Towards the Generation of Virtualized Network Traffic According to Modern Data Centers

The evolution of modern data centers from traditional hardware-based infrastructures to highly virtualized environments has introduced new complexities in network traffic analysis. Virtual networks, characterized by dynamic changes in both overlay and underlay architectures, necessitate sophisticated methods for accurate anomaly detection and network analysis. This paper investigates the real-world behaviour of network traffic within virtualized environments, identifying the key factors that impact packet dynamics, including VM operations, multi-tenancy, user customization, and hardware adjustments. By defining the frequency and nature of these events, this research provides further details for the creation of accurate packet generation tools. These tools must simulate the dynamic characteristics of virtual networks, enabling reliable and realistic synthetic data generation. The research explains the need for enhanced packet generation methodologies to provide valid training and testing data for digital investigations, anomaly detection, and network simulations. As a result, this paper emphasizes the importance of developing accurate synthetic network traffic that mirrors real-world conditions and provides a valid basement for traffic analysis in virtual networks.