Modeling the IPv6 Internet AS-level Topology

TL;DR

This paper introduces Dolphin, a system for measuring IPv6 AS-level topology, finds it is scale-free with a low degree exponent, and proposes a new model to accurately reproduce this unique network structure.

Contribution

The paper develops Dolphin for IPv6 topology measurement and proposes a novel model that captures the low degree exponent characteristic of IPv6 AS networks.

Findings

IPv6 AS topology is scale-free with an exponent of 1.2.

The proposed model can reproduce IPv6 topology features.

IPv6 network degree distribution differs significantly from IPv4.

Abstract

To measure the IPv6 internet AS-level topology, a network topology discovery system, called Dolphin, was developed. By comparing the measurement result of Dolphin with that of CAIDA's Scamper, it was found that the IPv6 Internet at AS level, similar to other complex networks, is also scale-free but the exponent of its degree distribution is 1.2, which is much smaller than that of the IPv4 Internet and most other scale-free networks. In order to explain this feature of IPv6 Internet we argue that the degree exponent is a measure of uniformity of the degree distribution. Then, for the purpose on modeling the networks, we propose a new model based on the two major factors affecting the exponent of the EBA model. It breaks the lower bound of degree exponent which is 2 for most models. To verify the validity of this model, both theoretical and experimental analyses have been carried out. Finally, we demonstrate how this model can be successfully used to reproduce the topology of the IPv6 Internet.