Traffic Weaver: Semi-Synthetic Time-Varying Traffic Generator

Core Concepts

Generating semi-synthetic time-varying traffic for network optimization.

Abstract

Traffic Weaver is a Python package designed to create semi-synthetic signals with finer granularity, closely matching the original signal provided. It aims to facilitate the development and validation of traffic prediction models in telecommunication networks. The software utilizes oversampling, stretching, smoothing, repeating, trend application, and noise addition to recreate the signal accurately. By generating new data based on existing samples, Traffic Weaver enables thorough evaluation of algorithms in real-world settings. The tool has been used in scientific research to develop and evaluate traffic prediction models and network optimization algorithms using generated time-varying connection requests.

Stats

Current code version: 1.3.5
Legal Code License: MIT
Software code languages: Python ≥ 3.9
Link to developer documentation/manual: http://w4k2.github.io/traffic-weaver/

Quotes

"Existing analyses of real traffic data collected by authors usually stop at the data characterization stage."
"Traffic Weaver allows easy access to data for thorough evaluation of developed algorithms."
"The software creates new datasets based on existing examples or user-specified data."

Key Insights Distilled From

Traffic Weaver

by Piot... at arxiv.org 03-19-2024

https://arxiv.org/pdf/2403.11388.pdf

Deeper Inquiries

How can Traffic Weaver address the challenge of lacking real traffic data for experiments

Traffic Weaver addresses the challenge of lacking real traffic data for experiments by providing a solution to generate semi-synthetic time-varying traffic. This tool allows researchers to create new datasets based on existing examples or user-specified data, enabling them to add specific characteristics that mimic real-world scenarios. By utilizing oversampling, integral matching, smoothing, repeating, trending, and noising methods, Traffic Weaver can produce diverse datasets that closely resemble actual network traffic patterns. Researchers can then use these generated datasets to develop and evaluate algorithms in various traffic conditions without relying solely on sparse raw data.

What are the implications of relying on artificially generated data compared to real-world data

Relying on artificially generated data compared to real-world data has implications for research and development in networking. While artificial data provides flexibility and control over dataset characteristics such as noise levels, trends, and traffic types through tools like Traffic Weaver, it may not fully capture the complexity and nuances present in authentic network traffic. Real-world data offers a more accurate representation of network behavior but is often limited due to legal constraints or lack of access from operators. Artificially generated data serves as a valuable alternative for testing algorithms under controlled conditions but may not always reflect the intricacies found in genuine network environments.

How does Traffic Weaver contribute to advancing machine learning methods in networking research

Traffic Weaver contributes to advancing machine learning methods in networking research by providing a platform for creating semi-synthetic time-varying traffic datasets with specific features tailored for algorithm evaluation. Machine learning techniques heavily rely on large amounts of high-quality training data for model development and validation. With Traffic Weaver's ability to generate diverse datasets based on averaged time series while maintaining key characteristics of the original signal through oversampling, trend application, noise addition, etc., researchers can enhance their machine learning models' performance by training them on more varied and realistic datasets reflective of actual network behaviors. This tool enables thorough experimentation with different algorithm designs under varying conditions mimicking real-world scenarios within telecommunication networks.