Dynamic visualization of service performance and routing on the internet

Abstract

In this thesis we present several approaches to the problem of visualizing Internet service performance and routing data. We first consider them as two independent topics, proposing interactive tools for both. In a second phase, we introduce the possibility to correlate datasets of both types in order to obtain a combined visualization. All the proposed approaches are preceded by an informative description of the context in which the visualization is needed and the tasks that prospective users would need to perform when using the tool. Design decisions are then illustrated and motivated based on user requirements. The algorithms used for the visualization and animation of graphs and networks are described thoroughly, in particular when they clearly improve on alternatives found in the literature. Technological aspects are always mentioned and highlighted when they represent a key quality of the work. Where available, user studies and feedback collected during the development are reported and discussed. Finally, given the interactive and dynamic nature of our work, we provide the reader with support material (animations, videos, images) accessible through the Web.