Improving the Quality of Multicast Networks by Using the OPNET Modeler

Abstract: This thesis presents different Internet Protocol (IP) multicasting design models and together with their implementation methods in OPNET Modeler 14.5. The models presented in this report are designed for handling various types of advanced multimedia applications and services when using the multicast communication paradigm. The architectural models presented in this thesis are independent of the routing protocols used as well as of the underlying networking environment. Several exiting challenges related to high bandwidth requirements, low network delay, and jitter are discussed together with these design models, and are simulated using the OPNET Modeler. The emerging demands for new multicast capable applications, for both real-time and non real-time traffic are considered together in this report in order to better evaluate multicast traffic requirements. Efficient routing methods, group management policies, and shortest path algorithms are also discussed in the proposed models. The pros and cons of IP multicasting are described using the Protocol Independent Multicast Sparse Mode (PIM-SM) method, in the highlight of the proposed design models. Several results related to link utilization, end-to-end delay, packet loss, PIM control traffic, Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP), and network convergence are obtained by using already available statistical methods and modules from OPNET Modeler. Our major contribution with this thesis work relates to components associated with network convergence, routing delay, and processing delay. These components are illustrated in this thesis using various OPNET metrics. Moreover, several issues related to protocol scalability, supportability, performance optimization and efficiency are also presented by using OPNET’s build in reports, i.e., executive flow and survivability analysis reports.