Multi-view Communication Visualization for Wireless Network Simulations

Abstract

In this paper, we present a novel multi-view visualization tool for trace files generated by network simulations, currently supporting the ns-2 and ShoX trace formats. As the first tool in this area, it shows simultaneously three synchronized views (or perspectives) of the current network state in one window: (a) An enriched text view showing events line-by-line, marked up using colors and symbols in order to improve readability, (b) the 2-D bird’s eye view known from other simulators, (c) a newly proposed view depicting the development of network state as a graph focusing on the visualization of communication patterns on intra- and internode level. Using this synchronized multi-view, as well as, our novel graph view, we aim at increasing the speed of the analysis and evaluation processes during the development of communication protocols.