Advancing Network Digital Twin Framework for Generating Realistic Datasets

TL;DR

This paper introduces an open, user-friendly Network Digital Twin framework that combines mobility, ray tracing, and network simulation to generate realistic datasets for wireless network research.

Contribution

It presents a novel integrated NDT framework supporting realistic mobility, urban scenarios, and cross-layer metrics, along with a publicly released dataset for benchmarking and research.

Findings

Framework enables virtualized end-to-end wireless network modeling.

Generated dataset supports machine learning and network optimization research.

Open-source implementation promotes reproducible experimentation.

Abstract

The integration of accurate and reproducible wireless network simulations is a key enabler for research on open, virtualized, and intelligent communication systems. Network Digital Twins (NDTs) provide a scalable alternative to costly and time-consuming measurement campaigns, while enabling controlled experimentation and data generation for data-driven network design. In this paper, we present an open and user-friendly NDT framework that integrates controllable vehicular mobility with the site-specific ray tracer Sionna and the discrete-event ns-3 network simulator, enabling virtualized end-to-end modeling of wireless networks across the radio, network, and application layers. The proposed framework is particularly well-suited for dynamic vehicular networks and urban deployments, supporting realistic mobility, traffic dynamics, and the extraction of cross-layer metrics. To promote open-source initiatives, we release both the NDT implementation and a representative dataset generated from realistic vehicular and urban scenarios. The framework and dataset facilitate reproducible experimentation and benchmarking of machine learning-based quality of service prediction, network optimization, and intelligent network management algorithms, lowering the entry barrier for research on virtual and open wireless network services.