An Ip Vpn Network Design and Dimensioning Approach Using Analytical-simulation Models with Incremental Validation

The development of networks for converged services including voice, video and data over the same infrastructure requires appropriate planning and dimensioning. This work presents a methodology, based on discrete event simulation, that supports the dimensioning and planning of IP multi-service links with QoS requirements. One key aspect is the type of traffic considered: stream, which has strict time and bandwidth requirements (e.g., VoIP), and elastic, which tolerates a certain delay (e.g., FTP, TELNET and HTTP). Another key aspect is the validation of the simulation model. In the absence of actual data, an approximate and proven analytical model was used for comparison and validation. The validated simulation model can be incremented step by step in order to be used in more complex scenarios. Although we show the application of the method in a pre-defined case for the elastic traffic, the steps to be followed in a more general case are quite similar.