Tool for Visualizing Mobile Ad-Hoc Network Topology Definitions Files

摘要

This report documents a research and development effort that the U.S. Army Research Laboratory conducted in FY05 in support of the building of an emulated tactical mobile ad hoc network (MANET) research test bed. The effort resulted in the creation of two visually appealing tools called TDFvisualizer and TDFanimator. The main purpose of the tools is to provide researchers with a method for visually inspecting and verifying sequences of changing MANET topologies specified in a topology definition file (TDF), a method for conducting dry runs before emulating a MANET in a physical network, a method for graphically illustrating the behavioral complexity of a MANET to unfamiliar users for their education and training, and a method for graphically demonstrating to actual and potential customers and supporters the capability of the test bed and the emulation of a MANET.