BSense: A Flexible and Open-Source Broadband Mapping Framework

We present, BSense, a flexible broadband mapping system for broadband coverage and quality assessment of broadband connections in a given geographic region. For coverage related analysis, it relies on data that is either obtained from ISPs or generated based on technology models and information about infrastructure sites. Broadband quality assessment in BSense is via host-based measurements using our multi-platform and technology-adaptive software client which periodically runs as a background process on users’ computers. The host-based software measurement approach employed in BSense is not only cost-effective but is also flexible and reduces measurement bias. BSense also incorporates a flexible broadband quality index for summarizing the collective effect of various underlying attributes such as download/upload speeds and latency. BSense system has been implemented based on open-source software components. We conduct extensive evaluations of the measurement component of BSense aimed at quantifying system effects and to compare against other measurement techniques and approaches, the latter showing that BSense is fairly close to sophisticated and expensive alternatives. The usefulness of the BSense system is demonstrated using two real world case studies, one on identifying notspots in Scotland and the other on broadband quality assessment in a rural part of Scotland through pilot deployment.

[1]  Boris Nechaev,et al.  Netalyzr: illuminating the edge network , 2010, IMC '10.

[2]  Luigi Rizzo,et al.  Dummynet revisited , 2010, CCRV.

[3]  María Rosalía Vicente,et al.  Assessing the broadband gap: From the penetration divide to the quality divide , 2010 .

[4]  Partha Kanuparthy,et al.  ShaperProbe: end-to-end detection of ISP traffic shaping using active methods , 2011, IMC '11.

[5]  Tony H. Grubesic,et al.  Spatial data constraints: Implications for measuring broadband , 2008 .

[6]  Nick Feamster,et al.  Web performance bottlenecks in broadband access networks , 2013, SIGMETRICS '13.

[7]  Jaideep Chandrashekar,et al.  Characterizing end-host application performance across multiple networking environments , 2012, 2012 Proceedings IEEE INFOCOM.

[8]  Nick Feamster,et al.  Broadband internet performance: a view from the gateway , 2011, SIGCOMM.

[9]  Nick Feamster,et al.  Helping users shop for ISPs with internet nutrition labels , 2011, HomeNets '11.

[10]  Jaideep Chandrashekar,et al.  HostView: annotating end-host performance measurements with user feedback , 2011, SIGMETRICS Perform. Evaluation Rev..

[11]  Peter Norvig,et al.  Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach , 1995 .

[12]  Marcelo Bagnulo,et al.  Building a standard measurement platform , 2014, IEEE Communications Magazine.

[13]  Paul Barford,et al.  Revisiting broadband performance , 2012, Internet Measurement Conference.

[14]  Anirban Mahanti,et al.  First impressions on the state of cellular data connectivity in India , 2013, ACM DEV-4 '13.

[15]  A. Botta,et al.  Multi-protocol and Multi-platform Traffic Generation and Measurement , 2010 .

[16]  Marcel Dischinger,et al.  Characterizing residential broadband networks , 2007, IMC '07.

[17]  Antonio Pescapè,et al.  HoBBIT: A Platform for Monitoring Broadband Performance from the User Network , 2014, TMA.

[18]  Mahesh K. Marina,et al.  BSense: a system for enabling automated broadband census: short paper , 2010, NSDR '10.

[19]  Antonio Pescapè,et al.  A tool for the generation of realistic network workload for emerging networking scenarios , 2012, Comput. Networks.

[20]  Nick Feamster,et al.  Peeking behind the NAT: an empirical study of home networks , 2013, Internet Measurement Conference.

[21]  Nick Feamster,et al.  Measuring broadband performance in South Africa , 2013, ACM DEV-4 '13.

[22]  Catherine Rosenberg,et al.  Measuring Home Networks with HomeNet Profiler , 2013, PAM.

[23]  Nick Feamster,et al.  Community contribution award -- Measuring and mitigating web performance bottlenecks in broadband access networks , 2013, Internet Measurement Conference.

[24]  Nick Feamster,et al.  Measuring home broadband performance , 2012, CACM.

[25]  Mahesh K. Marina,et al.  Tegola tiered mesh network testbed in rural Scotland , 2008, WiNS-DR '08.

[26]  David Clark,et al.  Understanding Broadband Speed Measurements , 2010 .

[27]  Mahesh K. Marina,et al.  BSense: A Flexible and Open-Source Broadband Mapping Framework , 2012, Networking.

[28]  Mahesh K. Marina,et al.  Short Paper: BSense - A System for Enabling Automated Broadband Census , 2010 .