How to Use the Command 'sc_warts2text' (with examples)

sc_warts2text is a command-line tool used to extract and convert the information contained in a warts file to a human-readable text format. Warts files are a data format used to store network measurements, often collected using the Scamper tool. These measurements can include information about network traces, like round-trip times and path information, and are essential for researchers and network administrators analyzing network performance and behavior. The sc_warts2text command facilitates access to this information by converting it into a plain text format that is easier to read and analyze.

Use Case 1: Outputting the Information in Warts Files as Text

Code:

sc_warts2text path/to/file1.warts path/to/file2.warts ...

Motivation:

This use case demonstrates the basic and most common functionality of the sc_warts2text command: extracting data from multiple warts files and presenting it in a text format. This is particularly useful for researchers who need to analyze the details of network operations captured over time or for system administrators diagnosing issues within their networks. Converting warts files to text makes it much simpler to filter, search, and perform ad-hoc analysis with standard text-processing tools, offering a more accessible way to handle voluminous network measurement data.

Explanation:

• sc_warts2text: This is the command that initiates the conversion process from the warts format to a text format. It is specifically designed for this conversion task and understands the structure of warts files inherently.
• path/to/file1.warts, path/to/file2.warts, …: These are the path(s) to one or more warts files that you wish to convert. The command is versatile enough to process multiple files at once, allowing for batch conversion. Each file path should be replaced with the actual location of your warts files on your filesystem.

Example Output:

Upon execution, you will get the data from your warts files output as raw text. For instance, you might see something resembling:

traceroute from 192.0.2.1 to 198.51.100.1
 1  192.0.2.2  1.123 ms
 2  203.0.113.5  9.456 ms
 3  198.51.100.1  15.789 ms

Each line will represent a part of the network path and will include hops along the route including their timings in milliseconds, which can then be analyzed further for insights into the network performance.

Conclusion:

The sc_warts2text command is a powerful utility that transforms warts files into a human-readable format, making complex network data more accessible for analysis. This process is vital for those engaged in network research or diagnostics, providing them with the tools to extract impactful insights from raw data. By converting these files to text, users can leverage a variety of text-processing tools to perform detailed analysis and efficiently manage large datasets.