Network Performance Testing via Segmented Nodes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional performance testing of large-scale distributed systems, particularly electronic trading venues, fails to realistically simulate multiple agents over a single physical network connection, leading to inaccurate testing of performance and temporal fairness, which is critical for ensuring fair resource allocation among market participants.
Innovation Solution
A system and method utilizing multiple independent computer nodes, each connected to the network via its own physical connection, with customizable test scenarios executed by a master test controller that transmits computer executable code to simulate market participant activities, including network-level timestamping of data packets for precise analysis of network performance and fairness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If multiple logical agents are simulated from a single computer over a single physical network connection, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision of network performance and temporal fairness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the testing system by providing each test agent with its own physical network connection and hardware resources. This segmentation eliminates the serialization bottleneck of shared physical connections, enabling each agent to operate independently with precise timing, thereby resolving the contradiction between reduced device complexity and improved measurement precision.
2Device complexity
If application-level timestamping is used, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision of network performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces network-level timestamping as an intermediary mechanism between the application layer and the physical network. By inserting timestamp functionality at the network interface card level, the system achieves precise measurement of network transmission time without requiring complex application-level modifications, thus resolving the contradiction between device complexity and measurement precision.
3Ease of operation
If a single high-bandwidth network interface card is used to simulate multiple agents, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability of performance testing deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the network interface resources by providing each test agent with its own dedicated physical network connection. This segmentation ensures that each agent's performance measurements are not affected by serialization effects on shared connections, thereby improving the reliability of performance testing while maintaining ease of operation through automated agent deployment.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system and method is disclosed for realistic performance testing of a computer network (e.g., a computer network of an electronic trading venue) based on a customizable test scenario, designed by users, executed using a plurality of independent computer nodes each connected to the computer network via its own physical connection to a network device (e.g., network switch) of the computer network. Using the system, developers may design a test scenario that includes testing parameters, which include computer executable code for transmission to and execution at the plurality of computer nodes. The computer executable code may simulate network traffic between devices of market participants and the electronic trading venue.