asanalysis

Asanalysis is a term used in networking and data analysis to describe a set of practices for studying Autonomous System (AS) data and their interconnections on the Internet. In this usage, AS refers to the large networks operated by Internet Service Providers, enterprises, and research institutions that exchange routing information via the Border Gateway Protocol. Asanalysis focuses on understanding the topology, routing policies, and dynamics that shape the global Internet.

Analytic work commonly relies on data sources such as BGP routing tables, public routing registries, and active measurement platforms. Researchers examine metrics including AS path length, degree centrality, clustering, and interdomain connectivity, as well as the occurrence of route leaks, hijacks, or misconfigurations. Cross-domain studies may combine topology with traffic or latency measurements to assess performance and resilience.

Methods used in asanalysis include network graph analysis, temporal analysis of routing changes, anomaly detection, and comparative studies across snapshots of the Internet. Visualization and reproducible tooling are often emphasized to support interpretation and policy discussion.

Applications of asanalysis span academic research, network operations, and cybersecurity. It informs capacity planning, peering decisions, and incident response, and it supports policy debates about Internet governance and security. Because the term is not uniformly standardized, practitioners may define its scope differently, and it is sometimes used as a general umbrella for AS-level measurement and analysis rather than a single formal discipline.

See also: Internet topology, Border Gateway Protocol, CAIDA, RIPE NCC, network security, data visualization.