Analysis of Overlay-underlay Topology Correlation Using Visualization

In the design and implementation of the overlay architecture most peer-to-peer (P2P) systems rely on the underlay network to provide them with basic connectivity. Therefore, the intrinsic features of the underlay network determine the efficiency of the overlay. Accordingly, studying the interdependency of the overlay and underlay networks leads to a better understanding of P2P behaviour. We present a visualization-driven analysis for evaluating the overlay architecture with respect to the underlay. Using Gnutella as a case study, our analysis confirms that Gnutella’s topology differs from a randomly generated network and that there is an implicit correlation between the overlay and underlay topologies.