How can you scientifically design and conduct network experiments?

1 Define your research question

Before you start any experiment, you need to have a clear and specific research question that guides your objectives, hypotheses, and methods. Your research question should be relevant, feasible, and measurable. For example, you might want to compare the performance of two routing protocols under different network conditions, or investigate the impact of a new congestion control algorithm on network throughput and fairness. Your research question should also reflect the gap or problem that you want to address in the existing literature or practice.

2 Choose your experimental design

Once you have your research question, you need to choose an appropriate experimental design that suits your goals, resources, and constraints. An experimental design is a plan that specifies how you will manipulate the independent variables, measure the dependent variables, and control the confounding variables in your experiment. There are different types of experimental designs, such as factorial, randomized, or quasi-experimental, that have different advantages and disadvantages. You should consider factors such as the number of treatments, the level of randomization, the sample size, the replication, and the validity of your design.

3 Select your experimental platform

Another important decision is to select the platform that you will use to run your network experiment. There are three main types of platforms: simulation, emulation, and testbed. Simulation is a software-based approach that models the behavior and dynamics of a network using mathematical equations and algorithms. Emulation is a hybrid approach that combines real and simulated network components, such as devices, links, or traffic. Testbed is a hardware-based approach that uses real network equipment and infrastructure to create a realistic network environment. Each platform has its own pros and cons in terms of scalability, realism, cost, and flexibility.

4 Implement your experimental procedure

After you have chosen your platform, you need to implement your experimental procedure, which is the set of steps that you will follow to run your experiment. Your procedure should be detailed, consistent, and reproducible. You should describe how you will set up your network configuration, how you will apply your treatments, how you will collect and store your data, and how you will handle any errors or anomalies. You should also document your procedure using scripts, code, or protocols, so that you or others can replicate or verify your experiment.

5 Analyze your experimental results

The next step is to analyze your experimental results, which is the process of applying statistical or graphical methods to summarize, interpret, and evaluate your data. Your analysis should be aligned with your research question and hypotheses, and should answer them using appropriate evidence and reasoning. You should also consider the sources of variation, error, or bias in your data, and how they affect the reliability and validity of your results. You should use tools and software that can help you perform your analysis efficiently and accurately.

6 Report your experimental findings

The final step is to report your experimental findings, which is the way of communicating your results and conclusions to your audience. Your report should be clear, concise, and coherent, and should follow the standards and conventions of your field or venue. You should include the following elements in your report: an abstract that summarizes your main points, an introduction that introduces your background and motivation, a methods section that describes your design and procedure, a results section that presents your analysis and outcomes, a discussion section that explains your implications and limitations, and a conclusion section that highlights your contributions and recommendations. You should also cite your sources and provide your data and code if possible.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?