QualNet Overview
Speaker: Chen-Nien Tsai
Adviser: Kai-Wei Ke
Date: 2006.05.23
Outline
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Introduction
Scenario Designer
Animator
Analyzer
Some Tips
Conclusion
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What is QualNet?
• QualNet is a discrete-event network
simulator.
– Periodic scan vs. event scan
E1
E2 E3 E4 E5
E6 E7
E8
T0 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8
• It includes a rich set of models for various
networks.
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Why bother?
• “If I have seen a little further it is by
standing on the shoulders of Giants.”
-- Sir Isaac Newton
• The process to climb the Giants is not
trivial.
• “OPNet太貴，NS2太難，QualNet功能強
且既便宜又簡單！”
– http://www.pitotech.com.tw/c/3-product01.htm
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Introduction (1/2)
• QualNet provides a comprehensive
environment for
– designing protocols (Protocol Designer),
– creating and animating experiments (Scenario
Designer and Animator),
– and analyzing the results of those experiments
(Analyzer).
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Introduction (2/2)
• QualNet is composed of the following
tools:
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Scenario Designer
Analyzer
Simulator
Protocol Designer
Animator
Packet Tracer
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Outline
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Introduction
Scenario Designer
Animator
Analyzer
Some Tips
Conclusion
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Scenario Designer
• It is used to create and design experiments
in QualNet.
• Scenario Designer Basic
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FileSystem/Inspector
Properties Explorer
Canvas
Tool Bar
• Demo
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Tool Bar
FileSystem/Inspector
Canvas
Properties Explorer
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FileSystem/Inspector
• The FileSystem is a tree-based view of all
the directories mounted in the QualNet
Developer IDE.
• The Inspector displays the scenario's
global, node and link topology settings in a
hierarchical tree format.
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Properties Explorer
• This is a view of any properties of any
component selected in the FileSystem or
inspector window.
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Canvas
• This allows you to build the scenario's
network topology using components such
as nodes, links, switches, routers and
subnets.
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Tool Bar
• Devices Tab
– contains basic node components.
• Applications Tab
– contains applications that are available in the
Scenario Designer.
• Links Tab
– contains two types of links: Link and BGP Link.
• Network Components Tab
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A Tutorial
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Create a new scenario
Place nodes
Create an application
Modify application properties
Save the scenario
• http://netlab.csie.ntut.edu.tw/seminar/year
2005/data/qualnet/scenariodesigner.htm
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Outline
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Introduction
Scenario Designer
Animator
Analyzer
Some Tips
Conclusion
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Animator
• It is used to execute and animate
experiments created in the Scenario
Designer.
• Animator Basic
– Runtime Controls
– Animation Filters
– Time Controls
• Demo
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Runtime Controls
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Run animator
Play
Pause
Stop
Step
Analyze
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Animation Filters
• To Enable/Disable some animations
• Animation Command Filters
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Node Mobility Animation
Node Link Animation
Broadcast Packet Animation
Multicast Packet Animation
Unicast Packet Animation
and more
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Animation Filters
• Layer Animation Filters
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Channel Layer Animation
Radio Layer Animation
MAC Layer Animation
Network Layer Animation
Transport Layer Animation
Routing Layer Animation
Application Layer Animation
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Time Controls
• Sliding speed control allows you to slow
down or speed up the animation.
• Simulation Time shows you how far
along in the simulation period you are.
• Real Time show how long the simulator
has been running to produce the data
you're watching.
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A Tutorial
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Open a scenario
Run Animator
Play
Modify animation filters
• http://netlab.csie.ntut.edu.tw/seminar/year
2005/data/qualnet/animator.htm
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Outline
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Introduction
Scenario Designer
Animator
Analyzer
Some Tips
Conclusion
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Analyzer
• Analyzer displays network statistics
generated from a QualNet experiment.
• Analyzer Basic
– Statistics from a Single Experiment
– Statistics from Multiple Experiments
– Export data.
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Statistics from a Single Experiment
• The animator will create a statistic file after
the simulation was completed.
• Open the statistic file and we can see the
statistical data.
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Statistics from Multiple Experiments
• If we change some parameter and run the
simulation again, we will get another
statistic file.
• Open these files and we can compare the
statistical data for these experiments.
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Export data
• In some situation, we may want to export
the statistic data.
– To redraw the figure.
– To apply additional calculation.
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A Tutorial
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Open a scenario
Run a simulation
Show statistics from a Single Experiment
Run another simulation
Show statistics from Multiple Experiments
Export data
http://netlab.csie.ntut.edu.tw/seminar/year
2005/data/qualnet/analyzer.htm
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Outline
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Introduction
Scenario Designer
Animator
Analyzer
Some Tips
Conclusion
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Some Tips
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Export multiple statistic data.
Show multiple graphs
Run simulation without IDE.
To specify multiple applications.
Re-compile Qualnet
Documentations
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Export multiple statistic data
• Why?
– We will exhaust our energy and patience if we
export these one by one…
• How?
– Tools  Analyzer  Export
• Export all
• Export opened
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Show Multiple Graphs
• Why?
– You have to open multiple graphs before you
can export opened graphs
– Someone may like to glance multiple graphs at
a time.
• How?
– Tools  Analyzer  Options 
Graph Visibility  Multiple Graph
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Run simulation without IDE
• Why?
– The Animator is a kind of slow.
– To control the scenario flexibly.
• Configuration files
• How?
– Use command line to execute “qualnet.exe.”
– qualnet test.config
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To specify multiple applications
• Why?
– We will exhaust our energy and patience if we
drag the mouse from source to destination, say,
100 times.
• How?
– Specify the applications in a special file (*.app).
– Run the simulation by executing “qualnet.exe”
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Re-compile QualNet
• Why?
– After we modified/added protocols, we have to
recompile QualNet to let them work.
• How?
– VC++ (or GNU gcc) is required.
– In Qualnet_dir/3.9/main directory
• nmake Makefile-windowsnt
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Documentations
• For newbie
– QualNet-3.9-ProductTour.pdf
– QualNet-3.9-UsersGuide.pdf
• For programmer (design a new protocol)
– QualNet-3.9-ProgrammersGuide.pdf
– QualNet-3.9-APIReferenceGuide.pdf
• For libraries’ info
– QualNet-3.9-ProtocolLibrary-library_name.pdf
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Outline
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Introduction
Scenario Designer
Animator
Analyzer
Some Tips
Conclusion
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Conclusion
• The good side
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An easy-to-use environment.
Convenient tools.
Easy to build scenarios.
Build-in devices, protocols, and links.
Animator is a funny toy.
Packet Tracer may be useful.
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Conclusion
• The evil side
– License/ IP restriction.
• The biggest problem when the deadline is
closer and closer…
– Learning curve is not linear.
• Easy to build scenarios, but hard to
modify/add protocols.
– Poor documentation. (compare to OPNET)
– Does not Support Chinese?
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References
• QualNet Documentation
• 皮托科技
– http://www.pitotech.com.tw/c/3-product01.htm
• Scalable Network Technologies
– http://www.scalable-networks.com/
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The End