Compressing Test and Evaluation by Using Flow Data for Scalable Network Traffic Analysis

The specialized nature of technology-based programs creates volumes of data on a magnitude never before seen, complicating the test and evaluation phase of acquisition. This article provides a practical solution for reducing network traffic analysis data while expediting test and evaluation. From small lab testing to full integration test events, quality of service and other key metrics of military systems and networks are evaluated. Network data captured in standard flow formats enable scalable approaches for producing network traffic analyses. Because of its compact representation of network traffic, flow data naturally scale well. Some analyses require deep packet inspection, but many can be calculated/approximated quickly with flow data, including quality-of-service metrics like completion rate and speed of service.
Published in Defense ARJ v21 n4 p788-802 Oct 2014.