How It Works
A deliberately simple distributed measurement system builds the topology behind UK Internet Report.
1. Select destinations
Targets are drawn from several sources, including popular Internet destinations and randomly sampled globally routable IPv4 addresses.
2. Measure the route
A collector performs a sequential traceroute. Only one probe is sent for each hop and measurements are intentionally kept low-rate.
3. Build the graph
Visible routers become nodes in the topology graph. Connections are recorded only between genuinely consecutive visible traceroute hops.
4. Enrich the data
Reverse DNS and autonomous-system information are used to add context to discovered routers and networks.
5. Combine vantage points
Collectors in different locations observe different transit and peering paths. Their results are combined into a single dataset.
6. Generate the artwork
The growing network graph is periodically rendered into high-resolution static artwork. Historical renders provide a visual record of topology growth.
Responsible measurement
The project is designed to operate at low intensity. Collectors perform measurements sequentially rather than launching large numbers of concurrent probes. The objective is Internet topology discovery and visualisation, not vulnerability scanning, service enumeration or stress testing.