Internet traffic measurement: A critical study of wavelet analysis

In communication networks, traffic measurements serve two main purposes: the characterization of traffic-load patterns and the monitoring of performances. This paper is a study of the applicability of traffic-analysis methods as a means of detecting malfunctions and performance changes in packet data networks through measurements of selected parameters. The main contribution is of a methodological nature and is motivated by the fact that wavelet analysis, which has come to be regarded as a standard approach, is by no means a straightforward method. Controversial results can be found that are not always attributable to the complex nature of the measured object. Careful study of the uncertainty of traffic-parameter estimates is also an important issue, which turns out to be somewhat neglected in the literature. The aim of this paper is twofold: on the one hand, to enhance the model validation process and, on the other hand, to provide for objective assessment of the feasibility of network-monitoring procedures that rely on measurement and model-based diagnostics.