Interplay Between Traffic Dynamics and Network Structure

This paper studies the interplay between traffic dynamics and network structure in complex communication networks. Complex communication networks of distinct structural features are chosen as the underlying networks. We use node betweenness centrality, network polarization, and average path length to capture the structural characteristics of a network. Network throughput and average packet delay are the main performance measures. We study how internal traffic, throughput, and delay change with increasing incoming traffic through simulation. We further investigate the relationship between network performance and network structure. Our work reveals that the parameters chosen to reflect network structure, including node betweenness centrality, network polarization, and average path length, play important roles in different states of the underlying networks. Keywords-Complex networks; traffic; network structure; network performance.