A symbol appears next to the host node. Figure 4-52 shows a single host application (HTTP) configured at node 6. 3. Set the dependent parameters for the application. See the model library referenced in Table 4-82 for details. Specifying Loopback Applications on the Canvas A loopback application is a special type of client-server application in which the source and destination are the same. To set up a loopback application, do the following: 1. Click on the desired application button in the Applications toolbar.

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Configuring Scenarios 2. Click on the node where you want to configure the application. A

Chapter 4 symbol appears next to the node.

Figure 4-52 shows a loopback application (CBR) configured at node 7. 3. Set the dependent parameters for the application. See the model library referenced in Table 4-82 for details.

4.2.9 Collecting Statistics
The next set of parameters control statistics collection. The statistics parameters determine which statistics are printed to the statistics file for each node. The statistics file generated by running QualNet is named according to the rules described in Section 2.1.1.2. The format of the statistics file is explained in Section 2.3.

4.2.9.1 Command Line Configuration
Table 4-84 lists the statistics parameters. For the sake of brevity, this table uses a different format than the other parameter tables and should be interpreted as follows:

• Each parameter is optional. • The possible values of each parameter are: YES or NO. YES indicates that the statistic is enabled for the node (or interface or instance) and NO indicates that the statistic is disabled.

• The default value of each parameter is indicated in the second column of the table. • Each parameter can be specified at the global and node level. In addition, if the parameter can be specified at the subnet and interface level, that is indicated in the third column in the table.

• If the parameter can have multiple instances, that is indicated in the fourth column of the table. • The last column has the description of the parameter and any conditions that may apply to the parameter. TABLE 4-84. Statistics Parameters

Parameter
ACCESS-LIST-STATISTICS APPLICATION-STATISTICS ARP-STATISTICS BATTERY-MODEL-STATISTICS CELLULAR-STATISTICS DIFFSERV-EDGE-ROUTERSTATISTICS ENERGY-MODEL-STATISTICS EXTERIOR-GATEWAY-PROTOCOL- STATISTICS GSM-STATISTICS HOST-STATISTICS ICMP-STATISTICS

Default Value
NO YES YES NO YES NO YES YES NO NO NO

Interface/ Subnet Qualifier Allowed?
No No No No No No Yes No No No No

Instances Allowed?
No No No No No No No No No No No

Description
Statistics for the access list model. Statistics for traffic generators. Statistics for the Address Resolution Protocol (ARP). Statistics for the battery model. Statistics for the abstract cellular models. Statistics for the DiffServ Edge router. Statistics for the energy model. Statistics for the Exterior Gateway Protocol. Statistics for GSM models. Host properties, such as the host name, etc. Statistics for the Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP).

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Chapter 4 TABLE 4-84. Statistics Parameters (Continued) Interface/ Subnet Qualifier Allowed?
No Yes Yes Yes No No No

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Parameter
IGMP-STATISTICS INPUT-QUEUE-STATISTICS INPUT-SCHEDULER-STATISTICS MAC-LAYER-STATISTICS MOBILE-IP-STATISTICS MOBILITY-STATISTICS MPLS-LDP-STATISTICS

Default Value
NO NO NO YES NO NO NO

Instances Allowed?
No No No No No No No

Description
Statistics for the Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP). Statistics for the input queues. Statistics for the input schedulers. Statistics for MAC Layer protocols. Statistics for the Mobile IP protocol. Statistics for mobility models. Statistics for Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) Label Distribution Protocol. Statistics for MPLS. Statistics for the Neighbor Discovery Protocol (NDP). Statistics for Network Layer protocols. Statistics for Physical Layer protocols. Statistics for Policy-based Routing. Statistics for the QoS Extensions to Open Shortest Path First (QOSPF) protocol. Statistics for the output queues. Statistics for route redistribution. Statistics for routing protocols. Statistics for the Resource Reservation Protocol (RSVP). Statistics for the Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP). Statistics for the output schedulers. Statistics for the output scheduler graphs. Statistics for the ATM Signaling protocol Statistics for the Scalable Reliable Multicast (SRM) protocol. Statistics for a port of the switch. Statistics for the switch queues.

MPLS-STATISTICS NDP-STATISTICS NETWORK-LAYER-STATISTICS PHY-LAYER-STATISTICS POLICY-ROUTING-STATISTICS QOSPF-STATISTICS

NO NO YES YES NO NO

Yes No No Yes No No

No No No No No No

QUEUE-STATISTICS ROUTE-REDISTRIBUTION- STATISTICS ROUTING-STATISTICS RSVP-STATISTICS RTP-STATISTICS SCHEDULER-STATISTICS SCHEDULER-GRAPH-STATISTICS VOIP-SIGNALLING-STATISTICS SRM-STATISTICS SWITCH-PORT-STATISTICS SWITCH-QUEUE-STATISTICS

YES NO YES NO YES NO NO NO YES NO NO

Yes No No No No Yes Yes No No Yes Yes

No No No No No No No No No Yes Yes

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Configuring Scenarios TABLE 4-84. Statistics Parameters (Continued) Interface/ Subnet Qualifier Allowed?
Yes No No

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Parameter
SWITCH-SCHEDULER-STATISTICS TCP-STATISTICS UDP-STATISTICS

Default Value
NO YES YES

Instances Allowed?
Yes No No

Description
Statistics for the switch schedulers. Statistics for the TCP protocol. Statistics for the UDP protocol.

Statistics Parameter for HLA Interface In addition to the statistics parameters listed in Table 4-84, there is an additional parameter, HLADYNAMIC-STATISTICS, for enabling dynamic statistics for an HLA interface. Like the other statistics parameters, this parameter is optional and can take the value YES or NO. However, this parameter can only be specified at the global level and its default value is YES.

4.2.9.2 GUI Configuration
To configure statistics collection in the GUI, do the following: 1. Go to one of the following locations:

• To enable statistics collection at the global level, go to Scenario Properties Editor > Statistics and
Tracing > File Statistics.

• To enable statistics collection for a specific node, go to Default Device Properties Editor > Node
Configuration > File Statistics.

• To enable statistics collection for a specific interface of a node, go to one of the following locations: - Interface Properties Editor > Interfaces > Interface # > File Statistics. - Default Device Properties Editor > Interfaces > Interface # > File Statistics.
In this section, we show how to configure statistics parameters for a node in the Default Device Properties Editor. Parameters can be set in the other properties editors in a similar way.

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2. Select the statistics to collect by checking or unchecking the appropriate boxes. See Table 4-84 for the list of available statistics.

FIGURE 4-53.

Enabling Statistics for a Node

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4.2.10 Tracing Packet Headers
QualNet provides tracing capabilities that enable a packet to be traced as it traverses the protocol stack at each node on the path from the source to the destination. Parameters that control the trace information printed are explained in this section. The trace file generated by running QualNet has the extension “.trace” and is named according to the rules described in Section 2.1.1.2. The format of the trace file is a little involved and is explained in QualNet Programmer’s Guide.

4.2.10.1 Command Line Configuration
To enable packet tracing in the command line interface, include the parameters listed in Table 4-85 and Table 4-86 in the scenario configuration (.config) file. Table 4-85 lists the higher-level trace parameters. Trace parameters for individual protocols are listed in Table 4-86. TABLE 4-85. Parameter PACKET-TRACE
Optional Scope: Global List: • YES • NO Default: NO List: • YES • NO Default: NO List: • INPUT • OUTPUT • BOTH Default: BOTH Indicates whether tracing is enabled for all protocols. YES : Packet tracing is enabled for all protocols. NO : Packet tracing is not enabled for all protocols.

Trace Parameters Description
Indicates whether packet tracing is enabled. YES : Packet tracing is enabled. NO : Packet tracing is disabled.

Value

TRACE-ALL
Optional Scope: Global, Node

TRACE-DIRECTION
Optional Scope: Global, Node

Indicates whether tracing is enabled for incoming packets, outgoing packets, or both. INPUT BOTH : Only incoming packets are traced. : Both incoming and outgoing packets are traced. OUTPUT : Only outgoing packets are traced.

TRACE-INCLUDED-HEADERS
Optional Scope: Global, Node

List: • ALL • SELECTED • NONE Default: NONE

Indicates whether upper layer headers are included in the trace. The use of this parameter is explained in Section 4.2.10.1.1.

TRACE-APPLICATION-LAYER
Optional Scope: Global, Node

List: • YES • NO Default: YES

Indicates whether tracing is enabled at the Application Layer. YES : Packet tracing is enabled at the Application Layer. NO : Packet tracing is disabled at the Application Layer.

If this parameter is included, then it takes precedence over parameter TRACE-ALL.

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Chapter 4 TABLE 4-85. Parameter TRACE-TRANSPORT-LAYER
Optional Scope: Global, Node List: • YES • NO Default: YES

Configuring Scenarios Trace Parameters (Continued) Value Description
Indicates whether tracing is enabled at the Transport Layer. YES : Packet tracing is enabled at the Transport Layer. NO : Packet tracing is disabled at the Transport Layer.

If this parameter is included, then it takes precedence over parameter TRACE-ALL.

TRACE-NETWORK-LAYER
Optional Scope: Global, Node

List: • YES • NO Default: YES

Indicates whether tracing is enabled at the Network Layer. YES : Packet tracing is enabled at the Network Layer. NO : Packet tracing is disabled at the Network Layer.

If this parameter is included, then it takes precedence over parameter TRACE-ALL.

TRACE-MAC-LAYER
Optional Scope: Global, Node

List: • YES • NO Default: YES

Indicates whether tracing is enabled at the MAC Layer. YES : Packet tracing is enabled at the MAC Layer. NO : Packet tracing is disabled at the MAC Layer.

If this parameter is included, then it takes precedence over parameter TRACE-ALL.

Whether tracing is enabled at a layer is determined by the parameter TRACE-ALL and the trace parameter for the layer. By default, TRACE-ALL is NO and all the layer trace parameters are YES. To selectively enable tracing at specific layers, do one of the following:

• Set TRACE-ALL to YES and selectively disable tracing at a specific layer by setting the corresponding parameter to NO.

• Set TRACE-ALL to NO and selectively enable tracing at a specific layer by setting the corresponding parameter to YES. Table 4-86 lists the packet tracing parameters for protocols. For the sake of brevity, this table uses a different format than the other parameter tables and should be interpreted as follows:

• The name of the parameter indicates the protocol that it is applicable to, e.g., TRACE-CBR is the trace parameter for the Constant Bit Rate (CBR) protocol. The second column in the table lists the layer at which the protocol operates.

• Each parameter is optional. • The possible values of each parameter are: YES or NO. If this parameter is set to NO or if tracing is disabled for the protocol’s layer (as explained above), then tracing is disabled for the protocol; otherwise, tracing is enabled for the protocol.

• The default value of each parameter is NO. • Each parameter can be specified at the global and node level. • Instances are not allowed for any of the parameters.

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TABLE 4-86. Parameter
TRACE-CBR TRACE-GEN-FTP

Protocol Trace Parameters Protocol Layer
Application Application Application Application Transport Transport Network Network Network Network Network Network Network Network Network Network Network Network Network

TRACE-SUPERAPPLICATION TRACE-TRAFFIC-GEN TRACE-TCP TRACE-UDP TRACE-AODV TRACE-BELLMANFORD TRACE-DSR (see note) TRACE-DYMO TRACE-ICMP TRACE-ICMPV6 TRACE-IP TRACE-IPV6 TRACE-ODMRP TRACE-OLSR TRACE-OSPFv2 TRACE-OSPFv3 TRACE-RIPNG

Note:

If TRACE-DSR is set to YES, then a separate trace file (called “dsrTrace.asc”) is generated, which contains the trace information for the DSR protocol. The format of this file is different from the trace (.trace) file, which contains all other trace information.

4.2.10.1.1 Headers Printed in a Trace Record The trace information is printed to a trace file in the form of trace records. Each trace record includes information such as the originating node ID, message sequence number, simulation time, and one or more headers in the packet. The following rules determine which headers are included in a trace record:

• The header of the protocol that initiates the trace (initiating protocol) is always printed. • An upper layer header that is included in the packet is printed only if at least one of the following conditions is satisfied: - Parameter INCLUDED-HEADER is set to SELECTED and tracing is enabled for the upper layer protocol - Parameter INCLUDED-HEADER is set to ALL and tracing is enabled for the initiating protocol

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4.2.10.2 GUI Configuration
In the GUI, packet tracing can be enabled only at the global level. The other packet tracing parameters can be set at the global and node levels. To configure packet tracing parameters, do the following: 1. Go to one of the following locations:

• To configure packet tracing parameters at the global level, go to Scenario Properties Editor >
Statistics and Tracing > Packet Tracing.

• To configure packet tracing parameters a specific node, go to Default Device Properties Editor >
Node Configuration > Packet Tracing. In this section, we show how to configure packet tracing parameters in the Scenario Properties Editor. Parameters can be set in the other properties editors in a similar way. 2. To enable packet tracing, set Enable Packet Tracing to Yes and set the dependent parameters listed in Table 4-87.

FIGURE 4-54. TABLE 4-87. GUI Parameter
Enable Packet Tracing Trace All Trace Direction Trace Included Headers

Enabling Packet Tracing

Command Line Equivalent of Packet Tracing Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Global Global, Node Global, Node Global, Node

Command Line Parameter
PACKET-TRACE TRACE-ALL TRACE-DIRECTION TRACE-INCLUDED-HEADERS

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3. To selectively enable packet tracing for individual layers, set Trace All to No and set the dependent parameters listed Table 4-88.

FIGURE 4-55. TABLE 4-88.

Enabling Packet Tracing for Specific Layers

Command Line Equivalent of Packet Tracing Parameters for Specific Layers Scope of GUI Parameter
Global, Node Global, Node Global, Node Global, Node

GUI Parameter
Trace All Application Layer Protocols Trace All Transport Layer Protocols Trace All Network Layer Protocols Trace All MAC Layer Protocols

Command Line Parameter
TRACE-APPLICATION-LAYER TRACE-TRANSPORT-LAYER TRACE-NETWORK-LAYER TRACE-MAC-LAYER

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4. To selectively enable packet tracing for a protocol, disable packet tracing of all protocols at the layer and enable packet tracing for the specific protocol by checking the appropriate box. For example, to enable packet tracing for CBR and disable packet tracing for all other application layer protocols, set Trace All Application Layer Protocols to No and check the box Trace CBR.

FIGURE 4-56.

Enable Packet Tracing for Specific Protocols

Packet tracing for the other protocols can be selectively enabled in a similar way. TABLE 4-89. GUI Parameter
Trace CBR Trace TRAFFIC-GEN Trace FTP-GENERIC Trace SUPERAPPLICATION Trace TCP Trace UDP Trace IPv4 Trace IPV6 Trace ICMP Trace ICMPV6 Trace AODV Trace DYMO Trace OSPF

Command Line Equivalent of Protocol Trace Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Global, Node Global, Node Global, Node Global, Node Global, Node Global, Node Global, Node Global, Node Global, Node Global, Node Global, Node Global, Node Global, Node

Command Line Parameter
TRACE-CBR TRACE-TRAFFIC-GEN TRACE-GEN-FTP TRACE-SUPERAPPLICATION TRACE-TCP TRACE-UDP TRACE-IP TRACE-IPV6 TRACE-ICMP TRACE-ICMPV6 TRACE-AODV TRACE-DYMO TRACE-OSPFv2

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Configuring Scenarios TABLE 4-89.

Chapter 4 Command Line Equivalent of Protocol Trace Parameters (Continued) Scope of GUI Parameter
Global, Node Global, Node Global, Node Global, Node Global, Node Global, Node

GUI Parameter
Trace OSPFv3 Trace OLSR Trace BELLMANFORD Trace RIPng Trace ODMRP Trace DSR

Command Line Parameter
TRACE-OSPFv3 TRACE-OLSR TRACE-BELLMANFORD TRACE-RIPNG TRACE-ODMRP TRACE-DSR

Note:

If TRACE-DSR is enabled, then a separate trace file (called “dsrTrace.asc”) is generated, which contains the trace information for the DSR protocol. The format of this file is different from the trace (.trace) file, which contains all other trace information.

4.2.11 Enabling Runtime Features
Architect provides features for interacting with the simulator during scenario execution and for displaying dynamic information that is useful for analyzing scenarios. This section describes how to configure parameters to enable these features.

4.2.11.1 Dynamic Parameters
Some models in QualNet implement dynamic parameters to enable interaction with the simulator during run time. Values of dynamic parameters can be observed and/or modified during the simulation. Some dynamic parameters are read-only, i.e., the user can watch their values (for example, IP fragmentation unit size). Other dynamic parameters can be modified by the user during the simulation (for example, transmission power). Values of dynamic parameters can be observed and/or modified in Visualize mode of Architect, as described in Section 5.4.4.2 and Section 5.5.4. This section describes how to enable dynamic parameters. 4.2.11.1.1 Command Line Configuration To enable dynamic parameters in the command line interface, include the parameters listed in Table 4-90 in the scenario configuration (.config) file. TABLE 4-90. Parameter DYNAMIC-ENABLED
Optional Scope: Global List: • YES • NO Default: NO List: • YES • NO Default: NO Indicates whether partition level dynamic parameters are enabled for the scenario.

Dynamic Parameters Configuration Parameters Value Description
Indicates whether dynamic parameters are enabled for the scenario.

DYNAMIC-PARTITION-ENABLED
Optional Scope: Global

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Chapter 4 TABLE 4-90. Parameter DYNAMIC-NODE-ENABLED
Optional Scope: Global List: • YES • NO Default: NO List: • YES • NO Default: NO List: • YES • NO Default: NO List: • YES • NO Default: NO List: • YES • NO Default: NO List: • YES • NO Default: NO

Configuring Scenarios Dynamic Parameters Configuration Parameters (Continued) Value Description
Indicates whether node level dynamic parameters are enabled for the scenario.

DYNAMIC-PHY-ENABLED
Optional Scope: Global

Indicates whether physical layer dynamic parameters are enabled for the scenario.

DYNAMIC-MAC-ENABLED
Optional Scope: Global

Indicates whether MAC layer dynamic parameters are enabled for the scenario.

DYNAMIC-NETWORK-ENABLED
Optional Scope: Global

Indicates whether network layer dynamic parameters are enabled for the scenario.

DYNAMIC-TRANSPORT-ENABLED
Optional Scope: Global

Indicates whether transport layer dynamic parameters are enabled for the scenario.

DYNAMIC-APP-ENABLED
Optional Scope: Global

Indicates whether application layer dynamic parameters are enabled for the scenario.

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Configuring the Multi-core/Multi-processor Environment 4.2.11.1.2 GUI Configuration To enable dynamic parameters in the GUI, do the following: 1. Go to Scenario Properties Editor > General > Dynamic Parameters. 2. Set Enable Dynamic Parameters to Yes and set the dependent parameters.

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FIGURE 4-57. TABLE 4-91.

Enabling Dynamic Parameters

Command Line Equivalent of Dynamic Parameters Configuration Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Global Global Global Global Global Global Global Global

GUI Parameter
Enable Dynamic Parameters Enable for the Partition Enable for the Nodes Enable for the Physical Layer Enable for the MAC Layer Enable for the Network Layer Enable for the Transport Layer Enable for the Application Layer

Command Line Parameter
DYNAMIC-ENABLED DYNAMIC-PARTITION-ENABLED DYNAMIC-NODE-ENABLED DYNAMIC-PHY-ENABLED DYNAMIC-MAC-ENABLED DYNAMIC-NETWORK-ENABLED DYNAMIC-TRASNPORT-ENABLED DYNAMIC-APP-ENABLED

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4.3 Configuring the Multi-core/Multi-processor Environment
QualNet is designed to take advantage of multiple processing units (cores or processors) to achieve speed-up. When QualNet is run on a multi-core or multi-processor system, simulation tasks can be distributed among the processing units. This can potentially result in faster simulations. There are two types of multi-processing unit systems: shared memory systems and distributed systems. When QualNet is run on a shared memory system, compilation and setting the environment do not require any additional steps. To run QualNet on a shared memory system from the command line, the number of processing units is specified by using the -np option (see Section 2.1.2).

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When running QualNet on a distributed system, the process for compilation and setting the environment is different. See QualNet Distributed Reference Guide for instructions for compiling, setting the environment, and running QualNet on distributed systems. For running QualNet on multiple processing units, all nodes in the scenario have to be divided into partitions. Each partition is assigned to one processing unit. The partitioning of nodes can be done automatically by QualNet, or the user may opt to do the partitioning manually. This step is applies to both shared memory and distributed systems.

4.3.1 Command Line Configuration
Table 4-92 describes the partitioning parameters. TABLE 4-92. Parameter PARTITION-SCHEME
Optional Scope: Global List: • AUTO • MANUAL Default: AUTO

Partitioning Parameters Description
Scheme for distribution (partitioning) of nodes among processors. AUTO: Nodes are assigned to partitions automatically. Nodes are distributed in a card dealing fashion in the order in which the node identifiers appear in the scenario configuration (.config) file. MANUAL: Each node is assigned to a partition by the user by using the PARTITION parameter.

Value

PARTITION
Optional Scope: Node

Integer Range: [0, N-1] (see description)

Partition number to which the node belongs. The partition number should be between 0 and N-1, where N is the number of processors specified on the command line (see Section 2.1.2). Note: This parameter must be specified if PARTITION-SCHEME is set to MANUAL

Example: Including the following parameters in the scenario configuration (.config) file places nodes 1 through 10 in partition 0 and nodes 11 through 20 in partition 1: PARTITION-SCHEME MANUAL [1 thru 10] PARTITION 0 [11 thru 20] PARTITION 1 To run a scenario on a shared-memory system with two processing units, use the following command.

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qualnet scenario.config -np 2 Limitations Running QualNet on multiple processing units is subject to the following limitations:

• 802.3, Switched Ethernet, and Wormhole MAC: If automatic node partitioning is selected, then all

nodes belonging to a 802.3 subnet, to a switched ethernet subnet, or to a subnet with MAC protocol as Wormhole MAC are placed in the same partition. If manual node partitioning is selected, then the user must place all nodes belonging to a 802.3 subnet or to a switched ethernet subnet in the same partition. it is supported on distributed (MPI) systems.

• TIREM: The TIREM propagation model does not work properly on shared memory systems. However,

4.3.2 GUI Configuration
To configure a scenario for a multi-processor environment in the GUI, the partitioning scheme is configured at the global level and partition numbers are assigned to nodes at the node level. Configuring Partitioning Scheme To configure the partitioning scheme in the GUI, do the following: 1. Go to Scenario Properties Editor > General > Parallel Settings. 2. Set Parallel Partition Scheme to the desired value.

FIGURE 4-58. TABLE 4-93. GUI Parameter
Parallel Partition Scheme

Specifying Partitioning Scheme

Command Line Equivalent of Partition Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Global

Command Line Parameter
PARTITION-SCHEME

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Configuring Partition Numbers To configure the partition number for a node in the GUI, do the following: 1. Go to Default Device Properties Editor > General. 2. Set Partition to the desired value.

FIGURE 4-59. TABLE 4-94. GUI Parameter
Partition

Specifying the Partitioning Scheme

Command Line Equivalent of Partitioning Scheme Parameters Scope of GUI Parameter
Node

Command Line Parameter
PARTITION

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4.4 Execution Speed and Accuracy Trade-off
In simulation of wireless networks, calculation of pathloss between transmitters and receivers presents a significant computational overhead. Detailed pathloss calculations yield more accurate simulation results, but at the expense of simulation speed. Simulation performance can be improved if pathloss calculations are abstracted, but this typically results in the loss of accuracy. This section describes parameters that can be configured to achieve the desired trade-off between speed and accuracy. A common technique to improve the performance of a wireless network simulation is to limit the number of signal strength computations using some common assumptions. One such assumption is that nodes that are far away from each other cannot communicate directly and their signals do not interfere with each other. However, directionally transmitted signals with high EIRP (Effective Isotropic Radiated Power) do propagate over a long distance and may cause high interference at far sight. Further, even if a single signal does not cause noticeable interference, power from many weak signals can be accumulated enough to cause high interference. Therefore, failing to consider such signals could introduce high inaccuracy in the network performance prediction. This section describes parameters that can be used to optimize the simulation's run-time performance by reducing the amount of wireless signal propagation computation. Appropriate values for these parameters depend on the scenario and the desired trade-off between speed and accuracy.

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Section 4.4.1describes how to configure the speed and accuracy trade-off parameters and Section 4.4.2 describes the parameters in detail.

4.4.1 Configuring Speed and Accuracy Trade-off Parameters
This section describes how to configure the speed and accuracy trade-off parameters for the command line interface and in the GUI.

4.4.1.1 Command Line Configuration
To configure the speed and accuracy trade-off parameters for the command line interface, include the parameters listed in Table 4-95 in the scenario configuration (.config) file.

TABLE 4-95. Parameter

Simulation Speed and Accuracy Trade-off Parameters Value
Real Range: > 0.0 Default: 0.0 (see note) Unit: meters

Description
Maximum distance for which a node’s transmission is considered for communication or interference (see Section 4.4.2.1). Note: If this parameter is set to 0.0, then it is not considered in the estimation of a node’s propagation range, i.e., the maximum distance is effectively infinity. In this case, the propagation range is determined only by the parameter PROPAGATION-LIMIT. Threshold for delivering signals to nodes. Signals received with power below this limit (before accounting for antenna gain at the receiver) are not delivered to nodes. This parameter is meant for optimizing simulation performance. A lower value of the parameter results in a more accurate simulation but at the expense of longer execution time (see Section 4.4.2.2). Distance by which a node moves in a single step. The mobility position granularity also impacts the frequency of pathloss updates, and hence the accuracy and execution speed. See Section 4.4.2.3.

PROPAGATION-MAX-DISTANCE
Optional Scope: Global Instances: channel index

PROPAGATION-LIMIT
Optional Scope: Global Instances: channel index

Real Default: -110.0 Unit: dBm

MOBILITY-POSITIONGRANULARITY
Optional Scope: Global, Node

Real Range: > 0.0 Default: 1.0 Unit: meters

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Chapter 4 TABLE 4-95. Parameter PROPAGATIONCOMMUNICATION-PROXIMITY
Optional Scope: Global Instances: channel index Real Range: > 0.0 Default: 400.0 Unit: meters Real Range: [0.0, 1.0] Default: 0.0

Execution Speed and Accuracy Trade-off Simulation Speed and Accuracy Trade-off Parameters (Continued) Value Description
Communication proximity used to calculate the frequency of pathloss updates (see Section 4.4.2.4). This parameter should be set to the approximate optimistic radio range.

PROPAGATION-PROFILEUPDATE-RATIO
Optional Scope: Global Instances: channel index

Update ratio used to calculate the frequency of pathloss updates (see Section 4.4.2.4). A larger value of this parameter results in a more aggressive optimization.

Note:

Parameters MOBILITY-POSITION-GRANULARITY, PROPAGATION-COMMUNICATIONPROXIMITY, and PROPAGATION-PROFILE-UPDATE-RATIO do not work properly when certain external programs (such as HLA) control nodes’ mobility.

4.4.1.2 GUI Configuration
See Section 4.2.6.2 and Section 4.2.7.2 for configuring speed and accuracy trade-off parameters for the GUI.

4.4.2 Relationship between Speed and Accuracy Trade-off Parameters
This section describes the relationship between the execution speed and accuracy trade-off parameters. Figure 4-60 gives a pictorial view of how the parameters should be set. PROPAGATION-COMMUNICATIONPROXIMITY should be somewhat larger than (perhaps 1.5 times) the effective radio range, and PROPAGATION-MAX-DISTANCE should be as close as possible to the distance where the PROPAGATIONLIMIT takes effect.

Communication Proximity

Propagation Limit

Radio Range

Max Distance

FIGURE 4-60.

Relationship between Speed and Accuracy Trade-off Parameters

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4.4.2.1 Maximum Propagation Distance Parameter
The PROPAGATION-MAX-DISTANCE parameter is used to strictly prohibit communications between nodes that are far apart. Transmissions to nodes that are more than this distance away are ignored in signal strength calculations. By default, this optimization is disabled (the maximum propagation distance is assumed to be infinity), i.e., signal strength is calculated for all nodes listening to the transmit channel. Because out-of-range signals are still used to calculate interference, this value should be set to several times larger than the normal communication range of the radios in use: at least 5 times larger for ground based radios and 10 times for airborne radios. An ideal value would be the distance just outside the range projected by the PROPAGATION-LIMIT parameter.

4.4.2.2 Propagation Limit Parameter
The PROPAGATION-LIMIT parameter sets the propagation limit: signals calculated to have less receive power (before accounting for antenna gain at the receiver) than this limit will not be delivered. Most other discrete-event simulation tools limit the propagation of signals substantially in order to improve the runtime performance without examining the validity of the propagation limit. By setting an overly short propagation limit, the simulator can not only save the computation for propagation path profiling, but also the number of events to be scheduled for interference. However, the prediction of network performance becomes highly inaccurate as the amount of interference is significantly underestimated. An appropriate value for this variable depends on the capabilities of the radios being simulated. The limit should be lower for highly sensitive radios that can receive low power signals. A good value can be determined empirically by running a scenario repeatedly while raising the limit and keeping the highest value that doesn't significantly impact the network performance.

4.4.2.3 Mobility Granularity Parameter
The MOBILITY-POSITION-GRANULARITY parameter specifies the distance by which a node moves in each step, i.e., the minimum distance by which the node moves when its position is updated. Since signal strength between two nodes only needs to be recalculated when one of the nodes’ position is updated, mobility distance granularity affects the number of position updates as well as the number of signal strength calculations. Finer position granularity leads to more position updates, more pathloss updates, and generally greater accuracy. Courser granularity leads to fewer position and pathloss updates and less accuracy, but faster execution.

4.4.2.4 Communication Proximity and Update Ratio Parameters
The parameters PROPAGATION-COMMUNICATION-PROXIMITY and PROPAGATION-PROFILE-UPDATERATIO work together to limit the number of signal computations for nodes that are out of the normal communication range of the radios being used, but still within the propagation limit and the maximum communication distance, as described earlier: When nodes are within, or just outside the nominal communication range of their radio systems, the strength of signals between the two nodes should be calculated with the highest possible fidelity. But signals between nodes which are farther apart can be treated more abstractly. When this optimization is activated, i.e., when these two parameters are specified for a channel, the frequency of signal strength recomputations decreases as the distance between the transmitting and receiving nodes increases.

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The signal strength is recomputed only when the distance between the nodes changes by the larger of MOBILITY-POSITION-GRANULARITY and min-distance, where min-distance is calculated by the following formula: min-distance = (Current-Distance - PROPAGATION-COMMUNICATION-PROXIMITY) * PROPAGATION-PROFILE-UPDATE-RATIO where Current-Distance Current distance between the nodes.

The nodes’ positions continue to be updated according to the given mobility position granularity, but not all such moves cause a new computation of pathloss. Similar to propagation limit and mobility distance granularity optimizations, this optimization may affect the accuracy of the simulation and, therefore, the values must be carefully chosen.

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4.5 Advanced Features in Network Modeling
This section gives an overview of some advanced features used in network simulation. The details of each feature are provided in the model libraries.

4.5.1 Battery Models
Battery models capture the characteristics of real-life batteries and can be used to predict their behavior under different design choices, such as system architecture, power management policy, etc. Battery models capture the characteristics of real-life batteries, and can be used to predict their behavior under different design choices, such as system architecture, power management policy, etc. Battery models are useful tools for a battery-driven system design approach, because they enable analysis of the discharge behavior of the battery under different design choices (for example, system architectures, power management policies, and transmission power control), without resorting to time consuming (and expensive) prototyping and measurement for each alternative. QualNet provides several battery models which are described in Wireless Model Library.

4.5.2 Custom Antenna Models
QualNet supports three standard antenna models: omni-directional, switched-beam, and steerable. The antenna gain for the omni-directional antenna is the same in all directions. For switched-beam and steerable antennas, the antenna gains in different directions are read from the azimuth pattern file and (optionally) the elevation pattern file. These pattern files are specified using the traditional format. QualNet also supports the patterned antenna model, which uses pattern files that can be specified in Open-ASCII (2-D and 3-D) and NSMA formats, in addition to the traditional format. The patterned antenna model is highly customizable. Another input file, the antenna model file, is used for the patterned antenna model. The name of the antenna model file is specified in the scenario configuration (.config) file by using the parameter ANTENNA-MODEL-CONFIG-FILE (see Section 4.2.8.1.3). The antenna model file contains definitions of one or more antenna models. Each antenna model definition comprises a model name followed by the parameters for that model. The configuration (.config) file refers to a model in the antenna model file by the model’s name.

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Note:

The antenna model file can also be used for defining customized omni-directional, switched-beam, and steerable antenna models as well. In this case, a set of values for the antenna parameters (gain, height, efficiency, different losses, and azimuth and elevation pattern files) are associated together and given an antenna model name. This name can be used in the scenario configuration (.config) file to assign an antenna model to a node.

Custom antenna models are of four types: omni-directional, switched-beam, steerable, and patterned. The antenna model file supports many parameters that allow detailed descriptions of patterned antenna models. Refer to Wireless Model Library for a description of custom antenna models.

4.5.3 Weather Effects
Weather effects can affect signal propagation. Weather patterns that move can be modeled in QualNet. A weather configuration file is used to specify the shape, movement, altitude, and intensity of one or more weather patterns. This information is used in pathloss calculations. Refer to Wireless Model Library for details of configuring weather effects.

4.5.4 Switches
Switches are MAC Layer devices that connect multiple LAN segments and perform the following functions:

• Provide physical isolation of segments • Eliminate collision between segments • Provide buffering of frames
The switched model is based on the IEEE 802.1 specification and implements the following features:

• Conformance with the MAC protocol models implemented at the switch ports. Currently, two models are supported – Link and MAC 802.3.

• Relay of frames between ports including conversion of frame format, if required. • Basic filtering service to enable relay between ports of the switch. • Multiple priority queue-based buffering at each port. However, the supported MAC protocols do not carry priority information in frames.

• Spanning tree algorithm to determine a loop-free path between connected LANs.
Refer to Multimedia and Enterprise Model Library for details of the switch model.

4.5.5 Interface Faults
Faults can occur at specific interfaces of a node. Faults are modeled by means of a fault file which specifies the up and down times of interfaces affected by faults. Faults can be static or dynamic. A static fault causes an interface to be unavailable at a pre-determined time for a pre-determined length of time. A dynamic fault can occur at a random time for a random length of time and may occur repeatedly. Refer to Developer Model Library for details of specifying faults.

4.5.6 Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM)
Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) is a connection-oriented cell relay protocol. Information bit streams are conveyed in small fixed-size cells (53 bytes). The ATM model in QualNet implements the ATM layer 2,

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ATM signaling layer, and ATM Adaptation Layer Type 5 (AAL5). It also supports interoperability between IP networks and ATM networks, known as IP over ATM. The following features are implemented in the QualNet ATM model:

• • • • • • • •

Cell construction Cell reception and header validation Cell relaying, forwarding and copying Cell multiplexing and demultiplexing. Interpretation-only data cell and signaling cell Explicit forward congestion indication Point-to-point connection Connection assignment and removal

Refer to Developer Model Library for details of the QualNet ATM model.

4.5.7 Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS)
Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) is a data-carrying mechanism that belongs to the family of packetswitched networks. MPLS operates between layer 2 and layer 3 of the OSI model. It is designed to provide a unified data-carrying service for both packet-switched and circuit-switched clients which provide a datagram service. MPLS can be used for different kinds of traffic, including IP packets and ATM, SONET, and Ethernet frames. MPLS support in QualNet is composed of a label-swapping framework between the Network Layer (IP) and MAC Layer, which interacts with a label distribution protocol, generally at the Application or Transport Layers. Label distribution protocols handle the assignment of labels to Forward Equivalence Classes and the distribution of these labels to routers within the MPLS cloud that need to be aware of them. MPLS allows for the existence of multiple label distribution protocols. QualNet supports the following label distribution protocols:

• Label Distribution Protocol (LDP): LDP is the name of a specific label distribution protocol described in
RFC 3036. It allows label switched routers to exchange messages via UDP and TCP (session-related, label advertisement, and notification). a traffic-engineering extension to RSVP which allows the protocol to create label-switched paths using RSVP as a signaling protocol.

• Resource Reservation Protocol - Traffic Engineering (RSVP-TE): RSVP-TE, described in RFC 3209, is

Refer to Multimedia and Enterprise Model Library for details of the QualNet MPLS model.

4.5.8 Router Models
Routers are modeled as special devices. A router model characterizes the hardware and software capabilities of the router, including the backplane throughput, queue type, and scheduler type. QualNet provides pre-configured models for many popular routers used in enterprise networks. Users can also configure their own router models. Refer to Multimedia and Enterprise Model Library for details of configuring router models.

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4.5.9 Router Configuration
In QualNet, any node can be configured to be a router. There are some additional parameters for routers which are specified in a separate file, the router configuration file. The name of the router configuration file is specified in the scenario configuration (.config) file by using the parameter ROUTER-CONFIG-FILE (see Section 4.2.8.3). Typically, the protocols running at the router are specified in this manner. See Section 4.5.8 for specifying the system properties of the router. The router-related parameters fall under the following categories:

• Policy-based Routing Parameters: Policy-based routing provides a mechanism to mark packets so that certain kinds of traffic receive differentiated, preferential treatment. Policy-based routing allows for forwarding of data packets based on policies defined by the network administrator. packets based on the traffic type or network address.

• Router Access List Parameters: The router access list performs access control by accepting or denying • Route Redistribution Parameters: Route redistribution is used by a gateway router which connects two or more routing domains to advertise routes learnt from one domain to the other domains.

• Route Map: A route map is used to control redistribution, to control and modify routing information, and • Hot Standby Router Protocol (HSRP) Parameters: HSRP allows a host to specify a virtual next hop

to define policies in policy-based routing. A route map defines criteria that packets should meet and the action to ba taken when the criteria are met. router to forward packets. Routers participating in the same standby group dynamically determine the active and standby routers. Only the active router forwards packets.

Parameters for policy-based routing, routing access list, route redistribution, and route map are specified in the router configuration file, while the HSRP parameters are specified in the scenario configuration (.config) file. Refer to the Policy-based Routing, Router Access Lists, Route Redistribution, Route Map, and HSRP sections of Multimedia and Enterprise Model Library for details of configuring routers.

4.5.10 Quality of Service (QoS) Modeling
To support quality of service (QoS) in networks, various QoS mechanisms can be employed. These include Integrated Service (InterServ)/Resource Reservation Protocol (RSVP), the differentiated services (DiffServ) framework, Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS), traffic engineering (e.g., scheduling), and QoS routing. QoS routing protocols provide bandwidth and delay guarantees to QoS flows. In wireless networks, some MAC protocols can provide QoS by giving a higher precedence to high priority packets. In QualNet, Qos mechanisms at three layers are modeled:

• Application Layer: Some traffic generator models support QoS parameters. These are explained below. • Network Layer: The DiffServ framework can be employed to provide QoS. Refer to Multimedia and
Enterprise Model Library for details of the DiffServ model.

• MAC Layer: QualNet models two QoS-capable MAC protocols: IEEE 802.11e MAC and IEEE 802.16

MAC. Refer to Wireless Model Library for a description of the IEEE 802.11e MAC model and Advanced Wireless Model Library for a description of the IEEE 802.16 MAC model.

QoS Parameters in Traffic Generator Models Many traffic generators in QualNet support the option of specifying the QoS a data packet should have when being delivered to the destination. The QoS policy can be specified by giving the data packets a Precedence, Differentiated Service Code Point (DSCP), or Type of Service (ToS) value. The Precedence,

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DSCP, or ToS value is specified as an optional parameter, along with the other parameters of the traffic generator. Only one of the three QoS parameters can be specified for a traffic generator. Each of the three QoS parameters is converted to an 8-bit value which is assigned to the ToS field of the IP header.

• Precedence: The value range for Precedence is 0 to 7. The Precedence value maps to the most

significant three bits of the ToS field of the IP header. The remaining bits of the ToS field are 0. See RFC 791 for more details. the ToS field of the IP header. See RFC 2474 for more details.

• DSCP: The value range for DSCP is 0 to 63. The DSCP value maps to the most significant six bits of • ToS: The value range for ToS is 0 to 255. The ToS value maps to the entire ToS field of the IP header.
The following traffic generator models support QoS parameters:

• • • • • •

CBR FTP/Generic Lookup Traffic-Gen Super-Application VoIP

4.5.11 Voice over IP (VoIP)
Voice over IP (VoIP) is an application for routing voice conversations over the Internet or through any other IP-based network. The protocols used to carry voice traffic over the IP network are referred to as VoIP protocols. The QualNet VoIP suite of protocols includes the H.323, SIP, RTCP, and RTP protocols, and the VoIP Traffic Generator and VoIP Jitter Buffer models. The VoIP traffic Generator simulates real-life telephone conversations. The initiator of the conversation generates real-time traffic with an exponential distribution function. In the context of VoIP, jitter is defined as the difference between the expected time of arrival of a packet and the actual time of arrival. Jitter is caused primarily by delays and congestion in the packet network. JItter causes discontinuity in the real-time voice stream. To minimize the delay variations, a jitter buffer is implemented which temporarily stores arriving packets. The QualNet VoIP model enables the user to configure the jitter buffer in detail. QualNet also has detailed implementations of H.323 and Session Initiation protocol (SIP). H.323 is commonly used in VoIP, Internet telephony, and IP-based video-conferencing. The H.323 standard is based on the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) Real-Time Protocol (RTP) and Real-Time Control Protocol (RTCP), with additional protocols for call signaling and data and audiovisual communication. SIP is an alternative to H.323. It is an Application Layer signaling protocol (end-to-end) used to set up, modify, and terminate multimedia sessions over the Internet. SIP modeled on Internet protocols such as HTTP and SMTP. Refer to Multimedia and Enterprise Model Library for a detailed description of the VoIP suite of models.

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4.5.12 Satellite Models
QualNet’s satellite models provide a number of features to assist the system architect analyze the performance of satellite-enabled networks. These include:

• Different beam signatures from a cellular-style reuse (spot-beam) to global multicast (potato or CONUS beam). • Advanced MAC simulation of multiple uplinks (return channels) per downlink (forward channel). • Advanced modulation techniques and forward error correction simulation. • Adaptive modulation techniques on the forward and reverse directions of the satellite to adapt to dynamic transmission conditions.

• Quality of service and traffic conditioning to ensure fairness to all users. • Support for advanced media access and resource allocation algorithms for packet scheduling. • Different equipment configurations such as payload processing and repeater (bent-pipe) systems.
Refer to Satellite Model Library for details of the satellite model.

4.5.13 Network Security Models
QualNet provides a simulation and emulation tool that can assess net-centric Network Security protocols and evaluate their performance in experimental scenarios. QualNet implements the following network security models:

• Adversary Model: The Adversary model can simulate two types of attacks: Active (or Wormhole) attack, in which an adversary carries information traveling faster than the speed of light, and Passive (or Eavesdrop) attack, in which wireless traffic is intercepted by an eavesdrop entity. cryptographically based security for IPv4 and IPv6.

• IP Security (IPSec): At the Network Layer, QualNet provides support for IPsec, which provides a • WEP/CCMP: At the link layer, QualNet provides support for Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) and its secured successor, Counter Mode with Cipher Block Chaining Message Authentication Code Protocol (CCMP). WEP is a MAC Layer security protocol intended to provide security for the wireless LAN equivalent to the security provided in a wired LAN. CCMP is an IEEE 802.11i encryption protocol designed to replace WEP. addresses.

• Certificate Model: The Certificate model simulates the generation of certificates for unique network • Secure Neighbor Model: The Secure Neighbor model simulates the authentication by a node of each of its one-hop neighbors’ identity and location, in a mobile environment.

• Internet Security Association and Key Management Protocol (ISAKMP): ISAKMP combines the security concepts of authentication, key management, and security associations to establish secure communications on the Internet.

• Anonymous On-Demand Routing (ANODR): ANODR provides a net-centric anonymous and

untraceable routing scheme for mobile ad-hoc networks. The protocol provides mobile anonymity and data confidentiality.

Refer to Developer Model Library for details of the IPSec model. The other network security models are described in Network Security Model Library.

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4.5.14 External Interfaces
This section gives an overview of the external interfaces supported in QualNet. Detailed descriptions can be found in the model libraries.

4.5.14.1 High-Level Architecture (HLA) Interface
HLA is a specification created to enable the inter-operation of two or more software programs (usually simulation software). The HLA specification is implemented by software called the Run-Time Infrastructure (RTI). Typically, RTI functions are added to each simulation, and each simulation is linked with RTI libraries at compile time. This creates a program which can communicate with other simulations built in the same manner. QualNet implements an HLA interface, using which QualNet can interact with other software programs which also have an HLA interface. The QualNet HLA interface has been used to successfully interface QualNet with CAE STRIVE using HLA directly, and with OneSAF Testbed Baseline (OTB) using separate Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS)/HLA gateway software. The QualNet HLA interface is described in Standard Interfaces Model Library.

4.5.14.2 Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS) Interface
DIS is an IEEE standard for interfacing multiple simulation tools into a single, real-time exercise. The DIS standard defines a legacy network protocol used for enabling the inter-operation of two or more software programs (usually simulation software). The transport of information between simulators is performed using UDP and multicast IP. Although formally superseded by HLA, DIS still remains popular today for its simplicity of operation and the ease in which a DIS interface can be created.

4.5.14.3 Satellite ToolKit (STK) Interface
The QualNet STK interface provides a way to interface QualNet with the Satellite ToolKit (STK) developed by Analytical Graphics, Inc. (AGI) and function in a client-server environment. This is achieved by using AGI's STK/Connect library. The STK/Connect library contains messaging capabilities that allow third-party applications like QualNet to directly interact with STK. The QualNet STK interface communicates with STK to visualize events in real-time. For instance, you can feed real-time telemetry data from the launch and early orbit of a mission. As a scenario, the data can be viewed in 2D or 3D to visualize the mission and assist in understanding and resolving any issues that may arise. The QualNet/STK Integration module provides a framework to interact with STK through STK/ Connect. To create custom enhancements, you can easily add support for other STK/Connect features. Refer to Developer Model Library for details of the QualNet STK interface.

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QualNet Architect: Visualize Mode

This chapter provides an overview of the various options, commands and functions in the Architect Visualize mode, which are used to run and animate experiments. Design mode of Architect is described in Chapter 3.

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5.1 Components of Architect
This section provides an overview of the different components of Architect, but focuses on the features available in Visualize mode (see Figure 5-1). Switching between Design Mode and Visualize Mode After creating a scenario or opening a saved scenario in Design mode, press the Run Simulation button to initialize the scenario. This changes the mode of Architect from Design mode to Visualize mode. In Visualize mode you can run and animate the scenario and perform run-time analysis. This way of visualizing a scenario is called Live Simulation Mode.

You can also switch to Visualize mode from Design mode by directly opening a .ani file. This way of visualizing a scenario is called Recorded Animation Mode. When a scenario is run in Live Simulation mode, after the simulation has completed or has been stopped, you can switch back to Design mode for the same scenario by clicking the Switch to Design Mode button.

Note:

You can not switch back to Design mode for the same scenario by clicking Switch to Design Mode button if the simulation is run in Recorded Animation mode.

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Run Toolbar

Visualization Toolbar View Toolbar

Animation Menu

Visualization Controls

Bottom Panels FIGURE 5-1. Architect Visualize Mode Layout

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5.2 Menus
This section describes the menus available from the Menu bar.

5.2.1 File Menu
See Section 3.1.1.1 for details of the File menu.

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5.2.2 Edit Menu
See Section 3.1.1.2 for details of the Edit menu.

5.2.3 View Menu
See Section 3.1.1.3 for details of the View menu.

5.2.4 Tools Menu
See Section 3.1.1.4 for details of the Tools menu. Note: The Tools menu is enabled only in the Design mode.

5.2.5 Animation Menu
The Animation menu provides commands to control various animation settings. Note: The Animation menu is automatically enabled when the scenario is run in Live Simulation mode. In Recorded Animation mode, the Animation menu gets enabled when the Play button is clicked. Some commands from the Animation menu are not available in Recorded Animation mode.

FIGURE 5-2. Animation Menu

5.2.5.1 Animation Colors Command
The Animation Colors command enables the user to select colors for events at different layers. Figure 5-3 shows the list of layers. Figure 5-4 shows the list of channel events for which a color can be

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selected. The same list of events is available for all layers. To set the color for an event, click on the event in the list. This opens a color palette from which a color can be selected.

FIGURE 5-3.

Animation Colors Command

FIGURE 5-4.

Setting Colors for Events

5.2.5.2 Step Setting Command
The Step Setting command determines the behavior of the Step Forward button of the Animation tool bar (see Section 5.3.4). When the Step Forward button is pressed, the simulation advances either by a pre-configured time interval or by a pre-configured number of animation commands. The Step Setting command lets the user choose between these two options and configure the step size (time interval or number of animation commands).

FIGURE 5-5. Step Setting Command

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By Time If this option is selected, the simulation will advance by a fixed time interval every time the Step Forward button is pressed. Selecting this command opens a Step Interval Time dialog box (Figure 5-6) in which the step size (as a time interval) can be specified.

FIGURE 5-6.

Step Interval Time Dialog Box

By Command If this option is selected, the simulation will advance by a fixed number of simulation commands every time the Step Forward button is pressed. Selecting this command opens a Step Command Interval dialog box (see Figure 5-7) in which the step size (in number of commands) can be specified.

FIGURE 5-7.

Step Command Interval Dialog Box

5.2.5.3 Communication Interval Command
The Communication Interval command is used to set the frequency of communication between the simulator and Architect (i.e., how often the simulator sends animation commands to Architect).

FIGURE 5-8. Communication Interval Command

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Selecting this command opens the Communication Interval dialog box in which the communication interval can be specified (see Figure 5-9).

FIGURE 5-9.

Communication Interval Dialog Box

Notes: 1. This command is not available in Recorded Animation mode. 2. In general, setting the communication interval to a lower value may reduce the speed of the simulation and setting it to a higher value may increase the speed of the simulation. However, setting the communication interval to a very high value can cause the GUI buffer to overflow, and cause the simulation to run slow. It is not recommended to set the communication interval to a value much higher than the default value (2 seconds).

5.2.5.4 Event Filters Command
The Event Filters command is used to enable or disable animation of different events. The events to animate can be selected from the displayed list.

FIGURE 5-10.

Event Filters Command

Note:

You can also enable or disable animation of different events from the Visualization Controls panel (see Section 5.4.3.2). See Table 5-1 for a description of event filters.

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5.2.5.5 Layer Filters Command
The Layer Filters command is used to enable or disable animation at different layers. The layers can be selected from the list that is displayed.

FIGURE 5-11.

Layer Filters Command

Note:

You can also enable or disable animation at different layers from the Visualization Controls panel (see Section 5.4.3.2). See Table 5-2 for a description of layer filters.

5.2.5.6 Dynamic Statistics Command
The Dynamic Statistics command is used to configure graph properties and dynamic statistics at the scenario level.

FIGURE 5-12.

Dynamic Statistics Command

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5.2.5.6.1 Graph Properties Selecting this option opens the Graph Properties dialog box which is used to customize the properties of graphs that display dynamic statistics.

FIGURE 5-13.

Graph Properties: Legend Color Tab

You can customize properties for line graphs and bar graphs by clicking the 2D Line Graph button and 2D Bar Graph button, respectively. Legend Color Tab The legend display can be customized using this tab (see Figure 5-13). To display legends on graphs, check the Show Legends box. If the Show Legends box is checked, you can customize the legend display by using the following options:

• Choose Color: You can select a background color by clicking the Choose Color button and selecting a color from the color palette that opens.

• Select Image: You can select a background image for the legend by clicking the Select Image button and selecting an image file from the file selector that opens.

• Clear Background: You can clear the legend background by clicking the Clear Background button.

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Menus Grid Tab The grid display can be customized using this tab.

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FIGURE 5-14.

Graph Properties: Grid Tab

You can customize the grid display by using the following fields:

• Grids on X: Enter the number of vertical lines in the grid in this field. • Grids on Y: Enter the number of horizontal lines in the grid in this field. • Grid Shade Mode: This field is used to set the shading of the grid. The following options are available from the pull-down menu:

- No Background: Select this option to display a white background for the grid. - Constant Color: Select this option to display a solid color in the grid background. The color can be set by clicking the Select Color1 button.

- Color Gradient: Select this option for a background that is a continuous transition from one color to another. The two colors for the gradient can be set by clicking the Select Color1 and Select Color2 buttons.

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Chapter 5 Bar Graph Tab This tab is used to customize display of bars in bar graphs.

Menus

FIGURE 5-15. Note:

Graph Properties: Bar Graph Tab

The Bar Graph tab is enabled only when the 2D Bar Graph button is clicked.

To enable color shades in bars, check the Enable Bar Shades box. If bar shades are not enabled, the bars appear in a solid color. If bar shades are enabled, you can select the shade mode by selecting the appropriate button in the Bar Shade Mode area.

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5.2.5.6.2 Scenario Statistics Selecting this option opens a dialog box that is used to configure scenario level dynamic statistics. Note: See Section 5.4.4.1.1.2 for configuring node level dynamic statistics.

To configure scenario level dynamic statistics, perform the following steps: 1. Click Animation > Dynamic Statistics > Scenario Statistics. This opens the dialog box shown in Figure 5-16.

FIGURE 5-16.

Configuring Scenario Level Dynamic Statistics

2. Select the statistics to display by clicking its check box. The available statistics depend on the protocols in the scenario. 3. For each selected statistic, select the statistic type (per-node total or system aggregate) from the pulldown list. 4. Set the statistic interval time. This is the interval at which the statistics are updated by the simulator. 5. Click OK. Graphs for the selected statistics are displayed in the workspace under the scenario. Per-node statistics are shown as bar graphs and aggregate statistics are displayed as line graphs.

FIGURE 5-17.

Bar Graph Showing System Wide Per Node Dynamic Statistics

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FIGURE 5-18.

Line Graph Showing System Wide Aggregate Dynamic Statistics

For bar graphs (per-node statistics), the X-axis corresponds to node IDs and the Y-axis corresponds to the metric value. For line graphs (aggregate statistics), the X-axis corresponds to time and Y-axis corresponds to the metric value. If both per-node and aggregate statistics are selected, they are displayed in separate tabs. When the simulation is run by clicking the Play or Step Forward buttons, the statistics graphs are continuously updated as the simulation proceeds.

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5.3 Toolbars
This section describes the toolbars available in Architect.

5.3.1 Standard Toolbar
See Section 3.1.2.1 for details of the Standard toolbar.

5.3.2 View Toolbar
See Section 3.1.2.2 for details of the View toolbar.

5.3.3 Run Toolbar
See Section 3.1.2.3 for details of the Run toolbar.

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5.3.4 Visualization Toolbar
The Visualization toolbar contains visualization control buttons.

FIGURE 5-19.

Visualization Toolbar

Button

Function
Rewind to Start Play/Stop

Description
Used to rewind the animation to the beginning. Note: This option is available only in Recorded Animation mode. Used to start and stop the animation. Once the simulation has started, the Play button is replaced by the Stop button. The Stop button appears only after the simulation has been started by pressing the Play button.

Pause

Used to pause the animation. Pressing this button again resumes the animation. Used to run the animation in step mode. Clicking on this button advances the simulation by a pre-configured length of simulation time or number of simulation commands.

Step Forward

Forward to End

Used to advance the animation to the end. Note: This option is available only in Recorded Animation mode.

Switch to Design Mode

Used to switch to Design mode of Architect with the current scenario. Note: This option is available only in Live Simulation mode and is enabled only after the simulation has completed or has been stopped.

Analyze Statistics

Used to switch to Analyzer where statistics for the current scenario can be viewed. Note: This option is available only in Live Simulation mode and is enabled only after the simulation has completed.

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5.4 Left Panels
The following panels are available to the left of the canvas:

• • • •

File System Toolset Visualization Controls Runtime Analysis Note: These four panels occupy the same space and at most one of them can be open at any time. By default, the Toolset panel is open.

5.4.1 File System Panel
See Section 3.1.3.1 for a description of the File System panel.

5.4.2 Toolset Panel
The toolset panel is enabled only in Design mode. See Section 3.1.3.2 for a description of the Toolset panel.

5.4.3 Visualization Controls
The Visualization Controls panel provides various controls for monitoring and controlling the scenario execution. The top part of the Visualization Controls is for displaying scenario execution status, while the bottom part is for configuring animation filters.

5.4.3.1 Status Display
This panels displays the simulation/emulation time, real time, animation speed, and progress of the scenario execution (see Figure 5-20).

FIGURE 5-20.

Status Display

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The Simulation Time display shows the current simulation time. The Real Time display shows the actual time that has elapsed since the start of scenario execution. The Animation Speed control is a slide bar which can be used to control the speed of simulation. You can decrease or increase the speed of scenario execution by moving the slider to the left or right, respectively. The scenario execution progress is displayed in the form of a progress bar and shows how much of the execution is complete as a percentage.

Progress

5.4.3.2 Animation Filters
The Animation Filters area displays the event and layer filters that can be applied to the animation. You can expand a specific filter list by clicking on the corresponding button. Figure 5-21 shows the animation filters. Note: 1. Clicking on Event Filters expands the list of event filters. Clicking on Layer Filters expands the list of layer filters and collapses the list of event filters. 2. Clicking on All selects or deselects all filters in the list.

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FIGURE 5-21.

Animation Filters

You can select the colors for animation of events at different layers by using the Animation Colors command (see Section 5.2.5.1). Note: Simulation speed is affected by both event and layer filters. In general, fewer the events and layers enabled for animation, faster the simulation speed. However, disabling event animations does not affect the simulation speed substantially, but disabling layer animations can significantly speed up the simulation.

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5.4.3.2.1 Event Filters The event filters in the Visualization Controls panel are used to enable or disable animation of events at the global level (i.e., for all nodes). Note: Global level event filters apply to all nodes in the scenario. However, animation of some events can be selectively disabled for specific nodes by applying node level event filters (see Section 5.4.4.1.1). Event animation at a node can not be enabled unless it is enabled at the global level.

Table 5-1 describes the animation effects controlled by the event filters.

TABLE 5-1. Properties
All Node Mobility Node Link N/A Node position is updated as the node moves. The link between the devices is added or removed.

Event Filters Description
Enables or disables all event filters. Enables or disables the animation of node mobility. Enables or disables the animation of add link and remove link events. The meaning of a link depends on protocols. However, it typically represents a that the two nodes connected by the link are reachable from each other. Enables or disables the animation of broadcast events. Enables or disables the animation of multicast events.

Animation Effect

Broadcast Packet Multicast Packet

For Wired Subnets: Lines are drawn from the subnet containing the source node to all nodes in the subnet. For Wireless Subnets: A sphere is drawn with the source node as the center.

Unicast Packet Packet Received

For Wired Subnets: The packet is represented by a an arrowhead which travels from the source to the destination. For Wireless Subnets: A directional line is drawn for a short time between the source and destination. For both wired and wireless subnets, if the source and destination are in the same subnet, then the packet transmission is shown via the subnet. Blue color is used for animation effects of packet events for real traffic (traffic from external sources) while green is used for simulated traffic.

Enables or disables the animation of unicast events. Enables or disables the animation of packet received events.

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Packet Dropped Packet Collision Packet Queuing

Left Panels Event Filters (Continued) Description
Enables or disables the animation of packet dropped events. Enables or disables the animation of packet collision events. Enables or disables the animation of packet queuing events. Note: All packet queuing events (joining a queue, leaving a queue, and being dropped from a queue) are controlled by this filter. Enables or disables the animation of node orientation changes. Enables or disables the animation of radio range events. The sphere depicts the approximate radio range. The actual radio range depends on radio and antenna configuration at each node.

Animation Effect
A line is drawn from the source part of the way to the destination. The line ends in a “burst” effect. Size of the red bar representing the queue increases. When a packet is dropped from the queue due to overflow, a red box is displayed next to the base of the queue.

Node Orientation

Node icon is rotated in the X-Y view according to the new orientation. Radius of the sphere representing the wireless broadcast transmission changes according to the radio range.

Node Radio Range

5.4.3.2.2 Layer Filters The layer filters in the Visualization Controls panel are used to control the animation of simulation events at the different layers. Table 5-2 describe the animation effects controlled by the layer filters.

TABLE 5-2. Properties
All Channel Radio MAC Network Routing Transport Application

Layer Filters Description

Enables or disables all layer filters. If all layers are disabled then only mobility events are animated. Enables or disables the Channel layer animation. Enables or disables the Radio layer animation. Enables or disables the MAC layer animation. Enables or disables the Network layer animation. Enables or disables the Routing layer animation. Enables or disables the Transport layer animation. Enables or disables the Application layer animation.

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5.4.3.3 Human-in-the-Loop Interface
The Human-In-The-Loop (HITL) interface is used to send commands to the simulator over the socket while the scenario is running. Note: The HITL interface is enabled only for live simulations.

FIGURE 5-22.

Human-in-the-Loop Interface button sends the

The text box is used to enter the command to send to the simulator. Pressing the

command to the simulator. The commands that can be used in HTIL scenarios are described in Table 5-3.

TABLE 5-3.
Command D <node ID>

Human-In-The-Loop Commands
Description

This command deactivates the node with specified node ID. A deactivated node can not communicate with other nodes. Example: D 11 The example above deactivates the node with ID 11. This command may also be executed by right-clicking one or more nodes in Visualize mode, and selecting Deactivate Node(s).

A <node ID>

This command activates the node with the specified node ID. An activated node can communicate with other nodes again. Example: A 11 The example above activates the node with ID 11. This command may also be executed by right-clicking one or more nodes in Visualize mode, and selecting Activate Node(s).

P <priority>

This command changes the precedence of all CBR sessions in the scenario to the specified priority. <priority> should be an integer in t he range 0 ≤ <priority> ≤ 7. See Developer Model Library for details of CBR. Example: P 3 The above example changes the precedence of all CBR sessions to 3.

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Command T <interval>

Left Panels Human-In-The-Loop Commands (Continued)
Description This command changes the rate of all CBR sessions in the scenario by changing the CBR inter-packet interval. The new inter-packet interval is equal to <interval> milliseconds. <interval> should be an integer or real value. Example: The command T 30 changes the inter-packet interval for all CBR sessions to 30 milliseconds.

L <rate-factor>

This command changes the rate of all CBR sessions in the scenario by changing the CBR inter-packet interval. The new inter-packet interval is equal to the product of the current inter-packet interval and <rate-factor>. Example: If the current interval is 0.1 second, the command L 0.1 changes the interval to 0.01 second (= current interval * <rate-factor>).

5.4.4 Runtime Analysis Panel
The Runtime Analysis panel is used to observe properties of scenario components during the scenario execution. Node-level eventfilters can also be configured from the Runtime Analysis panel. If dynamic parameters are enabled for the scenario (see Section 4.2.11), then values of dynamic parameters can also be viewed and set from the Runtime Analysis panel during runtime.

5.4.4.1 Scenario Component Properties and Animation Controls
The Runtime Analysis panel displays the scenario components (nodes, queues, and subnets) in a tree view. Expanding the Nodes group lists all nodes in the scenario. Expanding a node lists all interfaces of the node and expanding an Interface lists all queues at the interface. Similarly, expanding the Subnets group lists all subnets in the scenario.

FIGURE 5-23.

Scenario Components in Runtime Analysis Panel

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5.4.4.1.1 Node Properties and Filters To observe and configure properties of a node and set eventfilters for a node, expand the Nodes group and navigate to the node. Selecting a node in the Runtime Analysis panel displays the eventfilters that can be applied to the node (see Section 5.4.4.1.1.1). The following commands are available if you right-click on the node name in the Runtime Analysis panel:

• Dynamic Statistics: Used for configuring node-level dynamic statistics (see Section 5.4.4.1.1.2) • Locate on Canvas: Used to zoom to the node on the canvas
5.4.4.1.1.1 EventFilters Event filters can be set for each node individually to control the granularity of animation (see Figure 5-24).

FIGURE 5-24.

AnimationFilters for Nodes

Table 5-4 lists the eventfilters that can be set for a node.

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Note:

Animation of some events can be selectively disabled for specific nodes by applying node level event filters. Event animation at a node cannot be enabled unless it is enabled at the global level (see Section 5.4.3.2).

TABLE 5-4. Filter
Enable Node Enable Unicast Enable Broadcast Enable Multicast Enable Receive Enable Antenna Enable Orientation

Node-level EventFilters Description

Enables or disables animation for the node. Enables or disables animation of unicast events for the node. Enables or disables animation of broadcast events for the node. Enables or disables animation of multicast events for the node. Enables or disables animation of packet receive events for this node. Enables or disables display of antenna patterns for the node. Enables or disables animation of orientation events for this node.

5.4.4.1.1.2 Node-level Dynamic Statistics To configure node level dynamic statistics, perform the following steps: 1. In the Runtime Analysis panel, expand the Nodes group and navigate to the desired node. Right-click on the node and select Dynamic Statistics.

FIGURE 5-25.

Configuring Dynamic Statistics for a Node

This opens the Per Node Dynamic Statistics dialog box (see Figure 5-26).

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2. Select the statistics to display by clicking its check box. The available statistics depend on the protocols running at the node in the scenario.

FIGURE 5-26.

Per Node Dynamic Statistics Dialog Box

3. Set the statistic interval time. This is the interval at which the statistics updated by the simulator. 4. Click OK.

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Per node dynamic statistics are displayed below the scenario in the central workspace. Figure 5-27 shows a sample statistics graph for a node.

FIGURE 5-27.

Dynamic Statistics for a Node

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5.4.4.1.2 Queue Properties To display the properties of a queue, select the desired queue in the Runtime Analysis panel. The bottom part of the Runtime Analysis panel displays the queue properties (see Figure 5-28). These properties are read-only and cannot be configured.

FIGURE 5-28.

Queue Properties

Table 5-5 lists the queue properties that are displayed.

TABLE 5-5. Property
Queue Size Packets Added Packets Removed Packets Dropped

Queue Properties Description

Maximum size of the queue, in bytes. Total number of packets added to the queue. Total number of packets removed from the queue. Total number of packets dropped from the queue.

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5.4.4.1.3 Subnet Properties To display the properties of a subnet, expand the Subnets group in the Runtime Analysis panel and navigate to the subnet. Selecting a subnet displays the subnet properties (see Figure 5-29). These properties are read-only and cannot be configured. The following commands are available if you right-click on the subnet in the Runtime Analysis panel:

• Locate on Canvas: Used to zoom to the subnet on the canvas

FIGURE 5-29.

Subnet Properties

Table 5-6 lists the subnet properties that are displayed.

TABLE 5-6. Property
Subnet Type Subnet Address IP address of the subnet.

Subnet Properties Description

Type of the subnet (wired or wireless).

5.4.4.2 Dynamic Parameters
Some models in QualNet implement dynamic parameters to enable interaction with the simulator during run time. Values of dynamic parameters can be observed and/or modified during the simulation. Some dynamic parameters are read-only while other dynamic parameters can be modified by the user during the simulation. Changing the value of a parameter affects the behavior of the corresponding protocol model depending on how the parameter is used in that protocol model. Values of dynamic parameters can be observed and/or modified from the Runtime Analysis panel.
.

Note:

Dynamic parameters can be viewed in the Runtime Analysis panel only if dynamic parameters are enabled for the scenario (see Section 4.2.11.1).

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Dynamic parameters are arranged in the Runtime Analysis panel in a tree view (see Figure 5-30) with the following three groups:

• node: All nodes in the scenario are listed in this group. Expanding the list view for a node lists all

protocols/models running at the node that have dynamic parameters. The list also contains a group called interface.

- Expanding the list view for a protocol/model lists all dynamic parameters for that protocol/model. - Expanding the list view for the interface group lists all interfaces for the node. Expanding the list

view for a specific interface lists the interface-level properties and protocols/models running at the interface. Each protocol/model can be further expanded to show the dynamic parameters for that protocol/model.

FIGURE 5-30.

Dynamic Parameters

• partition: All partitions in the scenario are listed in this group. Expanding the list view for a partition lists the partition-level dynamic parameters for that partition.

• interface: All interfaces in the scenario are listed in this group. Each item in the list is a reference to an interface entry under a node. To access an interface’s properties, right-click on an interface and select Go to reference. This expands the list view and highlights the referenced interface from which its properties can be accessed.

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Selecting a dynamic parameter from the tree view displays the parameter and its value in the bottom part of the panel (see Figure 5-31). The options available for a parameter depend on the permissions (read, write, execute) associated with it. The current value of the parameter is displayed in the Current Value field. If write permission is associated with the parameter, then a New Value field is also displayed. To assign a new value to the parameter, enter the new value in the New Value field and click the button.

FIGURE 5-31.

Dynamic Parameter with Write Permission

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If execute permission is associated with the parameter, then an Execute String field is displayed. To execute a string, enter the string in the Execute String field and click the string execution is displayed in the Execute Result field (see Figure 5-32). Note: The execute string feature is an advanced feature meant primarily for debugging. button. The result of the

FIGURE 5-32.

Dynamic Parameter with Execute Permission

You can also select one or more dynamic parameters and observe their values during the simulation in the Watch Variables panel. See Section 5.5.4 for details.

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5.5 Bottom Panels
The following panels are available below the canvas:

• • • • •

Table View Output Window Error Log Watch Variables Batch Experiments Note: These panels occupy the same space and only one of them can be opened at any time. Any panel can be opened by clicking on it; by default all panels are closed.

5.5.1 Table View Panel
See Section 3.1.5.1 for details of the Table View panel.

5.5.2 Output Window Panel
Any message that simulator prints to the standard output is redirected to the output window (see Figure 5-33).

FIGURE 5-33.

Output Window

5.5.3 Error Log Panel
See Section 3.1.5.3 for details of the Error Log panel.

5.5.4 Watch Variables Panel
The Watch Variables panel is used to watch values of selected dynamic parameters during a simulation. The selected dynamic parameters (watch variables) are displayed in a tabular format in the Watch Variables panel. The first column shows the path to the watch variable in the dynamic hierarchy, the second column displays the name of the variable, and the third column shows its current value.

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Watch variables can be added to the table from the Dynamic Parameters tree in the Runtime Analysis panel (see Section 5.4.4.2). To add a watch variable to the table, do the following: 1. In the Runtime Analysis panel, expand the Dynamic Parameters tree and select the parameter to add to the table, as described in Section 5.4.4.2. 2. Click the Add to Watch button. This adds the parameter information (path, name, and current value) to the table in the Watch Variables panel. The values of watch variables are continually updated as the simulation progresses.

FIGURE 5-34.

Watch Variables Panel

To remove a watch variable from the table, right-click on the variable in the table and select Remove Selected from the menu. You can also remove all variables from the table by selecting Remove All.

5.5.5 Batch Experiments Panel
See Section 3.1.5.5 for details of the Batch Experiments panel.

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QualNet Analyzer

Analyzer is a graphical tool for analyzing statistics generated by a simulation. When a simulation is run from the command line or from Architect, a statistics (.stat) file is created containing the simulation results. The statistics file is a text file which can be opened in any text editor. (See Section 2.3 for the syntax of the statistics file.) Analyzer parses the contents of a statistics file and presents the information graphically. This provides a convenient way to analyze simulation results. While the statistics file contains only per-node and per-interface statistics, Analyzer can also aggregate these metrics and show statistics for a node aggregated over all interfaces of the node and system-wide (scenario-level) statistics. In addition, statistics from two or more statistics files can be analyzed together to compare results from different experiments. This chapter provides an overview of the various options, commands, and functionalities of the Analyzer component of QualNet GUI. It also provides examples of analyzing statistics in QualNet Analyzer. Analyzer features are described in the following sections:

• Components of Analyzer: provides an overview of the components of Analyzer. • Using Analyzer: describes how to analyze statistics using Analyzer.
How to Get to Analyzer To switch to the Analyzer component of QualNet GUI, click the button in the Components toolbar. No statistics files are opened automatically, but you can open and analyze the statistics file for any scenario. You can also switch to Analyzer after running a scenario in Architect by clicking the Analyze Statistics button. In this case, the statistics file for the scenario that was run in Architect is automatically opened in Analyzer.

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6.1 Components of Analyzer
This section provides an overview of the different components of Analyzer. Standard Toolbar Histogram Bin Size View Toolbar Components Toolbar Graph Display Area

Menu Bar

Left Panels (Statistics Panel open) FIGURE 6-1.

Bottom Panels (Overview Panel open)

Analyzer Layout

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6.1.1 Menu Bar
This section explains the commands available from the Menu bar.

6.1.1.1 File Menu
The File menu provides the following commands for file operations.

FIGURE 6-2.

File Menu

Command
Open Recent Files Close Graph

Description
Opens a file in Analyzer. The file is added to the list of open files in the File List panel. If the file contains any statistics, they are listed in the Statistics panel. Displays a list of recently opened statistics files. Selecting a file from this list opens it in Analyzer. Displays a list of all graphs that are open in the current statistics file. Selecting a graph from the list closes it. Selecting Close All Graphs closes all graphs in the current statistics file. Closes the current statistics file. Closes all open statistics files. Exports the graph data to a text file or saves the graph as an image file. The options are: • Current Graph to Delimited Text: Saves the data from the selected graph to a delimited text file. • All Opened Graphs to Delimited Text: Saves the data from all open graphs to a delimited text file. • All Graphs to Delimited Text: Saves the data from all metrics (whether or not they are displayed as graphs) of the selected protocol to a text file. (A protocol is selected by clicking on the name of the protocol or any metric of the protocol in the Statistics panel.) • As Image: Saves the selected graph as an image file (in png, jpg, bmp, ppm, tif, xbm, orxpm format). When saving data to a text file, selecting Row Wise exports data in a row-wise alignment format, and selecting Column Wise exports a data in a column-wise alignment format. Note: The Export option is enabled only if at least one graph is displayed.

Close Close All Export

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Command
Page Setup Print Exit

Description
Opens a dialog box to set printing options. Prints a hard copy of the displayed graph. Exits from the QualNet application. If there are any unsaved changes in any of the open scenarios, the user is prompted to save them.

6.1.1.2 View Menu
The View menu provides the commands to set the display settings.

FIGURE 6-3.

View Menu

Command
Graph Visibility

Description
Option to plot a single graph or multiple graphs. • Single Graph: Only one graph is opened at a time. When you open another graph, the existing graph will be closed and the new graph will be opened. • Multiple Graph: More than one graph can be opened. Each graph is opened in a separate tab.

Node Name Node ID

Option to display node names or node IDs on the X-axis. By default, node ID’s are displayed on the X-axis. The Node Name option is enabled only if host statistics are enabled for any node in the scenario (see Section 4.2.9). If Node Name option is enabled and is selected, then the option changes to Node ID. This menu option performs the same function as the Node Name button in the View toolbar. See Section 6.1.2.2.

Graph Properties

Displays the Graph Properties Dialog box where you can configure the following display properties: • Graph Background: Provides options to change the background color and shading of a graph. • View Options: When selected, shows the grid and legend on the graph, and provides options to set the bar shading and log scale. • Legend Options: Change the legend background and the bar colors from this tab.

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6.1.1.3 Options Menu
The Options menu allows you to select the graph type, compare statistics by IP address or node ID, and set the graph display properties.

FIGURE 6-4.

Options Menu

Command
Chart Type Select the graph type:

Description
• Bar Graph: Shows a bar graph comparing per-node or per-interface statistics. • Histogram: Shows a summary of system-wide statistics falling within various ranges. Note: Changing the graph type does not change the graphs that are already plotted. Graphs plotted after the change are drawn with the new option.

Compare By

Select the type of statistics (node level or interface level) to be plotted. • Node ID: Node-level statistics are plotted. If a node has multiple interfaces, the sum of the metric for all interfaces at the node is plotted. • IP Address: Interface-level statistics are plotted. If a node has multiple interfaces, the metric for each interface is plotted separately. Note: Changing this option closes all open graphs. Graphs plotted after the change are drawn with the new option.

Merge Open Graphs

Merge all open graphs into a single graph and show the merged graph in a new tab. If the graphs are bar graphs, the generated merged graph is a line graph. If the source graphs are histograms, the generated merged graph is a histogram. This option is enabled only if all open graphs are of the same type (bar or histogram). This menu option performs the same function as the Merge Graph button in the View toolbar. See Section 6.1.2.2.

Collapse Graphs

Display only metrics that have a non-zero value. This is useful to hide metric values that are zero for a large number of nodes. This option is enabled only for bar graphs. Compare metrics from different statistics files. • Display Metric Sum: Display the sum of the values of the selected metric for each node or interface for all files. • Display Metric Average: Displays the average value of the selected metric for each node or interface for all files.

Multiple Experiments

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6.1.1.4 Help Menu
This is the same as the Help menu described in the components of Architect. See Section 3.1.1.6 for a description of the Help menu.

6.1.2 Toolbars
This section describes the toolbars available in Analyzer.

6.1.2.1 Standard Toolbar
The Standard toolbar is used to open and close files. The following table describes the buttons of the Standard toolbar.

Button
Open

Function

Description
Opens a file in Analyzer. The file is added to the list of open files in the File List panel. If the file contains any statistics, they are listed in the Statistics panel. This button performs the same function as the File > Open command. See Section 6.1.1.1.

Close

Closes the current statistics file. This button performs the same function as the File > Close command. See Section 6.1.1.1.

6.1.2.2 View Toolbar
The View toolbar is used to merge graphs and display node names. The following table describes the buttons of the View toolbar.

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Button

Function
Merge Open Graphs

Description
Merges all open graphs into a new composite (merged) graph. If the individual graphs are bar graphs, the merged graph is a line graph. If the individual graphs are histograms, the merged graph is a histogram. This button is enabled only when multiple graphs are open and all graphs are of the same type (either bar graph or histogram). This functionality is also available from the Options > Merge Open Graphs menu option. See Section 6.1.1.2.

Graph Properties

Displays the Graph Properties Dialog box where you can configure the following display properties: • Graph Background: Provides options to change the background color and shading of a graph. • View Options: When selected, shows the grid and legend on the graph, and provides options to set the bar shading and log scale. • Legend Options: Change the legend background and the bar colors from this tab. Note: This function is also available from View > Graph Properties menu option. See Section 6.2.5.

6.1.2.3 Histogram Bin Size Toolbar
The Histogram Bin Size toolbar allows you enter a new bin size. This option is enabled only if the active graph is opened as a histogram (i.e., Options > Chart Type > Histogram is selected before plotting the graph). To apply a new bin width, enter the new value and press the Return key.

FIGURE 6-5.

Histogram Bin Size Toolbar

6.1.3 Left Panels
The following panels are available to the left of the Graph Display:

• File System • Statistics • File List
Note: These three panels occupy the same space and at most one of them can be open at any time.

6.1.3.1 File System Panel
This is the same as the File System panel of Architect. See Section 3.1.3.1 for a description of the File System panel.

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6.1.3.2 Statistics Panel
The Statistics panel lists all statistics in the selected statistics (.stat) file.

FIGURE 6-6.

Statistics Panel

The statistics are grouped together by layers. Clicking on a layer button (Application, Transport, Network, MAC, or Physical) displays the list of all protocols at that layer for which there are statistics in the statistics (.stat) file. The statistics for a protocol are displayed as a list by expanding the plus sign next to the protocol’s name.

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6.1.3.3 File List Panel
The File List panel lists all statistics (.stat) files that are open in Analyzer.

FIGURE 6-7.

File List Panel

To list the statistics in a file, double-click on the file name in the File List panel. This opens the Statistics panel, which lists the statistics of the selected file. To close a statistics file, right-click on the file name in the File List panel and select Close File. (You can also close a file from the File menu.)

6.1.4 Bottom Panels
The following panels are available below the Graph Display area:

• Overview • Statistics File • Error Log
Note: These three panels occupy the same space and at most one of them can be open at any time.

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6.1.4.1 Overview Panel
The Overview panel displays a graph for the selected statistic for the entire scenario. You can zoom into an area by resizing and moving the red rectangle over the desired area. The selected area of the graph is displayed in the Graph Display area above.

FIGURE 6-8.

Overview Panel

6.1.4.2 Statistics File Panel
The Statistics File panel displays the selected statistics (.stat) file as a text file.

FIGURE 6-9.

Statistics File Panel

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6.1.4.3 Error Log Panel
The Error Log panel displays any errors encountered in reading the selected statistics (.stat) file.

FIGURE 6-10.

Error Log Panel

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6.2 Using Analyzer
This section describes how to analyze simulation results in Analyzer. It is assumed that one or more statistics(.stat) files have been generated by running a scenario from the command line or in Architect.

• Section 6.2.1 describes how to analyze per-node statistics for a single experiment. • Section 6.2.2 describes how to analyze system-wide statistics for a single experiment. • Section 6.2.3 describes how to analyze statistics for a single experiment but viewing statistics for interfaces separately instead of aggregating them at the node level.

• Section 6.2.4 describes how to compare statistics from multiple experiments. • Section 6.2.5 describes how to change the appearance of a graph.
To illustrate the use of Analyzer, we will use two statistics files that are included in the QualNet distribution. These files can be found in QUALNET_HOME/scenarios/developer/tcp/bottleneck-TCP. This folder contains two scenario configuration files (bottleneck-TCP-FIFO.config and bottleneck-TCP-RED.config) and the statistics files generated by running these scenarios (bottleneck-TCP-FIFO-expected.stat and bottleneck-TCP-RED-expected.stat, respectively). These scenarios are identical except that one uses FIFO queues and the other uses RED queues. The README file in this folder describes the scenario.

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6.2.1 Analyzing Per-node Statistics for a Single Experiment
To analyze per-node statistics from a single experiment, perform the following steps: 1. Open the statistics file to analyze. You can open a statistics file from the File menu, Standard Toolbar or File System panel. (To open a statistics file from the File System panel, double-click on the file name or right click on the file name and select Analyze.) For this example, open the file bottleneck-TCP-FIFO-expected.stat in the directory QUALNET_HOME/ scenarios/developer/tcp/bottleneck-TCP.

FIGURE 6-11.

Opening a Statistics File from File System

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2. Per-node statistics are displayed as bar graphs. Go to Options > Graph Type and select Bar Graph. 3. The layers for which there are statistics in the file are displayed in the Statistics panel. For this example, the file contains statistics for the Application, Transport, Network, and MAC layers. There are no Physical layer statistics in this file. Click the Network button. This displays all protocols/models at the Network layer for which there are statistics in the file. Click on the plus sign before “FIFO”. This displays all statistics collected for the FIFO model (see Figure 6-12).

FIGURE 6-12.

Statistics for a Specific Model

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4. To plot the graph for a statistic, click on the statistic name in the Statistics panel. A bar graph is displayed in the Graph Display area as well as in the Overview panel. You can close the Overview panel to increase the size of the graph in the Graph Display area. You can also select an area of the graph to zoom in by resizing and moving the red rectangle in the Overview panel. Only the area of the graph covered by the red rectangle is displayed in the Graph Display area. This allows you to examine a region of the graph in more detail. Figure 6-13 shows the bar graph for FIFO: Peak Queue Size. In the Overview panel, statistics for all nodes are displayed. A region of the graph corresponding to nodes 4, 5, and 6 has been selected by the red rectangle. This selected region is displayed in the Graph Display area.

FIGURE 6-13.

Bar Graph for a Single Statistic

The bar graph shows the metric for each instance (in this case, each instance corresponds to a queue). In this example, there are three queues at each node interface. The metrics for a node are plotted as a single bar with three colored sections. The different colors in a bar correspond to the metric value for different instances. The legend in the top right corner of the graph shows the color used for each instance. Note: The value plotted is the sum of the metric at all interfaces of the node. To plot the metric for each interface separately, plot the graph by IP addresses, as explained in Section 6.2.3.

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Placing the mouse over a section of a bar displays the metric value for that section (i.e., the metric value of the instance corresponding to that section) and the total of the metrics for all instances at the node. For example, Figure 6-13 shows that the peak queue size for queue 1 of node 4 is 596 bytes and the total of peak queue sizes for all queues of node 4 is 1552 bytes. By default, only one graph can be displayed at a time. If you select another statistic from the Statistics panel, the currently open graph is closed and the graph for the selected statistic is displayed. 5. To plot another statistic without closing the current graph, go to View > Graph Visibility and select Multiple Graph. This opens each selected statistic in a separate tab in the Graph Display area. Figure 6-14 shows the tabs for three statistics. The name of the model and the statistic are displayed in the tab.

FIGURE 6-14.

Multiple Graphs in Separate Tabs

6. You can plot multiple statistics in a single graph by merging the graphs for individual statistics as follows: a. Close all open graphs. a. Enable the multiple graph option by selecting View > Graph Visibility > Multiple Graph. b. Select the statistics to plot one at a time. For example, select FIFO: Peak Queue Size and  FIFO: Average Queue Length. The graphs for the selected statistics are displayed in separate tabs in the Graph Display area. c. Click the Merged Graph button in the View toolbar or select Options > Merge Open Graphs. This creates a composite graph in a new tab. The statistics from all open graphs are plotted in the composite (merged) graph.

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Notes: 1. Graphs can be merged only if all open graphs are of the same type (bar graph or histogram). If the individual graphs are bar graphs, the merged graph is a line graph. If the individual graphs are histograms, the merged graph is a histogram. 2. The total of the metric values for all instances are plotted in the merged graph. Perinstance values are not plotted. Figure 6-14 shows the merged graph for FIFO: Peak Queue Size, and FIFO: Average Queue Length.

FIGURE 6-15.

Merged Graph Showing Multiple Statistics

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6.2.2 Analyzing Scenario Statistics for a Single Experiment
Scenario (system-wide) statistics are plotted as histograms. Scenario statistics can be viewed in the same way as per-node statistics (see Section 6.2.1), except that the graph type must be histogram. In the following example, we will first show the per-node graph for a statistic (from a single experiment) and then plot the scenario graph for the same statistic. 1. Open the file bottleneck-TCP-FIFO-expected.stat, as described in Section 6.2.1. 2. Go to Options > Chart Type and select Bar Graph. 3. In the Statistics panel, click the Transport button and select TCP: Packets Sent to Network Layer. Figure 6-16 shows the graph that is displayed.

FIGURE 6-16.

Per-node TCP Statistics

This graph plots the TCP statistic for each node.

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5. In the Statistics panel, click the Transport button and select TCP: Packets Sent to Network Layer. 6. Change the histogram bin size to an appropriate value. To change the histogram bin size, enter a value in Histogram Bin Size and press the Return key. Figure 6-17 shows the graph that is displayed for a bin size of 5000.

FIGURE 6-17.

System-wide TCP Statistics

This graph plots the TCP statistic for the entire scenario.

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6.2.3 Analyzing Statistics by Interface
When statistics are analyzed by node (by selecting the Options > Compare By > Node option), the sum of the metric value for all interfaces of the node is plotted. When statistics are analyzed by interface (by selecting the Options > Compare By > IP Address option), metric values for interfaces are plotted separately rather than as a sum. In the following example, we will first plot a statistic by node (aggregated for all interfaces at a node) and then plot the same statistic separately for each interface. 1. Open the file bottleneck-TCP-FIFO-expected.stat, as described in Section 6.2.1. 2. Go to Options > Chart Type and select Bar Graph. 3. Go to Options > Compare By and select Node ID. All statistics in the statistics file are listed in the Statistics panel. 4. In the Statistics panel, click the Network button and select FIFO: Total Packets Queued. Figure 6-18 shows the graph that is displayed.

FIGURE 6-18.

Queue Statistics by Node

For each node, the graph plots (for each queue instance) the sum of Total Packets Queued at all interfaces of the node. For example, for node 3, the sum of Total Packets Queued for queue 1 at all interfaces is 70282, and the sum of Total Packets Queued for all queues at all interfaces is123376. The node IDs are displayed along the X-axis.

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Now only those statistics are listed in the Statistics panel that have an IP address associated with them in the statistics file (see Section 2.3). Note that only the Network button is visible and within the Network layer, IP statistics are not listed any more. 6. In the Statistics panel, click the Network button and select FIFO: Total Packets Queued. Figure 6-19 shows the graph that is displayed.

FIGURE 6-19.

Queue Statistics by Interface

The graph plots (for each queue instance) Total Packets Queued at each interface. The IP addresses of the interfaces are displayed along the X-axis. In this example, the IP addresses of the interfaces at each node are: Node 1: 192.0.0.1 Node 2: 192.0.1.1 Node 3: 192.0.0.2, 192.0.1.2, and 192.0.2.1 Node 4: 192.0.2.1, 192.0.3.1, and 192.0.4.1 Node 5: 192.0.3.2 Node 6: 192.0.4.2 For the third interface of node 3 (with IP address 192.0.2.1), Total Packets Queued for queue 1 is 35233 and the sum of Total Packets Queued for all three queues is 61871. Total Packets Queued for queue 1 at the first interface of node 3 (with IP address 192.0.0.2) is 0, and Total Packets Queued for queue 1 at the second interface of node 3 (with IP address 192.0.1.2) is 35049. (Thus, the sum of Total Packets Queued for queue 1 at all three interfaces of node 3 is 70282, as plotted in Figure 6-18.)

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6.2.4 Analyzing Statistics from Multiple Experiments
To analyze statistics from multiple experiments simultaneously, perform the following steps: 1. In the File System panel, select the files to analyze, right click and select Analyze. (To select multiple files, press the Ctrl key and click on the file names). For this example, open the files bottleneck-TCP-FIFO-expected.stat and bottleneck-TCP-REDexpected.sta tin the directory QUALNET_HOME/scenarios/developer/tcp/bottleneck-TCP.

FIGURE 6-20.

Opening Multiple Statistics Files

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2. Statistics from the selected files can be analyzed in the same way as statistics from a single experiment (see for Section 6.2.1, Section 6.2.2, and Section 6.2.3). Statistics from all selected files are plotted in the same graph. For our example, in the Statistics panel, click the Application button and select Gen/FTP Server: Throughput. Figure 6-21 shows the graph that is displayed. (A region of the graph has been selected in the Overview panel to conveniently compare the statistics.)

FIGURE 6-21.

Statistics from Multiple Experiments

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6.2.5 Customizing Graphs
This section describes how to change the appearance of a graph. To set the properties for a graph, go to View and select Graph Properties, or click the Graph Properties button in the View toolbar. This opens the Graph Property dialog box. The configurable options are categorized under three tabs: Graph Background, View Options, and Legend Options. The top panel of the dialog box shows a preview of the current graph with the modified properties. Note: Options selected in the Graph Property dialog box apply only to the selected graph.

6.2.5.1 Graph Background Tab
The background color can be set in this tab.

FIGURE 6-22.

Graph Background Tab

• To select a flat background, set Background Shade to Flat and click the Color button to select a color. • To select a gradient background, set Background Shade to Linear Gradient and select shades for Top
Color and Bottom Color by clicking the two Color buttons. The background is displayed as a linear interpolation of the two colors.

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6.2.5.2 View Options Tab
Graph options can be set in this tab.

FIGURE 6-23.

View Options Tab

• • • •

Check Show Grid to display a grid on the graph. Check Show Legend to display a legend. Check Bar Shade to use a gradient shading for bars in a graph. Check Log Scale to use a log scale for metric values.

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6.2.5.3 Legend Options Tab
The color for the legend background and the colors used to plot different metrics (for example, metrics for different instances) can be selected in this tab.

FIGURE 6-24.

Legend Options Tab

• To change the legend background color, click the Color button to select a color. • To change the color used to plot a metric, click on the appropriate Color column and select a color.

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QualNet Packet Tracer

Packet Tracer is a module of the QualNet GUI that provides a visual representation allowing you to analyze information contained in trace files. Trace files are text files in standard XML format with a “.trace” extension, that contain information about the movement of packets up and down the protocol stack. Packet Tracer presents the trace data in a structured visual format that can easily be interpreted. It provides search, sort, and filter functionality for meaningful and efficient results, and provides the following:

• Support for viewing trace data of packets through multiple protocols across layers and nodes in a tabular format.

• Support for viewing the protocols and their attributes in a hierarchical tree format. • The ability to search the attributes of the protocols (for example, Source Port, TTL, Fragment Offset, etc.) for matches to various conditions.

• Ability to filter the entire data of a trace file based on various parameters (for example, Tracing Protocol,
Originating Node, etc.). The filter should be a queue-based filter with progressive filtering, so that the output of a level serves as the input to the next level.

• Support for column sorting, string searching, and moving to a particular record of the tabular trace data.
Note: Trace file data is collected only when packet tracing is enabled, as described in Section 4.2.10.

Packet Tracer features are described in the following sections:

• Components of Packet Tracer: provides an overview of the components of Packet Tracer. • Using Packet Tracer: describes how to analyze trace files using Packet Tracer.

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7.1 Components of Packet Tracer
This section provides an overview of the different components of Packet Tracer.

Menu Bar

Navigation Toolbar

Trace Record Display Area

Left Collapsible Panel

Bottom Collapsible Panel

FIGURE 7-1.

Packet Tracer Components

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7.1.1 Menu Bar
This section explain the commands available from the Main Menu bar.

7.1.1.1 File Menu
The File menu provides the following commands for file operations.

FIGURE 7-2.

File Menu

Command
Open Recent Files Reload Close Exit

Description
Opens a file browse dialog in the user’s last opened folder. If no recent files have been opened, it opens the QUALNET_HOME\scenarios\user folder. Displays a list of recently opened files. Selecting a file from this list opens it in a tab on the canvas. Closes the currently open trace file and reloads it in a new tab. Closes the currently open trace file. Exits from QualNet application. If there are any unsaved changes in any of the open scenarios, you will be prompted to save them.

7.1.1.2 Settings Menu
The Settings menu provides the following commands for file operations.

FIGURE 7-3.

Settings Menu

Command
Time Precision

Description
It allows user to display the simulation time data precision up to the specified places. A pop-up window opens, when the user clicks on this menu item.

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Command
Show Relevant Protocols Use And Search

Description
It allows user to view the details of relevant protocols (the list of protocols corresponding to the traces available in .trace file) for the currently loaded trace file. It will enable/disable a global flag for find record pane. If this menu item is enabled, Find Record (in left collapsible pane) will search for those records in Data Record pane that satisfy all the conditions specified by rules available in Search Queue Editor.

7.1.1.3 Filters Menu
The Filters menu provides the following commands for file operations.

FIGURE 7-4.

Filters Menu

Command
Hide Toggle Mark Show All Show Marked Hide Marked Mark All Unmark All

Description
Hides the currently selected data record from the Data Record pane. Checks/unchecks the checkbox of currently selected record in the Data record pane. Refreshes the table to show all the records present in the trace file. Allows the user to view all the marked data records in Data Record pane and hide all the unmarked record. Hides all the marked data records in Data Record pane. Allows user to mark all the available data records in Data Record pane. When user clicks on this menu item, it unmarks all the data records in data record pane.

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Command
Mark Related

Description
When user clicks on this menu item, it marks all the related data records in Data Record pane with the currently marked record. Records having the same Originating Node and Message Sequence Number shall be treated as related records. If no record is marked, it displays a message “Mark at least One Record”. If there is no related record it shows a warning message “No Record Found”. Allows user to unmark all the related data records in Data Record pane with the one selected.

Unmark Related

7.1.1.4 Navigation Menu
The Navigation menu provides the following commands for file operations.

FIGURE 7-5.

Navigation Menu

FIGURE 7-6.

GoTo Dialog Box

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Command
GoTo First Record Last Record Previous Record Next Record Page Up Page Down Previous Marked Next Marked First Marked Last Marked Previous Related Next Related First Related Last Related

Description
Jumps to a particular record number in the records table. A dialog box as shown in Figure 7-6 above, will accept the record number to jump to. Selects the first record in the data record pane. Selects the last record in the data record pane. Selects the previous record from the currently selected data record in data record pane. Selects the next record from the currently selected data record in the data record pane. Display previous page (one screen back) of the data records. Display next page (one screen forward), of the data records. Select the previous marked data record to the currently selected record. This option will work only when all the data records are shown. Navigates to the next marked record. This option will work only when all the data records are shown. Navigates to the first marked record. This option will work only when all the data records are shown. Navigates to the last marked record in the data record pane. This option will work only when all the data records are shown. Navigates to the previous related record in Data Record pane. Selects to the next related data record to the currently selected data record in Data Record pane. Selects the first related data record. Selects the last related data record.

7.1.1.5 Help Menu
This is the same as the Help menu described in the components of Architect. See Section 3.1.1.6 for a description of the Help menu.

7.1.2 Toolbars
This section describes the following Packet Tracer toolbars:

• Standard Toolbar • Navigation Toolbar

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7.1.2.1 Standard Toolbar
The Standard toolbar is used to open and close files. The following table describes the buttons of the Standard toolbar.

FIGURE 7-7.

Standard Toolbar

Button

Command
Open File

Description
Opens a file chooser in the user’s last opened folder. If no recent files have been opened, it opens the QUALNET_HOME/scenarios/user folder. This button performs the same function as the File > Open command. See Section 7.1.1.1.

Reload

Closes the currently open trace file and reloads it in new tab. This button performs the same function as the File > Reload command. See Section 7.1.1.1.

7.1.2.2 Navigation Toolbar
The Navigation toolbar is used to browse through the record table. The following table describes the buttons of the Navigation toolbar.

FIGURE 7-8.

Navigation Toolbar

Button

Command
Previous Record

Description
Selects the previous record from the currently selected data record in record table. This button performs the same function as the Navigation > Previous Record command. See Section 7.1.1.4.

Next Record

Selects the next record from the currently selected data record in the record table. This button performs the same function as the Navigation > Next Record command. See Section 7.1.1.4.

First Record

Selects the first record in the record table. This button performs the same function as the Navigation > First Record command. See Section 7.1.1.4.

Last Record

Selects the last record in the record table. This button performs the same function as the Navigation > Next Record command. See Section 7.1.1.4.

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7.1.3 Left Panels
The following panels are available to left of the data record panel:

• • • • •

File System Panel Protocol Header Panel Protocol Explorer Panel Find Record Panel Filter Queue Editor Panel Note: These five panels occupy the same space and at most one of them can be opened at any time.

7.1.3.1 File System Panel
This is same as File System panel of Architect. See Section 3.1.3.1 for a description of the File System panel.

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7.1.3.2 Protocol Header Panel
The Protocol Header panel displays header data of a trace record as shown in Figure 7-9. Click on any row of the record table, it shows a hierarchical tree structure of protocols for that packet.

FIGURE 7-9.

Protocol Header Panel

Note:

This panel is blank when there is no trace file loaded and no table record is selected.

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7.1.3.3 Protocol Explorer Panel
The Protocol Explorer displays the list of protocols supported by Packet Tracer tool (see Figure 7-10). For each protocol, it also displays attribute fields and their types.

FIGURE 7-10.

Protocol Explorer Panel

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7.1.3.4 Find Record Panel
The Find Record panel is used to create and display search rules which can be applied to find records in the trace file.

FIGURE 7-11.

Find Record Panel

Note:

This panel is blank if no trace file is loaded or no rule is added.

See Section 7.2.2 for details of using search rules.

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7.1.3.5 Filter Queue Editor Panel
The Filter Queue Editor provides advanced filtering and searching functions on various parameters of the trace file data.

FIGURE 7-12.

Filter Queue Editor Panel

See Section 7.2.2 for details of the filtering and searching functions that can be performed from the Filter Queue Editor panel.

7.1.4 Bottom Panels
The following panels are available to bottom of the data record pane:

• File Properties • Error Log
Note: These two panels occupy the same space and at most one of them can be opened at any time.

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7.1.4.1 File Properties Panel
This File Properties displays the properties of trace file, as shown in Figure 7-13. It has three groups:

• File Information: This group box shows the file's name, absolute path, size, and record count. • Trace File Meta Data: This group shows the QualNet version, name of scenario, comments, and last modification date.

• Protocol ID Map: This group shows the list of protocols present in the loaded trace file. This list has two columns displaying Protocol ID and Protocol Name, but will remain blank when no trace file is loaded.

FIGURE 7-13.

File Properties Panel

7.1.4.2 Error Log Panel
The Errors Log panel displays the parsing information corresponding to the currently selected data record from the Record Table (see Figure 7-14). It allows users to isolate errors, during the parsing of the data records.

FIGURE 7-14.

Error Log Panel

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7.2 Using Packet Tracer
This section describes how to use the Packet Tracer features for analyzing trace files.

7.2.1 Opening Trace Files
Trace files can be opened using the following methods:

• In the File System panel, either double-click on the trace file, or right-click and select Open.

FIGURE 7-15.

File System Showing a Trace File

• Select the File > Open... menu option and select a trace file to open. • Click the Open File button in the Standard toolbar and select a trace file to open.

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Using Packet Tracer The records in the trace file are displayed in a tabular format, as shown in Figure 7-16.

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FIGURE 7-16.

Trace File Displayed in Packet Tracer

The columns of the record table are described in Table 7-1.

TABLE 7-1. Column
Index Type

Tracer Table Columns Description

The index number of the record. The packet type represented by the record (either Application, Control, or Fragment). You can move your mouse over an icon and its description appears over it The selection status of a record (for example, whether you have selected a record). The node at which the packet is traced. The tracing protocol for the packet. The simulation time for the packet.

Mark Tracing Node Tracing Protocol Simulation Time

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Chapter 7 TABLE 7-1. Column
Originating Node Message Sequence Number Originating Protocol Action Type

Using Packet Tracer Tracer Table Columns (Continued) Description
The node from which the packet originated. The message sequence number for the packet. The originating protocol for the packet. The action taken for the packet (one of Send, Receive, Enqueue, Dequeue, and Drop).

Sorting the Records by Columns You can click on any column header to sort the values in that column in ascending or descending order. The records in the table are resorted according to the sort order in the selected column. For a file with a large number of records this process may take some time.
Clicking on the title sorts the list in ascending or descending order

FIGURE 7-17.

Sort the Trace Record

Action Details Window A window appears at the bottom of the table, known as the Action window (see Figure 7-18). It contains information about the action taken for packets that are dropped, enqueued, or dequeued. For dropped packets, it displays the reason. For enqueued and dequeued packets, it provides Queue ID and Queue Priority.

FIGURE 7-18.

Action Window

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7.2.2 Finding Records Using the Find Record Panel
The Find Record panel displays a list of added rules corresponding to the currently opened trace file. This allows user to view data records satisfying the selected search rule. This Find Record panel contains Move Up, Move Down, Add New Rule, Edit Rule, Delete Rule, Remove All, and Find Next Record buttons as shown in Figure 7-11.

Move Up Move Down Add New Rule Edit Rule Delete Rule Remove All Find Next Record

FIGURE 7-19.

Find Record Panel

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Chapter 7 To search for records using search rules, do the following: 1. Click on Add New Rule

Using Packet Tracer

button. A Rule Editor dialog appears as shown in Figure 7-20.

FIGURE 7-20.

Rule Editor

2. Select the trace elements you want by expanding the items in the left column.

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3. Choose the condition from the available search list as shown in Figure 7-21 (one of Equal to, Greater than, Less than, Greater than or equal to, less than or equal to, Not equal to, Range, and List).

FIGURE 7-21.

Setting Search Conditions

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4. Specify the desired value in text box as shown in Figure 7-22 (in this case “List” was selected). Click OK to add the new rule in the Find Record panel.

FIGURE 7-22.

Setting Search Values

button and select the record satisfying the selected rule. If no data record is 5. Click on Find Next found, a "No Records Found" message will be displayed. Note: You can use the Delete Rule Record panel and Remove All button to remove the highlighted rules from the Find button to remove all rules. The Edit Rule button

can be used to edit the highlighted/selected rules.

7.2.3 Using Filter Queue Editor
The Filter Queue Editor provides advanced filtering/searching functions on various parameters of the trace file data. There are two kinds of filtering operations that you can perform using the Filter Queue Editor. They are:

• Record Header Filter - a search performed on the data visible in the Tracer Table based on various parameters explained below.

• Record Body Filter - a search performed on data displayed in the Protocol Header Data window.

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7.2.3.1 Record Header Filter
This search can be performed on the following parameters of the trace file data:

• • • • • • •

Tracing Node Tracing Protocol Simulation Time Originating Node Message Sequence Number Originating Protocol Action

7.2.3.1.1 Filtering on Originating Node and Tracing Node To display only those records in the trace file that have their Originating Node as 1 or 3, perform the following: 1. Click on the Filter Queue Editor tab in the Left Panel. This Tracer Table button opens a pane called Filter Queue Editor, shown in Figure 7-23. From here, you can perform several advanced search functions, explained later in this chapter.

FIGURE 7-23.

Filter Queue Editor Window

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Chapter 7 2. Use the Add New Rule shown in Figure 7-23.

Using Packet Tracer button to define a new filter rule. This launches a Rule Editor dialog as

3. In the Rule Editor dialog window, choose the Originating Node option in the left tree.

FIGURE 7-24.

Rule Editor Window

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Using Packet Tracer 4. Select List from the Condition drop-down list box.

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The blank area on the right of the Filter Queue Editor is now replaced by two list boxes as shown in Figure 7-25. The left list box contains all the available node IDs from the data in the trace file, whereas the right list box is empty.

FIGURE 7-25.

Filter Queue Editor Window

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Chapter 7 5. Choose the nodes that you want to filter data on as follows:

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a. Select them in the Available Node IDs (All Choices) list and click the > button each time to add them to the Selected Choices list on the right. b. Use the < button to move a selection back to the left box, or deselect it. Use the >> and << buttons to move all the list items to either the left or right box.

FIGURE 7-26.

Making a Selection from Available Options

6. Click OK to accept the rule and add it to the filter queue list box.

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7. A check box allows you to set the strategy of this rule to show/hide. Uncheck the Filter Strategy check box to hide the records with the Originating Node ID in their headers. Check the check box to only show these records.

FIGURE 7-27.

Rules in the Filter Queue Editor

To apply the rule to the records table, press the Filter Records Now button, which gets activated when the filter queue list is non empty. This will start applying the filter rule to the visible records in the records table. The filtered data containing only the records (i.e. packets) with your chosen originating nodes appears in the records table. Note: When multiple rules are in the filter queue, the resultant rule of all these rules will be applied to the record in the table when Filter Records Now button is pressed.

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7.2.3.1.1.1 Operations on Rules in Filter Queue The following operations are available: Move up, Move down, Add Rule, Edit Rule, Delete Rule, Remove All Rules, and Filter Records Now as shown in Figure 7-28.

Move Up Move Down Add New Rule Edit Rule Delete Rule Remove All Filter Records Now

FIGURE 7-28.

Operations on Rules in the Filter Queue

7.2.3.1.2 Filtering on Message Sequence Number and Simulation Time Filtering on Message Sequence Number and Simulation Time involves specifying a range for the respective parameter that is used for the search and filtering. The following steps describe the filtering configuration for Simulation Time: 1. In the Rule Editor dialog, select the Add New Rule and select Simulation Time. button, and then expand the Record Header

2. From the Search Condition pull-down menu, select Range. A Minimum and Maximum search value window appears (see Figure 7-29). 3. Enter the range for which you want to filter the trace file data in these and click on OK. The Tracer table now displays only those records (packets) that have their Simulation Time within the specified range.

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FIGURE 7-29.

New Panel Containing Range for Filtering Trace Data button.

4. Apply the rule by clicking on the Apply Filter Now

Note:

The same procedure can be used for filtering configuration on Message Sequence Number, as well.

7.2.3.1.3 Filtering On Action An Action can be any one of: Send, Receive (RECV), Enqueue, Dequeue, and Drop. The Filter Queue Editor can be configured for filtering on Action as follows: 1. In the New Filter dialog, select and expand the Action node under the Record Header tree as shown in Figure 7-30. Select the Action Type sub node. Two list boxes appear on the right-hand side of the Filter Queue Editor dialog inside Search Value area. The All Choices list containing all the Action types and the Selected Choices list on the right containing the ones selected by the user.

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FIGURE 7-30.

Selecting Action Radio Button

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2. From the All Choices list box on the left, select the search values (one at a time) and click on the > button to add them to the Selected Choices list on the right as shown in Figure 7-31. Repeat for as many actions as you want to select. You can use the < button to remove an action from the selected list and the >> and << buttons to select or deselect all items.

FIGURE 7-31.

Selecting Actions

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3. Once you have selected all search values, click the OK button. The Tracer table is refreshed showing only the selected records (packets) as shown in Figure 7-32. As described earlier in step 7 on page 323, you can choose to Hide, rather than Show your selection.

FIGURE 7-32.

Shows Only Actions that can be Verified button.

4. Apply the rule by clicking on the Apply Filter Now

7.2.3.1.4 Compound Progressive Filtering The Filter Queue Editor performs compound progressive filtering where multiple parameters can be filtered in a queue-based manner, i.e. the output of one stage of filtering serves as the input for the next. This progressive filtering lets you to perform complex filtering operations, for example: Show me all the records which have their Tracing Protocol as IPv4 or UDP, and their Action as either Send or Enqueue, and their Originating Node as either 1, 3, or 5, and from these records hide the ones that have their Message Sequence Number between 4 and 6. This filtering is done on a sample trace file.

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1. Open the sample trace file called default.trace. The Tracer table displays the entire trace file data as shown in Figure 7-33.

FIGURE 7-33.

Sample Trace File

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2. Open the Filter Queue Editor and in the New Filter dialog, choose Tracing Protocol as shown in Figure 7-34, then select List from the Search Condition drop-down box.

FIGURE 7-34.

Selecting Tracing Protocols for Defining Rule

3. From the All Choices list inside Search Value box, choose the protocols that you want for Tracing Protocol (in this case UDP and IPv4) as shown in Figure 7-34 and click OK. 4. Click on the Add New Rule button in the Filter Queue Editor and from the New Rule dialog that appears choose Action type. Select the desired Action types (Send and Enqueue in this case) as explained earlier. Refer to the Filter Queue example in Figure 7-23.

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FIGURE 7-35.

Choosing Your Actions

5. Define a new rule by clicking on the Add New Rule button, and then from the New Filter dialog that appears, choose Originating Node and select the List condition, as shown in Figure 7-36.

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6. Make your selections for Originating Node (1, 3, and 8, in this case) as shown in Figure 7-36 and click OK.

FIGURE 7-36.

Choose Originating Node

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7. Select Message Sequence Number from the Rule Editor dialog and select Range in the Condition drop-down list as shown in Figure 7-37.

FIGURE 7-37.

Updated Tracer Table

8. Enter the range for the Message Sequence Number: Minimum Value = 4 and Maximum Value = 6 (as shown in Figure 7-37) then click OK. Note: After the parameters have been entered for the tracer data, the records can be filtered in the desired sequence by applying the formed Filter Queue.

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9. When clicking the Filter Records Now button, the record table view updates to display the data from only those records (packets) that satisfy all the conditions that were entered in the Filter Queue as shown in Figure 7-38.

FIGURE 7-38.

Filter Queue with all Rules Defined

7.2.3.2 Record Body Filter
In the previous section, we configured the Filter Queue Editor with search parameters like Originating Node, Tracing Protocol, etc. (these are displayed as columns in the Tracer table), and constitute the Record Header and so this type of filter is known as Record Header Filter. In this section we will configure the Filter Queue Editor with Protocol Header Data (Attributes and Values) as shown in Figure 7-39, rather than the data in the Tracer table (record table).

Attributes Values

FIGURE 7-39.

Protocol Header Tree

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A sample of the data in the Protocol Header Data window is displayed when a row of the Tracer table is clicked as shown in Figure 7-39. This figure shows that each Protocol has Attributes (or properties) and values associated with each of these attributes. They can be identified by noting that the Attributes appear to the left of the ‘= ‘ sign and their Values to the right of it. Using the Filter Queue Editor you can search or filter the trace file data to display only those records that contain a certain value of an Attribute by configuring it for Record Body Filtration. In the following section, we will filter records containing a specific Attribute Value from among the trace file data. 7.2.3.2.1 Protocol Header Field Search This filtration is performed on the attribute values in the Protocol Header Data. The attribute Identification can be seen under protocol IPv4. In the figure below, this Value is 4 (but for other records it can vary). In the following scenario we will search only those records in the trace file that have the Value of the Attribute Identification under IPv4 as 4 (four). To accomplish this search task, perform a Header Field Search as follows: 1. Open the FilterQueueEditor, click on the New Rule button and from the Rule Editor dialog that appears, choose IPv4 tree node. 2. Click on the + beside IPv4 to expand that node. The expanded IPv4 node is shown.

FIGURE 7-40.

Expanded IPv4 Node Shown

3. From the list of nodes under IPv4, select Identification.

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4. From the Search Condition drop-down list on the right pane, select a comparison condition (Equal to, Greater than, Less than, Greater than or equal to, less than or equal to, Not equal to, and Range). 5. Enter the value(s) for the filter configuration and click OK (in this case we have entered 4).

FIGURE 7-41.

Providing the Attribute’s Value for the Rule

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6. The new rule appears in the Filter Queue Editor. To view the results of your filtering operation on the Protocol header tree press Filter Records Now button. Only those records in the trace file will be displayed in the Tracer table that have the Value of their Identification attribute of IPv4 protocol as 4.

FIGURE 7-42.

New Rule Added to Filter Queue

In this example of a Header Field Search, the search item was a simple number. Similarly, we may filter records on any other protocol header-field-value like Source IP and also specifying multiple rules to make any combination of values, including progressive attribute filtering on the records for these rules.

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Figure 7-43 shows records filtered by an IP address and Figure 7-44 shows multiple rules for filtering header values.

FIGURE 7-43.

Selecting a Node that Represents the IP Address

FIGURE 7-44.

Multiple Rules Defined for Protocol Header Values

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8

QualNet File Editor

This chapter describes QualNet File Editor, which is a text editing tool that can be used for viewing and editing files associated with a scenario File Editor provides helpful utilities, like auto-completion of parameters and values and syntax highlighting, which makes it particularly useful for viewing and editing scenario configuration (.config) files. This application can be launched from the Architect view either by clicking the Open Scenario in File Editor icon on the Run Toolbar or by clicking the File Editor button on the Components Toolbar. The major sections of this chapter are:

• Components of File Editor • Using File Editor
How to Get to File Editor To switch to the File Editor component of QualNet GUI, click the toolbar. You can open and edit any text file associated with any scenario. If a scenario is open in Architect, you can switch directly to File Editor and view the scenario configuration (.config) file for that scenario by clicking the View Scenario in File Editor button on the Run toolbar or by selecting the View Scenario in File Editor command from the Tools menu. button in the Components

FIGURE 8-1.

Tools Menu - View Scenario in File Editor

Note:

Clicking the View Scenario in File Editor

button or selecting the View Scenario in

File Editor command opens the scenario configuration (.config) file in the text editing tool selected in the Preferences dialog (see Section 3.1.2.3). By default, File Editor is used as the text editing tool.

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8.1 Components of File Editor
This section provides an overview of the different components of File Editor (see Figure 8-2).

Menu Bar Components Toolbar Standard Toolbar File Tabs

Left Panel (Showing File List)

File Display Panel

Find Panel

FIGURE 8-2.

Components of File Editor

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8.1.1 Menu Bar
This section describes the menus available from the Menu bar.

8.1.1.1 File Menu
The File menu provides the following commands for file operations:

FIGURE 8-3.

File Menu

See Section 3.1.1.1 for a description of the File menu commands.

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8.1.1.2 Edit Menu
The Edit menu provides the following commands for editing file editing:

FIGURE 8-4.

Edit Menu

Command
Undo Redo Cut Copy Paste Delete Select All Insert Unicode control character Undoes the most recent action.

Description
Redoes the most recent undone action. Cuts the selected text. Copies the selected text. Pastes the previously cut or copied contents. Deletes the selected text. Selects the entire file. Displays a list of unicode control characters. If a character from this list is selected, it will be inserted in the file at the cursor’s position.

8.1.1.3 Help Menu
See Section 3.1.1.6 for a description of the Help menu.

8.1.2 Standard Toolbar
The Standard toolbar contains buttons (from left to right) to open, delete, save and print files.

FIGURE 8-5.

Standard Toolbar

8.1.3 Left Panels
The following panels are available to the left of the File Editor window:

• File System Panel

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• File List Panel
Note: These two panels occupy the same space and only one of them can be opened at any time.

8.1.3.1 File System Panel
See Section 3.1.3.1 for a description of the File System panel.

8.1.3.2 File List Panel
This panel lists the files currently open in File Editor. Clicking on a filename displays it in the File Display Panel. You can close a file (or all open files) by right-clicking on the file name in the File List Panel and selecting Close Selected (or Close All).

FIGURE 8-6.

File List Panel

8.1.4 Find Panel
The Find Panel provides search functionality, which is used to find text strings in the active file. The functions are described in the table below. Cursor Position FIGURE 8-7. Find Panel

.........................................................................
8.2 Using File Editor
This section describes how to open and edit files in File Editor.

8.2.1 Opening Files
Files can be opened in File Editor in the following ways:

• From File Menu or Standard Toolbar of File Editor: Select the File > Open command or click the Open button on the Standard Toolbar. Select a file from the file browser that is opened.

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Using File Editor

• From File System Panel of Architect, Analyzer, Packet Tracer, or File Editor: Right-click on a file name and select Edit as Text. In addition, any file which does not have the extension .config, .anim, or ,stat can be opened in File Editor by double-clicking on the file name. scenario configuration (.config) file for that scenario in File Editor, click the View Scenario in File Editor button on the Run toolbar or select the Tools > View Scenario in File Editor command. Note that for this option to open files in File Editor to work, File Editor must be selected as the default text editing tool (see Section 3.1.1.2). File Editor uses syntax highlighting when displaying scenario configuration (.config) files: parameters, qualifiers, comments, values, and value options (i.e., values that are selected from a list) are displayed in different colors (see Figure 8-8).

• From Design Mode of Architect: If a scenario is open in Design mode of Architect, then to open the

Parameter Name

Value Option

Comment Quantifier

Value

FIGURE 8-8.

Syntax Highlighting in File Editor

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8.2.2 Editing Files
Files can be edited in File Editor in the same way as any standard text editing tool. In addition, File Editor provides a convenient auto-completion feature for entering parameter names and value options in scenario configuration (.config) files, which works as follows: After you have typed three or more characters of a parameter name, a drop-down list is displayed listing all parameters starting with the character string entered until that point. You can select a parameter from the list or continue to type the next characters of the parameter name. As you continue to type, the list gets truncated to match the part of parameter name entered.

FIGURE 8-9.

Auto-completion of Parameter Names

After a parameter name has been entered (by typing or by selection), enter a space. If the parameter value is of type List, i.e., the parameter value can be one of several enumerated items (see Section 4.1.1), then the list of options for that parameter is displayed. You can select a value from the list or start typing the option. As you continue to type, the list of options get truncated to match the part of option entered.

FIGURE 8-10.

Auto-completion of Parameter Values

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A

License and Libraries Information

A valid license is required to run QualNet. The supported license schemes are described in Section A.1. To use a library, it must be activated (i.e., the QualNet executable file must be compiled with it) and you must have a license that enables it. Libraries Enabled by an Evaluation License: A typical evaluation license enables all model libraries (except ALE/ASAPS Advanced Propagation and TIREM Advanced Propagation libraries) for the evaluation period (which is typically 30 days). Libraries Enabled by a Commercial License: A commercial license enables the base version of QualNet (which includes the Developer, Multimedia and Enterprise, and Wireless model libraries) and all additional libraries purchased by the user. To view the list of libraries enabled by your license, see Section A.3 and Section A.4. Model Libraries Precompiled with QualNet The source code, scenarios, and documentation for the following model libraries are included in the QualNet distribution. In addition, the precompiled executable files included in the distribution (see Section 1.4.3) have been compiled with these libraries:

• • • • • • • • • •

Developer (excluding STK interface) Multimedia and Enterprise Wireless Advanced Wireless Cellular Network Security Satellite Sensor Networks UMTS Urban Propagation

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Types of Licenses

Appendix A

Model Libraries Included with QualNet that Require Compilation The source code, scenarios, and documentation for the following model libraries and components are included in the QualNet distribution. However, the precompiled executable files included in the distribution have not been compiled with these libraries and components:

• • • • •

STK interface (part of Developer Model Library, but activated independently) ALE/ASAPS Advanced Propagation TIREM Advanced Propagation Standard Interfaces - HLA Standard Interfaces - DIS

The libraries and components listed above require third-party software. In order to use these, you must install the additional software required and recompile QualNet. For details of installing the additional software, refer to the model library document. For details of compiling QualNet, refer to QualNet Programmer’s Guide.

.........................................................................
A.1 Types of Licenses
This section describes the types of license schemes supported by QualNet. QualNet supports three types of licenses: node-locked, floating (also known as client-server), and dongle.

• Node-locked License: This type of license is tied to a specific machine (which is identified by its MAC

address) and can not be used on a different machine. Use this license scheme if you plan on using QualNet always on the same machine. This type of license does not require a license server and is very easy to install. license that can be served to a number of client machines that are within the licensed IP range. Any machine on the sanctioned network can use a floating license, if it can connect to the license server. Note: When using a license server, each client machine must have QualNet installed and must have a client license file. The client license file directs QualNet to checkout the actual license from the server. The license is returned to the server upon completion of use. Only the purchased number of licenses can be in use at any given time, but they are not tied to a particular machine.

• Floating License: This type of license requires a license server. A license server provides a floating

• Dongle License: This is a special type of license that is associated with an external USB device. In order to use this license, the associated USB device must be plugged into your computer. This is restricted scheme which is primarily used for classified environments and requires approval by the Scalable Network Technologies’ sales department

Depending on the duration for which a license is valid, it can be classified as one of the following:

• Temporary License: A temporary license is valid for a short time period, which is typically 30 days.
This type of license is usually provided for evaluation or demo purposes.

• Regular 1-Year License: This is the typical license issued to most customers and has a one year expiration period. This type of license will need to be renewed once it expires.

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Installing Licenses

.........................................................................
A.2 Installing Licenses
This section describes how to install QualNet licenses. Installing Node-locked Licenses Copy the license file into QUALNET_HOME\license_dir, where QUALNET_HOME is the directory where QualNet is installed. The name for a node-locked license file is of the form qualnet-<date>.lic, where <date> is the license expiration date. For example, the license file may be named qualnet-2009.12.31.lic. Be sure to check the file extension on your license file. It should end in “.lic”. Depending on your system and method of copying, you may end up with an extra extension, such as qualnet-2009.12.31.lic.txt, which will not work. Installing Floating Licenses If you have a floating license, then you will need to install a client license file on each machine on which you wish to run QualNet and a server license on the license server.

• Client License File: Copy the client license file into QUALNET_HOME\license_dir, where

QUALNET_HOME is the directory where QualNet is installed. The name for a client license file is of the form client-<ip-address>.lic, where <ip-address> is the IP address of the license server.

Be sure to check the file extension on your license file. It should end in “.lic”. Depending on your system and method of copying, you may end up with an extra extension, such as client-169.251.192.204.lic.txt, which will not work.

• Server License File: Activate the server license on the qlm license server with the license server file.

The name for a server license file is of the form qualnet-comm-floating-<date>.lic, where <date> is the license expiration date. The instructions for starting the license server with the server license file are located on your QualNet license download page (http://www.scalable-networks.com/manage/account/ license_support.php). Use your QualNet account username and password to access this page.

Installing Dongle Licenses To use a dongle license, do the following:

• Copy the license file into QUALNET_HOME\license_dir, where QUALNET_HOME is the directory where QualNet is installed. (This step is similar to installing a node-locked license). to you by email.

• Install the dongle device driver for your system. The instructions for installing the driver will be provided • Plug the dongle device into your system.

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Appendix A

.........................................................................
A.3 License and Libraries Information from Command Line
This section describes how to obtain information on your license and libraries installed on your system from the command line. To obtain license and libraries information, open a command window and type the following command: qualnet -print_libraries This command prints license and libraries information about your system in four columns. A typical output of this command as shown in Figure A-1.

FIGURE A-1.

License and Libraries Information from the Command Line

The columns of the output contain the following information:

• Library: This column displays the library name. If the library has multiple modules which can be

enabled individually, then each module will be listed separately with the library name in the following format: <library-name> - <module name>. Examples are "Standard Interfaces - DIS" and "Standard Interfaces - HLA".

• Expiration Date: This column displays the expiration date of the license for the library. • Source Code: This column indicates whether or not the source code of the library is present. • Status: This column indicates the status of the library. The status can be: OK, License Expired, or
Recompilation Required.

- OK: You have a valid license for the library and your QualNet executable has been compiled with it.
Thus, you can use the library without having to recompile QualNet.

- License Expired: You had a license for the library, but it has since expired.

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License and Libraries Information from the GUI

- Recompilation Required: You have a valid license for the library but your QualNet executable has

not been compiled with it. You will need to recompile QualNet in order to use models in the library. If the source code for the library is present (which is indicated in the third column), you can enable the library and recompile QualNet.

.........................................................................
A.4 License and Libraries Information from the GUI
The License and Libraries dialog of the QualNet GUI enables users to view information about the license, replace the license file, view the status of libraries, and get help should license problems be encountered. You can launch the License and Libraries dialog from Architect, Analyzer, Packet Tracer, or File Editor by selecting License and Libraries from the Help menu. The License and Libraries dialog also open automatically when you start the QualNet GUI if your license file is missing, expired, or invalid. The License and Libraries dialog has two tabs:

• Status • Troubleshooting

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Appendix A

A.4.1 Status Tab
The Status tab (see Figure A-2) displays information about the license and libraries installed on your system.

FIGURE A-2. License and Libraries Dialog - Status Tab The top part of the dialog displays the following information:

• • • •

Build date (date the QualNet distribution was created) QUALNET_HOME (value of the QUALNET_HOME environment variable) License type and expiration date (date of expiration of the base license) License status

The License File field shows the location of the current license file. You can select a new license file by clicking the Replace License File… button, browsing to the location of the new license, and clicking the Open button. This will copy the license file into the appropriate directory. Note: If you replace the license file, you must restart the GUI for the new license file to take effect.

The bottom part of the dialog displays information about the libraries installed on your system in four columns: Library, Expiration Date, Source Code, and Status. See Section A.3 for a description of these columns.

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License and Libraries Information from the GUI

A.4.2 Troubleshooting Tab
The Troubleshooting tab indicates the license status, provides troubleshooting details, and provides the ability to generate a detailed report about your system.

A.4.2.1 Troubleshooting Details
If there is a problem with your license (as indicated by the License Status field), the Troubleshooting Details window displays detailed error messages and, possibly, steps to resolve the problem.

FIGURE A-3.

License and Libraries Dialog - Troubleshooting Tab

A.4.2.2 Troubleshooting Log
The Troubleshooting Log is a detailed log report, which can help the support team at Scalable Network Technologies to diagnose your specific license error. To get help on your license error, do the following: 1. Click the Generate Log button; a detailed log report will be displayed in the window. 2. Click the Copy to Clipboard button to copy the contents of the log to the clipboard. 3. Paste the contents of the clipboard into an email, and send it to license@scalable-networks.com where the support team can diagnose the problem and suggest solutions.

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.........................................................................
A.5 Helpful Links
For help with license issues, visit the FAQ page: http://www.scalable-networks.com/kb/categories.php?categoryid=1

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B

Online Help

The Online Help interface can be used to search for specific topics that are documented in the online manuals. Online help is accessed by using the Keyword Search text box, from the toolbars (only in Architect), or from any of the properties editors.

.........................................................................
B.1 Using Keyword Search Help
The Search Text Box is located in the top right corner of all GUI components.

As you start typing keywords or search topics in the search text box, a list of keywords or help topics starting with the text entered is displayed (see the example in Figure B-1).

FIGURE B-1.

Search Text Box

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Using Toolbar Help Example:

Appendix B

In the following example, we selected Abstract Link MAC Model from the pull-down list and then pressed Enter. Figure B-2 displays the search results for the Abstract Link MAC Model.

FIGURE B-2. Note:

Search Results for Abstract Link MAC Model

In the results window above, using the search text feature, you can search for key words within the selected help topic using the Previous, Next, and Case Sensitive buttons.

.........................................................................
B.2 Using Toolbar Help
The Online Help Interface can be accessed from any of the toolbars in Architect by right-clicking on a specific tool button.

FIGURE B-3.

Toolbar Help Buttons

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Appendix B Example: In the following example, we right-clicked on the New Figure B-4 displays the search results for the New button.

Using Toolbar Help

button from the Standard Toolbar. 

FIGURE B-4.

Help for Create a New Scenario Button

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Appendix B

.........................................................................
B.3 Using Properties Editors Help
The Online Help interface can be accessed from all the properties editors by either clicking the Help icon in the top-right corner or by right-clicking on a specific property in the properties editor (see Figure B-5).

FIGURE B-5. Example:

Help from Properties Editor Help Icons

In the following example, we clicked on the Help icon, which displays information about the active properties editor (see Figure B-6). Right-clicking on an individual property displays information about that property (see Figure B-7).

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Using Properties Editors Help

FIGURE B-6.

Help on Default Device Properties Editor

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Using Properties Editors Help

Appendix B

FIGURE B-7.

Help on a Specific Property

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C

Advanced Run Settings

Using the Run Settings dialog, the QualNet GUI can be configured to run a simulation in the following modes:

• locally, using a single processor • locally, in parallel mode on a shared-memory multi-processor system • locally, in parallel mode on a distributed platform (refer to QualNet Distributed Reference Guide for the requirements for running QualNet on a distributed platform)

• remotely, with the simulator running on a server in any of the above modes

.........................................................................
C.1 Local Execution
To set the run mode for local execution in QualNet GUI, do the following: 1. Open the Run Settings window (see Figure C-4) by pressing the Run Settings button (which is to the left of the Run Simulation button).

FIGURE C-1.

Run Settings Button

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FIGURE C-2.

Run Settings for Local Execution

2. Select the Local Execution radio button. 3. Set Number of Processors to the number of processors on which to run QualNet. 4. Check the Distributed Run Mode option to run QualNet on a distributed platform, and in the Host File field that is displayed, enter the name of the host file, which lists the computers to be used. Refer to QualNet Distributed Reference Guide for details of the host file. Note: The Distributed Run Mode option is available only if QUALNET_HOME/bin contains a distributed-mode executable (qualnet.mpi). Refer to QualNet Distributed Reference Guide for details of compiling QualNet on a distributed platform.

5. Press OK to save the changes. These run settings will be used for all subsequent simulations.

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Appendix C

Remote Execution

.........................................................................
C.2 Remote Execution
This section describes the system requirements and setup for running QualNet remotely and how to set the run mode for remote execution in QualNet GUI.

C.2.1 System Requirements
To run QualNet remotely, the following are required:

• A QualNet installation on a server computer capable of accepting OpenSSH connections. • A QualNet installation on a client computer capable of starting OpenSSH sessions.
Most Linux and Mac OS X configurations are capable of doing this out of the box. On Windows, the following are required:

- Cygwin (installed in the default location, C:/cygwin). For information on installing Cygwin packages, refer to http://www.cygwin.com/cygwin-ug-net/setup-net.html.

- OpenSSH package (typically found within the Net package category) - OpenSSL package (typically found within the Net package category) • Bash shell must be associated with the login account on the server computer.

C.2.2 Setup for Remote Execution
QualNet uses SSH copying, port forwarding, and remote shell commands to allow for remote execution to be established between the client and the server. In order for the client and the server to be able to talk to other, they must be configured with key based access so that the client can connect to the server without having to prompt for the server password on each command. This can be manually configured, but for easy setup, you may execute script $QUALNET_HOME/bin/setupRemoteExec.sh. The setupRemoteExec.sh script configures a predefined authorization for a client to access a server by utilizing a secured authorized key. A session between client and server remains secure using this mechanism, but authorization is granted without a password prompt. This is necessary so that the GUI is able to launch repeated calls to the simulator and transfer files, without having to prompt the user or save a user's password in the system settings. OpenSSH is also utilized as a transport mechanism during animation of a remote simulation, to relay inter-process communications between the GUI and the simulator over the "interactive" port (port 4000). Normally the interactive port is only accessed locally, but OpenSSH enables remote access using the "GatewayPorts" feature of OpenSSH. It is thus essential that GatewayPorts is not disabled on the server system. To run this script, type the following commands at the command prompt (or in Cygwin on Windows) on the local client computer: cd $QUALNET_HOME/bin chmod +x qualnet.remote.sh chmod +x setupRemoteExec.sh ./setupRemoteExec.sh yourlogin@hostname where yourlogin hostname Your login name on the server. Name or IP address of the server.

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Appendix C

You will be prompted for your password multiple times and will be asked permission to allow access to the server. Follow all the prompts and agree to grant permission. After completing the steps, you should be able to run any OpenSSH command to the server without being prompted for as password. For example, the following command executed on the client computer should allow immediate terminal access to the server without a password prompt: ssh yourlogin@hostname

Notes: 1. If you receive the following error: ssh-keygen: command not found It is likely that ssh is not properly installed on the client. Reinstalling may correct the issue. 2. If you receive the following error: Connection refused It is likely that sshd has not been activated on the server. Consult your system administrator to have the server's SSH daemon process accept connections from your client.

C.2.3 Run Mode Settings for Remote Execution in GUI
To set the run mode for remote execution in QualNet GUI, do the following: 1. Open the Run Settings window (see Figure C-4) by pressing the Run Settings button (which is to the left of the Run Simulation button).

FIGURE C-3.

Run Settings Button

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Remote Execution

FIGURE C-4.

Run Settings for Remote Execution

2. Select the Remote Execution radio button. 3. Enter the login and hostname in the Login@Host field. 4. Set Remote QUALNET_HOME to the directory on the remote machine where QualNet is installed. 5. Set Number of Processors to the number of processors on which to run QualNet. 6. Check the Distributed Run Mode option to run QualNet on a distributed platform, and in the Host File field that is displayed, enter the name of the host file, which lists the computers to be used. Refer to QualNet Distributed Reference Guide for details of the host file. 7. Press OK to save the changes. These run settings will be used for all subsequent simulations. Note: Before running QualNet on a remote machine for the first time, you must run the setupRemoteExec.sh script, as described in Section C.2.2.

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Appendix C

If QualNet is run in remote mode, information about the connection is printed in the output window prior to running the simulation. Figure C-5 shows an example of QualNet simulation run remotely on a machine with two processors.

FIGURE C-5.

Running QualNet in Remote Mode

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D
• • • • • •

Utility Programs

QualNet provides the following utility programs: Radio Range Utility Program Run Test Case Script Rename Script Urban Grid Script Shapefile-to-XML Utility Program Upgrade Scenario Utility Program

.........................................................................
D.1 Radio Range Utility Program
The radio range program in the bin subdirectory is a command-line utility that returns the distance that the radio transmission can reach using the set of parameters in the specified configuration file. It assumes that there is no interference from other transmitters. The values given by the radio range utility are approximate, since the random components such as fading and shadowing are not take into consideration when estimating the range. The radio range program is located in QUALNET_HOME/bin. In Windows, the executable is called radio_range.exe and in UNIX, the executable is called radio_range. To use the radio range program, type the following command: radio_range <input-file> where <input-file> Name of the scenario configuration file

Example Usage and Output Input: ..\bin\radio_range default.config

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Run Test Case Script Output Generated: radio radio radio radio range: range: range: range: 483.741m, 370.968m, 356.973m, 283.554m, for for for for 802.11b 802.11b 802.11b 802.11b data data data data rate 1.0 rate 2.0 rate 5.5 rate 11.0 Mbps Mbps Mbps Mbps

Appendix D

.........................................................................
D.2 Run Test Case Script
The Run Test Case (runtestcase) script in the QUALNET_HOME/bin directory is used to run any of the non-interactive scenarios provided with QualNet. It runs each scenario and compares the resulting output statistics file with the expected.stat file provided with the installation. The script and the collection of scenarios are used to check both for proper installation of the software and for unintended side effects of code changes. When you change the code of one protocol, or introduce a new protocol, it should not affect the expected outputs of other existing models. Unexpected changes are often indicative of an incorrect implementation. The script is a text file and includes, as comments, detailed instructions for its use. To use the Run Test Case script on Linux and Mac OS X systems, type the following command: find . -name "*.config" -exec $QUALNET_HOME/bin/runtestcase {} <n> \; where <n> Number of processors to run QualNet on.

The Run Test Case script can be also be run on Windows by using the same command if Cygwin is installed.

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Appendix D

Rename Script

.........................................................................
D.3 Rename Script
The Rename script (rename.pl) is a perl script in the QUALNET_HOME/bin directory that replaces strings in a file. It's primary purpose is to simplify upgrading custom source code from one version of QualNet to another when function names and file names change. The strings to be substituted are defined in the file QUALNET_HOME/bin/substitutions.txt. By default, this file contains the changes between this release of QualNet and the previous one. For example, in QualNet 4.5 or later versions, the directory structure of QualNet was reorganized and many files renamed. For users, this means updating their own source files to include the new names of the QualNet header files. A subset of the contents is shown below: "dlb\.h="util_dlb.h "ftp\.h="app_ftp.h "hsrp\.h="routing_hsrp.h "http\.h="app_http.h "rip\.h="routing_rip.h "rtp\.h="transport_rtp.h "sipmsg\.h="multimedia_sipmsg.h "voip\.h="app_voip.h The left side of the '=' is the string to be replaced. This is a regular expression so the '.' need to be escaped with a backslash or it will act as a wildcard. The right side of the '=' is the new string and can be printed verbatim. As with runtestcase above, rename.pl is used in conjunction with the UNIX find command or the cygwin find command on Windows. > find . -name "*.h" -exec rename.pl {} \; exec rename.pl {} \; Sample Output: replacing "dlb\.h with "util_dlb.h 1 Substitutions in ./traffic_trace.h. 0 Substitutions in ./vbr.h. replacing "sipmsg\.h with "multimedia_sipmsg.h 1 Substitutions in ./sip/sipdata.h. replacing "voip\.h with "app_voip.h 1 Substitutions in ./sip/sipmsg.h.

> find . -name "*.cpp" -

In the 4.5 release, the substitutions file contains a full listing of renamed files, so this script can be used not just on source files, but on Makefiles, scenario files, and any other text file that might contain a listing of file names.

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Appendix D

.........................................................................
D.4 Urban Grid Script
The Urban Grid script (urban_grid.pl) is a Perl script in the QUALNET_HOME/bin directory that can be used to generate sample terrain features data (buildings, streets, parks, metro stations) in Qualnet Terrain Format. The data is generated in cartesian coordinates. The streets are arranged in a grid. A metro station is placed at each of the four corners of the grid. One grid block must be selected as a park. All other blocks have a randomly placed building. Building heights are randomly selected within the specified range. Rows are numbered starting at zero, increasing in the Y direction. Columns are numbered starting at zero, increasing in the X direction. No traffic lights are generated in this sample. The output is printed on the screen unless it is directed to a file. To use the Urban Grid script, type the following command (all parameters must be typed on a single line): urban_grid.pl <num_rows> <num_cols> <grid_width> <street_width> <park_row> <park_col> <min_height> <max_height> where <grid_width> Distance between blocks in meters

<street_width> Width of streets in meters <park_row> <park_col> <min_height> <max_height> Row number for the grid where the park is located Column number for the grid where the park is located Minimum building height Maximum building height

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Appendix D Example Usage: perl urban_grid.pl 5 5 200 12 2 2 50 100 > mapdata001.xml

Urban Grid Script

Figure D-1 shows the Architect canvas when the terrain file generated by the above command is loaded.

FIGURE D-1.

Visualization of Terrain Data Generated by Urban Grid Script

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Appendix D

.........................................................................
D.5 Shapefile-to-XML Utility Program
The Shapefile-to-XML utility program is a command line program that generates terrain features files in QualNet Terrain Format from ESRI shapefiles. The Shapefile-to-XML program is located in QUALNET_HOME/bin. In Windows, the executable is called shptoxml.exe and in Linux and Mac OS X, the executable is called shptoxml. To use the Shapefile-to-XML program, type the following command (all parameters must be typed on a single line): shptoxml [<options>] <filename> where <options> Optional parameters. The optional parameters of the Shapefile-to-XML program are described in Table D-1. <filename> Name of the input shapefile. If the input file has an extension, it should be .shp.

TABLE D-1. Option -h -b <height> <units>

Shapefile-to-XML Program Options Description

Displays the help menu. Specifies the default height of features and the units. <height> is a numerical values specifying the height. <units> can be ft (for feet) or m (for meters). The default height of features is 35 ft.

-B <field-name>

Specifies the field name associated with he feature height attribute in the database (.bdf) file. <field-name> can be any string. The default field name is LV.

-c <id>

Specifies the ID of the file to be generated. <id> is an integer (≥ 0). This option is used in conjunction with the -n option to create a specific XML file instead of all XML files. The default file ID is 0.

-D <foliage-density>

Specifies the foliage density. <foliage-density> is a real number in the range [0.0, 1.0). The default foliage density is 0.15.

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Appendix D TABLE D-1. Option -F

Shapefile-to-XML Utility Program Shapefile-to-XML Program Options (Continued) Description Indicates that the shapefile contains only foliage data. By default, shapefiles contain only building data.

-m <min-lat> <max-lat> Specifies the region filter. XML files are generated only for features <min-lon> <max-lon> within the region specified by this option. <min-lat> is the minimum latitude. The default minimum latitude is 90.0. <max-lat> is the maximum latitude. The default maximum latitude is 90.0. <min-lon> is the minimum longitude. The default minimum longitude is -180.0. <max-lon> is the maximum longitude. The default maximum latitude is 180.0. -n <count> Specifies the maximum number of buildings to output to a file. <count> is an integer (≥ 0). By default, the maximum number of buildings to output to a file is 232 1. -U <units> Specifies the units for dimensions of terrain features. <units> can be ft (for feet) or m (for meters). By default, <units> is ft.

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Appendix D

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D.6 Upgrade Scenario Utility Program
The Upgrade Scenario utility program a command line program that can be used to update scenarios created for older versions of QualNet (version 4.0 and later) to be compatible with the QualNet 5.0.2. This utility program updates parameters that have been modified from the earlier QualNet version. The Upgrade Scenario program is located in QUALNET_HOME/bin. In Windows, the executable is called upgrade_scenario.exe and in Linux and Mac OS X, the executable is called upgrade_scenario. To use the Upgrade Scenario program, type the following command: upgrade_scenario <source-config-file> [<dest-config-file>] where <source-config-file> <dest-config-file> Name of the scenario configuration file to be upgraded. Name of the upgraded scenario file that is generated. This parameter is optional. If <dest-config-file> is specified, then the upgraded scenario configuration file that is generated has this name and the source configuration file is not be changed. However, if <dest-config-file> is not specified, then ”.old” is appended to the name of the source configuration file and the upgraded scenario configuration file that is generated has the same name as the original source configuration file. Example Usage The following command: upgrade_scenario.exe myscenario.config myscenario_new.config will upgrade the scenario configuration file myscenario.config for QualNet 5.0.2. The updated scenario file will be named myscenario_new.config. The original scenario file (myscenario.config) will not be changed. The following command: upgrade_scenario.exe myscenario.config will upgrade the scenario configuration file myscenario.config for QualNet 5.0.2. The updated scenario file will be named myscenario.config. The original scenario file will be renamed to myscenario.config.old.

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