Last one, then i'm dropping of this thread :+ mo hits the nail on the head when he states that detailed performance numbers in complex multihomed interconnected networks are currently unobtainable. In any complex problem with numerous uncertain parameters, variables, and relative metrics all moving on the wire at varying speeds, densities, and with a given broken path 'here or there' at any given moment...... Most practical, day to day network users judge traffic on the net the same way we judge the traffic jams on the highways.... You look out over the overpass and determine the density of the traffic, guess about the status of traffic lights and construction zones, wonder if there was an accident and decide if getting on the ramp is a good idea because, once you do, there is no turning back ( for all practical purposes ). So, you want to know how the traffic is to Washington DC from the suburbs.... one way is to get into your car and drive the round trip to the city and back and then estimate the traffic. Of course, a little Miata moves faster than an semi or Station Wagon with 3 kids and a dog; and that police or fire vehicle gets a higher priority... BUT in general, we know something very simple.... "if it moves slow, it must be slow for some reason" and we generally do not like it. So, here we are, crusin' the network and we want to understand why we can't get to our favorite IP address or IP address of the moment. We PING the thing, knowing full well that it is not Einstein's SuperSpecial Theory of Network Metrics, but at least we can look the the numbers and say.... geezzz... it took a looooong time, must be a lot of traffic. Slow is slow even in zen-metrics. Hey, let's do a TRACEROUTE and guess where the congestion is... While the PHD candidates in EE and CS programs in univs' enjoy digging into into complex network theory, the average day-to-day running the network, answering the phone, or just trying to get out to some site kinda cyberjocky enjoys their only dependable tools, PING and TRACEROUTE. World peace, a perfect universe, harmonic diverity are all interesting topics. So are complex network metrics and and space-time theory.... time travel anyone ? :-) Maybe we need a new Internet Traffic Report Morning Show. Mae-east is hosed today, but will have an new OC12 next week. NET99 is moving over to MCI but having trouble peering with Sprint until further notice. Packets to the convention in the Balkans are being filtered by CIDRites at ICP.... Stay tuned and have a nice day. Now, up to the minute IP security tips sponsored by cisco, your partners in datametrics and virtual resolution protocol. But first, MCI and the ReachOut and Spam Your Friends and Family special offer, after these messages. ................ -- +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Tim Bass | #include<campfire.h> | | Principal Network Systems Engineer | for(beer=100;beer>1;beer++){ | | The Silk Road Group, Ltd. | take_one_down(); | | | pass_it_around(); | | http://www.silkroad.com/ | } | | | back_to_work(); /*never reached */ | +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+