As part of a broader organisational restructure, data networking research at Swinburne University of Technology has moved from the Centre for Advanced Internet Architecture (CAIA) to the Internet For Things (I4T) Research Lab.

Although CAIA no longer exists, this website reflects CAIA's activities and outputs between March 2002 and February 2017, and is being maintained as a service to the broader data networking research community.

SONG - Simulating Online Networked Games Database

Introduction

SONG is a publically available library of network traffic traces and simulation models that can be used to augment existing IP network engineering tools and to assist in the design of ISP networks. The primary theme within this database is to assist in the design of networks that can better support real-time applications, particularly online gaming. As such, this library provides:

• Usable traffic traces of different multi-player network games played under known, documented conditions. It is hoped that these traffic traces can be used by other researchers to not only validate our own findings, but also to provide a core set of data from which to extrapolate their own conclusions.
• Simulation models for different network game traffic sources that can then be used to generate traffic in a variety of different network simulations. Each provided source model is accompanied by a reference to a publication where this model has been developed and verified.
• Realistic simulation models of ISP networks where the effect of game traffic sources on traditional network flows (TCP, HTTP, etc.) can be modelled and evaluated.

Please choose from the links in the menu above to learn more about SONG or to download SONG trace files or simulation models.

Who is involved?

The researchers involved in this project are:

• Professor Grenville Armitage - Project Leader
• Dr. Philip Branch - Researcher
• Dr. Jason But - Researcher
• Mr. Tony Cricenti - Researcher
• Mr. Lawrence Stewart - Research Assistant

Smart Internet Technology CRC

SONG is part of the Smart Networks project of the Smart Internet Technology CRC, who's stated aim is:

"The aim is to develop a flexible network and server infrastructure based on an open architecture paradigm. This will enable a plethora of third party development and solutions to be deployed cost effectively and scalably. Taking advantage of processing resources made available within the network and through integration of network-based knowledge and capabilities into the user application, a host of new applications and services will be enabled and customised for delivery to a diverse range of end-user devices."

Within the scope of this project, the work being conducted at Swinburne University includes not only the development of this database of network game traffic traces and simulation models, but also the work being carried out as part of the ANGEL (Automated Network Games Enhancement Layer) project.