How to Implement Network Lightweight Architecture in NS2

To implement the Network Lightweight Architecture in NS2, we have to develop a network that prefers efficiency according to the less resource utilization, quicker data processing and lower overhead which making certain simple features like routing, communication and packet dispatching. It is especially helpful in resource-constrained scenarios like IoT, mobile networks or wireless sensor networks where proficiency and scalability are important.

Follow the delivered guide on how to implement a Lightweight Network Architecture in NS2.

Step-by-Step Implementation:

  1. Set Up NS2

Make sure that NS2 is installed on your system. If it’s not installed, use the given command:

sudo apt-get install ns2

  1. Define a Simple Lightweight Network Topology

Accomplish a lightweight architecture with fewer mechanisms and enhance the network with the less nodes, light routing protocols, and efficient data transmission mechanisms.

Here’s an example of a simple lightweight network with minimal resources:

set ns [new Simulator]

set tracefile [open lightweight_architecture.tr w]

$ns trace-all $tracefile

# Create nodes in the network

set n1 [$ns node]  ;# Sender node

set n2 [$ns node]  ;# Receiver node

set n3 [$ns node]  ;# Intermediate node (can act as a lightweight router)

 

# Create lightweight links between nodes

$ns duplex-link $n1 $n3 512Kb 10ms DropTail

$ns duplex-link $n3 $n2 512Kb 10ms DropTail

  1. Use Lightweight Routing Protocol

Decrease the routing overhead by using simple static routing protocol rather than dynamic routing. Static routing is more efficient in small or less difficult networks.

(A) Set Static Routing

In a lightweight architecture, you can set static routing at the nodes to dispatch packets without modern route computations. This minimizes the overhead on nodes.

# Define static routing paths between nodes

$ns rtproto Static  ;# Use static routing

# Set up routes manually

$n1 set rtable [list [list $n2 $n3] [list $n3 $n2]]

$n3 set rtable [list [list $n1 $n2] [list $n2 $n1]]

  1. Optimize Packet Transmission

Reduce bandwidth and processing overhead, minimize the packet size and use efficient data transmission technologies like CBR (Constant Bit Rate), which helps uphold reliable data flow.

(A) Set Up Efficient Packet Transmission

Ignore network congestion or excessive bandwidth utilization by using small packet sizes and control data rates.

# Set up UDP agents at n1 (sender) and n2 (receiver)

set udp1 [new Agent/UDP]

set null1 [new Agent/Null]

$ns attach-agent $n1 $udp1

$ns attach-agent $n2 $null1

$ns connect $udp1 $null1

# Create CBR traffic generator to simulate lightweight and efficient data flow

set cbr1 [new Application/Traffic/CBR]

$cbr1 set packetSize_ 128  ;# Small packet size to minimize overhead

$cbr1 set rate_ 128Kb       ;# Adjust data rate for lightweight transmission

$cbr1 attach-agent $udp1

# Start the CBR traffic at 1 second

$ns at 1.0 “$cbr1 start”

  1. Implement Lightweight Data Forwarding

The intermediate node (n3) can behave like a lightweight router that simply moves packets from the sender to the receiver. This is done with less processing overhead by depending on static routes.

# Forwarding packets through the lightweight router (n3)

proc forward_packet {source dest} {

puts “Forwarding packet from $source to $dest via lightweight router”

}

# Simulate packet forwarding at node n3

$ns at 1.5 “forward_packet n1 n2”

  1. Implement Basic Traffic Monitoring

You can execute lightweight traffic monitoring at intermediate nodes to track performance with less resource usage. Rather than intricate monitoring tools, you can log packet transmissions and delays.

(A) Log Packet Transmission

Capture traffic events like packet transmission and reception without using too many resources by using simple logging functions.

# Log traffic at each node

proc log_traffic {source dest packet_size time} {

puts “Traffic log: Packet from $source to $dest, Size=$packet_size at $time”

}

# Log traffic at sender and receiver

$ns at 1.5 “log_traffic n1 n2 128 1.5”

$ns at 2.0 “log_traffic n3 n2 128 2.0”

  1. Optimize Network Resources

To further minimize overhead, you can:

  • Reduce link bandwidth: Use less bandwidth amongst nodes, sufficient for the needed data transmission.
  • Lower buffer sizes: Use smaller buffer sizes in queue management to restrict memory consumption.
  • Adjust transmission intervals: Space out transmissions to ignore network congestion.

(A) Optimize Link Bandwidth and Queue Management

Make sure efficient use of network resources by modifying link bandwidth and decrease queue sizes.

# Set link bandwidth and buffer sizes for efficient transmission

$ns duplex-link $n1 $n3 256Kb 10ms DropTail  ;# Lower link bandwidth

$ns duplex-link $n3 $n2 256Kb 10ms DropTail

# Set smaller buffer sizes to limit resource consumption

Queue/DropTail set limit_ 20   ;# Limit packet queue to reduce overhead

  1. Run the Simulation

Once the script is ready, you can execute the simulation using NS2:

ns your_script.tcl

  1. Analyze the Results

After running the simulation, assess the trace file (lightweight_architecture.tr) to validate that:

  • The network uses fewer bandwidths.
  • Packet sizes are optimized to decrease overhead.
  • Traffic flows efficiently amongst nodes.
  • Static routing reducing processing difficulty.

You can also visualize the network activity using NAM (Network Animator) to optimize the lightweight routing and packet transmission in action.

  1. Extend the Simulation

You can extend the lightweight architecture by:

  • Introducing additional nodes: Include more lightweight nodes to examine scalability.
  • Optimizing routing protocols: Execute extra lightweight routing protocols, like AODV or DSR, for larger networks.
  • Optimizing energy usage: If you’re replicating wireless sensor networks, you can concentrate on energy-efficient data transmission to preserve battery life.
  • Adding mobility: Inspect how the lightweight architecture manages mobility by launching mobile nodes.

We had successfully helped you to implement the Network Lightweight Architecture in the NS2 environment for the optimization of the network by only using minimal resources. If you want to attach additional mechanisms, you can do it by extending the simulation. If have any queries or concerns, we will guide you. If you want to implement the Network Lightweight Architecture in NS2, feel free to share your research details with us. We’ve got some great research ideas to offer!