Experiments with real systems
How does a transport protocol behave when delay increases, packets are lost or available bandwidth changes? FILA connects real endpoints with network emulation and programmable radios. The infrastructure turns a research question into a controlled experiment: conditions are set, observations recorded and results tied to the configuration that produced them.
Hardware WAN emulation is central to this approach. The Apposite Netropy 40G environment connects real senders and receivers through deliberately varied network conditions. Difficult transfer conditions can be repeated in the laboratory to compare transport methods. Published BQL work documents bandwidth, delay and loss settings alongside the congestion controller’s response.
Endpoints are part of the experiment. Packet processing, buffering and timing can affect the result. Traffic generation and packet measurement with LTest, together with precise time operations through HighPerTimer, help investigate these interactions and document experiments clearly.
FILA also retains two USRP N210 units with SBX frontends for radio work. They support limited RF reference experiments, SDR signal-chain work, host/device interfaces and teaching. Signal processing and interfaces are configured to suit each experimental question.
The table connects these setups with research questions. Each study defines its actual configuration and operating limits. Contact the FILA team to discuss a joint experiment or a student project.
From research question to experimental setup
| Research question | Setup and varied conditions | Observation |
| How does congestion control respond? | Real endpoints and WAN emulation: delay, loss, bottleneck capacity | Application goodput, delay and queue behaviour |
| Where does the endpoint limit delivery? | Compare packet processing under fixed network conditions | Throughput, CPU use and processing behaviour |
| How does a programmable radio signal chain work? | USRP N210/SBX with documented signal and interface configuration | Received signals and processing along the host/device path |
Research and contact
A documented experimental setup
BQL under high bandwidth-delay conditions: setup and results (2019).
Related research: RMDT · AI-RMDT · Networked systems and smart infrastructure
