An analysis of Link and Node Level Resilience on Network Resilience

Communication networks should be resilient to be able to offer an acceptable level of service even in the face of challenges. However, how to measure the network resilience is not straightforward. Moreover, the resilience of the network depends on the type of risk it is exposed to, e.g., targeted attacks or random failures, and the scale of the risk, e.g., small or large scale failures. Therefore, in this paper, we first overview the literature on the network resilience metrics and the potential risks a network might experience. As the resilience of a communication system depends on the resilience of the levels it relies upon, we focus on the node and link level resilience. Via simulations, we analyse the impact of the resilience of links and nodes on the network resilience. Our analysis reveals that link placement in networks has a large influence on the resilience and should therefore be considered carefully when designing resilient wired networks.