Experiences with network simulation

Simulation is a critical tool in developing, testing, and evaluating network protocols and architectures. This paper describes x-Sim, a network simulator based on the x-kernel, that is able to fully simulate the topologies and traffic patterns of large scale networks. It also illustrates the capabilities and usefulness of the simulator with case studies. Finally, based on our experiences using x-Sim, we identify a set of principles (guidelines) for network simulation, and present concrete examples that quantify the value of these principles, along with the cost of ignoring them.