An eBPF-Based Trace-Driven Emulation Method for Satellite Networks

Abstract: System-level performance evaluation over satellite networks often requires a simulated or emulated environment for reproducibility and low cost. However, the existing tools may not meet the needs for scenarios such as the low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite networks. To address the problem, this paper proposes and implements a trace-driven emulation method based on Linux's eBPF technology. Building a Starlink traces collection system, we demonstrate that the method can effectively and efficiently emulate the connection conditions, and therefore provides a means for evaluating applications on local hosts.