Evolution of the Internet AS-level ecosystem

• Published in: The European physical journal. B, Condensed matter physics Vol. 74; no. 2; pp. 271 - 278
• Main Authors: Shakkottai, S., Fomenkov, M., Koga, R., Krioukov, D., Claffy, K. C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.03.2010; EDP Sciences; Springer
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Complex Systems; Computer science; control theory; systems; Computer systems and distributed systems. User interface; Condensed Matter Physics; Environmental aspects; Exact sciences and technology; Fluid- and Aerodynamics; Interdisciplinary Physics; Internet; Internet service providers; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Software; Solid State Physics; Node Degree; Autonomous System; Degree Distribution; Preferential Attachment; Internet Service Provider; Autonomous system; Statistical analysis; Ecosystem; Internet; Topology; Modeling; Multiclass
• ISSN: 1434-6028; 1434-6036
• DOI: 10.1140/epjb/e2010-00057-x

We present an analytically tractable model of Internet evolution at the level of autonomous systems (ASs). We call our model the multiclass preferential attachment (MPA) model. As its name suggests, it is based on preferential attachment. All of its parameters are measurable from available Internet topology data. Given the estimated values of these parameters, our analytic results predict a definitive set of statistics characterizing the AS topology structure. These statistics are not part of the model formulation. The MPA model thus closes the “measure-model-validate-predict” loop, and provides further evidence that preferential attachment is a driving force behind Internet evolution.