NAV-Network Analysis Visualization

In this paper we discuss the Network Analysis Visualization (NAV) project, a tool for investigating high level network events. Monitoring network activity has been a critical task for administrators since networks were first introduced, both for maintaining system security and tracking resource utilization. Traditionally, the tools used by both enterprise and home users display detailed packet information in a scrollable text list. Although these interfaces provide fine grained details, it is very difficult to quickly obtain a high level understanding of the nature of the traffic. The Network Analysis Visualization project attempts to address this problem by using information visualization techniques to display packet trace data from a common log format. Overview with details on demand is used to provide different levels of viewing data, brushing and linking allows the user to select information for more detailed investigation and log scales are used where possible to allow data to span large ranges. Dynamic filtering allows the scope of data being displayed to be modified in real time, enabling the visualization to scale to large data sets. CR Categories: H.5.2 [User Interfaces]: Graphical User Interfaces (GUI); C.2.3 [Network Operations]: Network monitoring