Polymedia Design For Network Metadata Monitoring

The design of a realtime monitor for an organization's digital network can produce several significant design challenges, both from the technical and human operational perspectives. One challenge is how to capture network data with minimal impact on the network itself. Also, from an operational perspective, sounds need to perform en suite over long periods of time while producing only minimal listener fatigue. This chapter describes two related network data sonification projects which resulted in a set of audiovisual "concert" compositions (Corpo Real), an immersive installation, and a perceptual monitoring tool (Netson). This tool uses both sonification and visualization to present monitoring humans with features of data flow that allow them to experience selectable operational network characteristics. In doing so, it can be used to assist in the peripheral monitoring of a network for improved operational performance.