New smart platform for automating MPLS virtual private network simulation

Abstract

Virtual Private Networks through Multi-Protocol Label Switching technology (MPLS VPN) is no longer considered a simple technology connects securely remote sites, but especially a promoter industrial market. Like any other industrial project, before deploying the MPLS VPN solution, the operator must ensure that his network meets the client requirements and especially see how this network behaves in various constraints. The ideal therefore is to simulate the network environment in a specialized simulator with identical equipment. The MPLS VPN simulation is not an easy task given several reasons: (i) the network scales are often very large, (ii) MPLS VPN architectures are multiple, and each requires deployment rules, (iii) a project can sometimes contain a thousand different scenarios, (iv) a simple parameterization error may jeopardize the reliability of the obtained results, etc. Given these challenges, we propose by this paper a new platform for automating MPLS VPN simulation under different simulators. The platform is accompanied by a new web tool allowing the ease of its manipulation. The platform has been tested under OPNET Modeler, the results obtained have shown that the time required to generate 800 scenarios does not exceed one minute in total.