The Art of Internet Mapping: A Comprehensive Guide to Regional Internet Topology Mapping at the Autonomous System Level

Background: Internet topology is studied more by researchers on global internet coverage compared to limited regional coverage. However, some studies also see the importance of studying internet topology in certain countries or regions. The internet performance of a country or region can be influenced by the structure of its internet topology, and research on internet topology can contribute to improving internet topology in that region. Objective: This research initially carried out internet topology mapping in a limited region, then used experience from each step in conducting internet topology mapping to create a comprehensive guide on procedures for internet topology mapping at the autonomous system (AS) level in certain regional areas. Methods: Internet topology mapping is carried out by inferring relationships between ASes through an inference process against border gateway protocol (BGP) table dumps, while the internet topology mapping method chosen is passive mapping. Results: The entire series of steps involved in the regional internet topology mapping process have been successfully outlined in a detailed guide as a result of this research. Evaluation of the research results was carried out by implementing the application of this comprehensive guide and also through assessments from experts in related fields regarding the results of this research. The results of both evaluations showed that the research results were appropriate. Conclusion: This research provides a comprehensive guide for mapping internet topology in specific regional areas, consisting of nine sequential steps grouped into four major steps. This guide can be used to assist similar research efforts in other regional areas as well as provide further knowledge regarding studies in this field. This research is different from previous studies, because it provides a comprehensive guide to the internet topology mapping process, which has not been available in previous studies.