Analysis of traffic data from a hybrid satellite-terrestrial network

Satellite data networks provide broadband access for areas not served by traditional broadband technologies. In this thesis, we describe a collection of traffic data (billing records and tcpdump traces) from a satellite Internet service provider in China. We use the billing records to investigate the downloaded and uploaded traffic volume and the aggregate user behavior. We examine daily and weekly cycles and effects of holidays on traffic patterns. We also employ cluster analysis methods to classify the users according to their traffic. Analysis of the tcpdump traces indicates that transmission control protocol (TCP) accounts for the majority of data transfers. The analysis also includes the detection of anomalies such as invalid TCP flag combinations, port scans, and anomalies in traffic volume.