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Dive deep into the shortcomings of a research paper analyzing internet routing behavior. Explore the flawed methodology, irrelevant dataset, and questionable relevance. Uncover the inadequacies of tools like Traceroute and the dataset's limited sample representation. Question the significance of the research and its contribution to improving internet functionality. Join the critique and assess the true impact of this study in today's context.
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End to End Routing Behavior in the Internet – a Critique Komal Pal Kalyan Manda
Falls short on several counts … • Tool / Dataset – good enough for a research study? We don’t think SO! • Methodology – REALLY, what WERE they trying to do ?? • Relevance – what is THE purpose ?? • Significance today- NOTHING..NADA..ZILCH !!!!
Tool • TRACEROUTE (of all the things!!!!) • 30 hops maximum – can it capture all possible hops on a path??? • What information does it give beside which routers it encounters? • What about internal working of the internet/routing?
Dataset • We looked at the dataset and felt ???????!!!!!!!!! • 37 hosts representative of the ENTIRE internet – REALLY ?? Just who are you kidding?? • N2 =1369 routes – how is this representative of ~ 6MC2 routes? • There is a world outside the United States (with real people AND internet connectivity) – we thought we were all clear on THAT!
Dataset • And if THAT was not enough --- • Sample duration – 45 days only-WHY?? Was it “TOO” much data to handle, what with the “THIRTY SEVEN” nodes ! • Year End / Holiday Season – Network traffic at universities – Close to Nothing! • Backbone change underway – perfect timing for a research – NOT! • HOW exactly is the dataset representative???
Methodology • D1 & D2 – statistically different samples • Section 6.8: Time-of-Day Patterns – “Mean” time of the day – BAD and ILLOGICAL statistics! • Why even measure the time at all if you have to assign a time on your own? • Stability – Prevalence/Persistence of the internet measured over a *FORTY* day period !!!!!!!! • With sampling intervals of 2 days!!!!!!!
Relevance • WHAT was the purpose of this research? • HOW was it helpful to anybody? • WHO was this aimed at? • DID it help the internet work better? • After all the statistics had been laid out, WHAT NEXT? • Left all WHYs unanswered • Contribution - Was defining routing pathologies a good enough research project??
Significance Today • How can a (bad) statistical analysis performed in 1994-95 help us in 2009? • Comments from the defense welcome