How to Visualize the K-Root Name Server (Demo)

We present a novel paradigm to visualize the evolution of the service provided by one of the most popular root name servers, called K-root, operated by the RIPE Network Coordination Centre (RIPE NCC) and distributed in several locations (instances) worldwide. Our approach can be used to either monitor what happened during a prescribed time interval or observe the status of the service in near real-time. We visualize how and when the clients of K-root migrate from one instance to another, how the workload associated with each instance changes over time, and what are the instances that contribute to offer the service to a selected Internet Service Provider. In addition, the visualization aims at distinguishing usual from unusual operational patterns. This helps not only to improve the quality of the service but also to spot security-related issues and to investigate unexpected routing changes. Submitted: December 2011 Reviewed: February 2012 Revised: March 2012 Accepted: May 2012 Final: May 2012 Published: September 2012 Article type: Regular paper Communicated by: M. van Kreveld and B. Speckmann Partially supported by the ESF project 10-EuroGIGA-OP-003 GraDR ”Graph Drawings and Representations” and by the MIUR of Italy, under project AlgoDEEP, prot. 2008TFBWL4. E-mail addresses: [email protected] (Giuseppe Di Battista) [email protected] (Claudio Squarcella) [email protected] (Wolfgang Nagele) 676 Di Battista et al. How to Visualize the K-root Name Server