Performance Evaluation of Graph Neural Network-Based RouteNet Model with Attention Mechanism

Abstract

Graph representation is recognized as an efficient method for modeling networks, precisely illustrating intricate, dynamic interactions within various entities of networks by representing entities as nodes and their relationships as edges. Leveraging the advantage of the network graph data along with deep learning technologies specialized for analyzing graph data, Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) have revolutionized the field of computer networking by effectively handling structured graph data and enabling precise predictions for various use cases such as performance modeling, routing optimization, and resource allocation. The RouteNet model, utilizing a GNN, has been effectively applied in determining Quality of Service (QoS) parameters for each source-to-destination pair in computer networks. However, a prevalent issue in the current GNN model is their struggle with generalization and capturing the complex relationships and patterns within network data. This research aims to enhance the predictive power of GNN-based models by enhancing the original RouteNet model by incorporating an attention layer into its architecture. A comparative analysis is conducted to evaluate the performance of the Modified RouteNet model against the Original RouteNet model. The effectiveness of the added attention layer has been examined to determine its impact on the overall model performance. The outcomes of this research contribute to advancing GNN-based network performance prediction, addressing the limitations of existing models, and providing reliable frameworks for predicting network delay.