The Network SucksSXSW 2016

AGENDAWHAT MORE CAN WE DO

UNDERSTANDING GAME TRAFFIC

WHAT DID RIOT DO

WHY THE NETWORK SUCKS

WHY ALL THE LAG?

The state of NA Nov ‘14

14ms

10ms26ms

30ms

4ms

UNDERSTANDING GAME TRAFFIC

LET’S TALK ABOUT ROUTERS

LET’S TALK ABOUT ROUTERSRouters are the workhorses of the Internet

Route Processors are extremely specialized

Routers have to process, or read, every single packet

Packet Size Matters

Standard Web Traffic

Standard Game Traffic

1500 Bytes

50ish Bytes

LET’S TALK ABOUT ROUTERSRouters are the workhorses of the Internet

Route Processors are extremely specialized

Routers have to process, or read, every single packet

Routers can be overwhelmed by our traffic

Routers Try and use Buffers to fix this – but this must be configured, and most ISPs don’t configure buffer for UDP

LET’S TALK ABOUT ROUTERSRoute Processor

Buffer

Interface

Physical Medium (Cable)

If the Interface is over subscribed, the Packet will get dropped.

If the Processor is oversubscribed the system will see if it can buffer the Packet, but most ISPs don’t buffer UDP.

Especially When We Do This…

URF MODE INCREASED TRAFIC BY 40% INSTANTLY

LET’S TALK ABOUT ROUTERSRouters are the workhorses of the Internet

Route Processors are extremely specialized

Routers have to process, or read, every single packet

Routers can be overwhelmed by our traffic

Routers Try and use Buffers to fix this – but this must be configured, and most ISPs don’t configure buffer for UDP

Routers work in a vacuum and make all decisions singularly

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

ISP ACCESS NETWORK

DDOS ATTACK

DROPPING PACKETS

Access Networks can add

5 – 15 ms or more

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

ISP ACCESS NETWORK

DDoS

WHO DO WE COMPARE TO?

WHAT DID RIOT DO

Our Goal in NA

80ms How Did We Come Up With That?

We took Lessons from Audio TestingAnd we took lessons from Visual Testing

EXPLAIN PEERING PARTNER SLIDE

THREE WORDS TO DESCRIBE PEERING

WHAT MORE CAN WE DO?

IS

ISP ACCESS NETWORK

Tunneling and Steering

BOSTON, MA

DDOS ATTACK

SDX

IS

ISP ACCESS NETWORK

IS

ISP ACCESS NETWORK

COMCAST

AT&T

ALL IN THE SAME FACILITY

ATDN

Cogent

Level3

Who else is Helping?

THANK YOU