ippo-lib - IP oPtion-based active PrObing
An Active Probing Library for IP Options Equipped probes (http://traffic.comics.unina.it/ippolib)
 
Version alpha 0.02, January 2013.

Copyright    : (C) 2012 by Pietro Marchetta, Walter de Donato, Francesco Cesareo,
                                    Antonio Pescape' (PI)
                                    of Traffic group subset of the COMICS (COMputer for Interaction and 
                                    CommunicationS) Group, Dipartimento di Informatica
                                    e Sistemistica of the University of Napoli "Federico II".


Description
==========================================

Fast Probing is a library written in C++ to semplify sending packets probes typically used in Internet Measurements based on active probing and the analysis of the collected replies. In particular, the library allows to easily forge and send packet probes equipped with IP options and it has been purposely studied to support large scale active proving measurement campaigns.

The packet probes currently implemented are listed in the following table:

1. ICMP Echo Request to solicit ICMP Echo Reply	(The classic ping probe)
2. UDP	to solicit ICMP Port Unreachable (UDP probe sent toward an unused destination port (default 33456) to solicit a ICMP Port Unreachable message)
3. TCP SYNto solicit TCP RST (A TCP SYN packet toward an unassigned well-known port (default 737) to solicit a TCP reset reply)
4. PROTOCOL	to solicit ICMP Protocol Unreachable (An IP packet with a customized protocol number (by default set to 57, SKIP protocol) to solicit an ICMP Protocol Unreachable reply)


All the packet probes highlighted above can be equipped with the following IP options:

Prespecified Timestamp IP option, rfc 791

	Equipping a packet probe with this variant of the IP Timestamp Option allows to request a timestamp from up to four "prespecified" IPs. We use the option according to the (D|XYZW) format with D represents the destination of the probe and XYZW the ordered list of prespecified IPs).

	When using ICMP and TCP packet probes, Fast Probing extracts the returned option (if present) from the IP layer of the reply packet, while, regarding UDP and PROTOCOL packet probes, the option is extracted from the original probe carried back by the ICMP error packet. However, some devices replicate the IP option also in the IP header encapsulating the ICMP error packet. In those cases, the Fast Probing makes available both the encapsulated and encapsulating Prespecified Timestamp options.



Documentation
==========================================

The library documentation is contained in the "doc" directory of package.
More details are available at the official website: http://traffic.comics.unina.it/activelib/


Bugs and Comment
==========================================
For technical support, bugs reporting, suggestions or comments, please send an e-mail to <pietro.marchetta[you know what]unina.it>
