NETplace: Efficient runtime minimization of network emulation experiments

Network emulation is an efficient method for evaluating distributed applications and communication protocols by combining the benefits of real world experiments and network simulation. The process of network emulation involves execution of thousands of connected virtual nodes running the software under test in a controlled environment. Along with the quality of the experiment results, the runtime of network experiments strongly influences the convenience of users and operators of emulation testbeds. The goal of this paper is, therefore, to minimize the experiment runtime of network emulations.