METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR MODELING AND SIMULATING APPLICATION-LEVEL TRAFFIC CHARACTERISTICS IN A NETWORK BASED ON TRANSPORT AND NETWORK LAYER HEADER INFORMATION

Methods, systems, and computer program products are disclosed for determining application-level traffic characteristics in a network based on transport and network layer header information. Transport and network layer header information is collected from packet traffic in a network. Packets are classified to different connections based on the transport and network layer header information. Each connection is modeled using an abstract syntax for characterizing bidirectional interactions between endpoints of each connection and delays between the interactions. Application-level characteristics of the packet traffic are determined based on the modeled connections. Simulated traffic that models application-level traffic behavior in a real network may also be generated by simulating traffic connections based on the modeled connections.