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NSF Fact Sheet

Backgrounder: New Tool Provides Map of the Internet

Visualization of Internet traffic and structure is a critical capability in the global evolution of the net. Policy makers and technology specialists need to see what the Internet looks like and what it's doing in order to ensure its continued operation and sustained growth.

Mapnet, a Java-based tool developed by the Cooperative Association for Internet Data Analysis (CAIDA), will, for the first time, enable visualization of the IP-level topology and bandwidth the many networks that create the global Internet. The tool also provides information about which networks exchange data (or "peer") at which hubs.

Previous efforts to visualize network traffic and structure were confined to the NSFNET backbone (now decommissioned), which was only one of the many networks that made up the global Internet.

The currently running beta version of Mapnet analyzes and presents information initially acquired from federally funded backbones and from third-party sources such as Boardwatch Magazine. Current information from primary sources is vital to the accuracy of the visualization, so an associated template allows internet service providers to verify, correct or update the information available to Mapnet. Since Mapnet's beta release in early September, CAIDA staff have been contacted by administrators of commercial networks and of research and education networks offering to contribute data or suggesting improvements for the next release of the tool.

Mapnet currently operates with some limitations. The veracity of some of the initial information is questionable. Some information (traffic levels, peering details, actual physical links and lines) that would be invaluable for research is not available because Internet providers consider the data proprietary -- or in some cases, restricted -- for reasons of national security. In addition, it is difficult to measure traffic exchanges at ATM notes because of the way asynchronous transfer mode works.

Mapnet is available at: http://www.caida.org/Tools/Mapnet/Backbones

For more information on CAIDA and other tools, see: http://www.caida.org/