Competition and adaptation in an Internet evolution model

TL;DR

This paper presents a model of Internet evolution at the Autonomous System level, capturing competition, adaptation, and structural properties like degree distribution, clustering, and correlations based on measurable growth rates.

Contribution

It introduces a model where the degree distribution exponent is directly linked to measurable growth rates, unlike previous models requiring parameter tuning.

Findings

Degree distribution exponent depends on growth rates

Model reproduces high clustering and degree correlations

Highlights interplay between bandwidth, connectivity, and traffic

Abstract

We model the evolution of the Internet at the Autonomous System level as a process of competition for users and adaptation of bandwidth capability. We find the exponent of the degree distribution as a simple function of the growth rates of the number of autonomous systems and the total number of connections in the Internet, both empirically measurable quantities. This fact place our model apart from others in which this exponent depends on parameters that need to be adjusted in a model dependent way. Our approach also accounts for a high level of clustering as well as degree-degree correlations, both with the same hierarchical structure present in the real Internet. Further, it also highlights the interplay between bandwidth, connectivity and traffic of the network.