Assessing Application-Level Network Neutrality using Digital Twins

Our paper addresses the challenges of assessing network neutrality in the context of modern cloud-based services. It highlights the growing complexity for Internet service providers (ISPs) in managing network resources, which may conflict with the traditional best-effort Internet model, potentially compromising network neutrality principles. The authors propose a novel proof-of-concept system that utilizes digital twins to measure and analyze application-specific network neutrality in real-time on the public Internet. This system is designed to be horizontally scalable, adaptable to changing networks, and capable of producing low false rates in neutrality assessments. We detail the architecture of the measurement system, which includes a real client, a measurement server, and the client’s digital twin, all of which work together to monitor and compare service quality. The proposed system aims to offer a reliable, real-time method for assessing network neutrality, specifically in terms of how ISPs manage traffic for different applications.