An overview of Linux container based network emulation

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to assess the current state of Container-Based Emulator implementations on the Linux platform. Through a narrative overview, a selection of open source Container-Based emulators are analysed to collect information regarding the technologies used to construct them to assess the current state of this emerging technology. Container-Based Emulators allows the creation of small emulated networks on commodity hardware through the use of kernel level virtualization techniques, also referred to as containerisation. Container-Based Emulators act as a management tool to control containers and the applications that execute within them. The ability of Container Based Emulators to create repeatable and controllable test networks makes it ideal for use as training and experimentation tools in the information security and network management fields. Due to the ease of use and low hardware requirements, the tools present a low cost alternative to other forms of network experimentation platforms. Through a review of current literature and source code, the current state of Container-Based Emulators is assessed. The primary source of information is publications by the creators of the selected Container-Based Emulators. Each Container-Based Emulator is introduced with a brief summary of the history and requirements that lead to its creation. The reader is presented with a comparison of the specific kernel level virtualization technologies used to implement the virtualization sub-system of the Container-Based Emulator. The structural design of Container-Based Emulators is analysed and summarized to provide a concise view of the capabilities that users are presented with. An architectural model is introduced that can assist with the selection of a Container-Based Emulator, based on the requirements of the end user. The paper concludes with a summary of the current state of Container-Based Emulators, and proposes future research areas to be explored.