Campus enhances network tracking

Innovative computing software developed at the university has been adopted by several universities to track the impact of file-sharing applications such as Napster.

As network bandwidth requirements expand at unprecedented rates, it is increasingly important to have good information on network usage, patterns and characteristics. Dave Plonka, of the Division of Information Technology Network Engineering Technology, developed software to analyze network traffic by protocol and application. A recent study cites Plonka’s work as an example of how a major university responded to the Napster traffic issue.

Network applications such as Napster have increased attention on the nascent field of traffic measurement. Napster, which is at the center of a current copyright dispute over online music distribution, allows users to find and trade music files. By downloading free software, users enable their computer to become a server of MP3 files. Several other Internet sites also allow music downloading.

Piracy issues aside, such activity can strain a computer network, consuming large amounts of bandwidth. An average MP3 file is roughly 1,000 times larger than the average e-mail.

Because the university’s network is a shared resource, increased use of file-sharing applications could ultimately impact the entire network speed. Using Plonka’s innovative application, the university has been able to analyze the data traffic patterns caused by particular applications.

“The University of Wisconsin–Madison has done the most to carefully monitor Napster and its kin,” writes Andrew Odlyzko, chief mathematician at AT&T Research Labs, in his recent paper on the subject. “Napster has had a noticeable effect on the growth rate of traffic on this campus, but not an outlandish one.”

Nearly 200 universities, including UW-Platteville and UW-Oshkosh, have tried to reduce network traffic jams by blocking their network’s access to MP3-trading companies like Napster.

Although UW–Madison took no steps to limit or block Napster use on the campus network, DoIT has reminded faculty, staff and students that the use of the network is a shared resource on campus and falls under the Guidelines for Appropriate Use of university IT resources.

One guideline specifies that the university acknowledges that the use of IT resources is a natural part of the day-to-day learning and work of all members of the university community, and incidental personal use is tolerated. But officials in the past have urged users to reread the Appropriate Use Policy and use caution when downloading large files.