Abstract:
Reliable network connectivity is an absolute requirement for running an online Learning
Management System. This is particularly important for self-hosted LMS and the growing
number of users who need a reliable and uninterrupted connection to the server. Many
self-hosted systems are fraught with low bandwidth and its associated poor quality of
service. Link Aggregation Control Protocol is one of the techniques that can effectively
provide network link reliability and improved bandwidth at a very reduced cost. Link
Aggregation Systems combine two or more links into one logical link having a single IP
address. Even though an SDN LACP can improve link bandwidth, it often results in link
redundancy. Therefore, this research set out to create and implement an algorithm that
will allocate network bandwidth according to the dynamic behaviours of the LMS
application. The dynamic bandwidth-aware LACP system was simulated for 2-LAG and 4-LAG setups using the SDN Ryu controller. The simulation results show that LACP is indeed inexpensive yet effective in increasing link bandwidth and fault tolerance. However, the efficiency of the system depended on the number of links aggregated. Whilst the
algorithm was excellent in improving bandwidth assurance and QoS for the 2-LAG
LACP setup, the results obtained from the 4-LAG LACP setup show that as the number
of aggregated links increases, delays and packets retransmission rate also increases. This suggests that the number of links that should form a LAG should be carefully selected according to the SDN controllers’ ability to fully utilise all aggregated links to avoid link redundancy as observed in the 4-LAG LACP simulation results.
Description:
A dissertation in the Department of Information Technology Education, Faculty of Applied Sciences and Mathematics Education, submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Master of Science (Information Technology Education) in the University of Education, Winneba.
APRIL, 2022