To simulate File Transfer Protocol (FTP) projects using OMNeT++, which permits to model and investigate the performance of FTP-based file transfers over a network. FTP is a standard network protocol utilized for transferring files among the clients and servers. In OMNeT++, the INET Framework offers a built-in FTP model, which we can be used to replicate FTP sessions, allowing to learn the network performance, file transfer times, congestion, and other significant metrics. Here, we give general instruction to simulate the FTP projects using OMNeT++:
Steps to Simulate File Transfer Protocol Projects in OMNeT++
- Install OMNeT++ and INET Framework
- Download OMNeT++:
- Install OMNeT++ from the official website.
- Install INET Framework:
- INET offers the essential models for replicating FTP and other Internet protocols.
- Clone the INET repository:
git clone https://github.com/inet-framework/inet.git
-
- Open OMNeT++ IDE and import the INET project through File > Import > Existing Projects into Workspace.
- Construct the project by right-clicking on INET and choosing Build Project.
- Set Up the Network Topology in NED
Describe a basic network topology in which an FTP client communicates with an FTP server. We can utilise NED (Network Description) to describe the network setup, containing hosts and routers are connected by links.
Example NED File for FTP Network (FtpNetwork.ned):
package ftpnetwork;
import inet.node.inet.StandardHost;
import inet.node.inet.Router;
import inet.linklayer.ethernet.EthernetInterface;
network FtpNetwork
{
submodules:
ftpClient: StandardHost {
@display(“p=100,200”);
}
ftpServer: StandardHost {
@display(“p=400,200”);
}
router: Router {
@display(“p=250,200”);
}
connections allowunconnected:
ftpClient.ethg++ <–> EthernetInterface <–> router.ethg++;
router.ethg++ <–> EthernetInterface <–> ftpServer.ethg++;
}
Explanation:
- FTP Client and Server: Standard hosts perform as FTP client and server.
- Router: A router forwards packets among the client and server.
- EthernetInterface: Denotes wired connections among the devices.
- Configure FTP in omnetpp.ini
The omnetpp.ini file sets up FTP sessions and network parameters. INET has built-in support for FTP simulation utilizing the TcpApp (FTP) module.
Example omnetpp.ini Configuration:
[General]
network = FtpNetwork
sim-time-limit = 100s
# Configure IP addresses for hosts and router
*.ftpClient.ipv4.routingTable.typename = “Ipv4RoutingTable”
*.ftpClient.ipv4.address = “10.0.0.1”
*.ftpClient.ipv4.netmask = “255.255.255.0”
*.ftpServer.ipv4.routingTable.typename = “Ipv4RoutingTable”
*.ftpServer.ipv4.address = “10.0.0.2”
*.ftpServer.ipv4.netmask = “255.255.255.0”
*.router.ipv4.routingTable.typename = “Ipv4RoutingTable”
# Configure FTP Client
*.ftpClient.numApps = 1
*.ftpClient.app[0].typename = “FtpClient”
*.ftpClient.app[0].serverAddress = “10.0.0.2”
*.ftpClient.app[0].startTime = 5s # FTP session starts at 5 seconds
*.ftpClient.app[0].numRequests = 1 # Number of file requests (1 file transfer)
*.ftpClient.app[0].fileSize = 10MB # Size of the file to be transferred
# Configure FTP Server
*.ftpServer.numApps = 1
*.ftpServer.app[0].typename = “FtpServer”
*.ftpServer.app[0].localAddress = “10.0.0.2”
# TCP Configuration
*.**.tcp.mss = 1460B # Maximum Segment Size
*.**.tcp.connEstabTimeout = 5s
*.**.tcp.sendQueueClass = “inet.transportlayer.tcp.TcpVirtualDataSendQueue”
*.**.tcp.receiveQueueClass = “inet.transportlayer.tcp.TcpVirtualDataReceiveQueue”
Explanation:
- IP Configuration: Sets IP addresses and routing tables for the FTP client, server, and router.
- FTP Client Settings: The client initiates a session with the server at 10.0.0.2 and requests the transfer of a 10MB file beginning at 5 seconds.
- FTP Server Settings: The server listens for file transfer requests and responds to the client.
- TCP Configuration: Sets up metrics such as the Maximum Segment Size (MSS) and the type of send or receive queues for the TCP connections.
- Run the Simulation
- Build the Project:
- Right-click on the project in the OMNeT++ IDE and choose Build Project to compile the simulation.
- Run the Simulation:
- Right-click on omnetpp.ini and select Run As > OMNeT++ Simulation.
- Then, we can utilize the Qtenv graphical interface to envision the FTP session and monitor how packets are transmitted among the client and server.
- Analyze the Results
When the simulation is complete then we can examine numerous features of the FTP session:
- File Transfer Time:
- Calculate how long it takes for the file to be entirely transferred from the FTP server to the client.
- Network Throughput:
- Utilize the output files (vector and scalar data) to assess the network’s throughput in the course of the file transfer.
- Packet Loss and Retransmission:
- Investigate packet loss or retransmissions, particularly under network congestion or failure scenarios.
- Latency:
- Measure the round-trip time (RTT) of packets among the client and server.
OMNeT++ Tools:
- Vector and Scalar Output Files: These are made during the simulation and can be investigated to extract performance parameters such as throughput, delay, and packet loss.
- Graphical Analysis: OMNeT++ delivers tools to plot the outcomes and visualize how file transfers are influenced by network conditions.
- Extend the Simulation
- Add Network Traffic:
- Insert more clients or other kinds of traffic (e.g., HTTP, video streaming) to replicate a more complex network with competing traffic.
- Simulate Different Network Conditions:
- Launch network delays, bandwidth limitations, or packet losses to monitor how FTP executes under numerous conditions.
- Wireless Networks:
- Substitute Ethernet connections with wireless ones (e.g., WiFi) to learn the influence of wireless medium characteristics on FTP performance.
- Larger Files and Multiple Transfers:
- Replicate larger file transfers or numerous simultaneous FTP sessions to monitor the scalability of the protocol and network.
- Network Congestion:
- Launch network congestion by minimizing bandwidth or inserting more traffic to calculate how FTP manages congestion control and TCP’s response.
At the end, we had conclude step-by-step procedure to execute and simulate the File Transfer Protocol using INET framework in OMNeT++analyse platform. We will offer further details about this topics using various tools.
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