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Emily Eisbruch (scribe)
*Discussion*
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Internet2
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Update
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Jeff
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An Boote provided an update on the software releases available for Internet2 performance and measurement tools and a preview of the roadmap.
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- REDDnet provides "Working storage" to help manage the logistics of sharing, moving and staging large datasets across wide areas and distributed collaborations.
- Participating Institutions: Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Stephen F. Austin, NC State, Nevoa Networks, Delaware
- Host Sites: Caltech, Florida, Michigan, ORNL, SDSC, TACC, UC Santa Barbara (Stephen F. Austin, Tennessee, Vanderbilt)
- Tools used for performance monitoring inlcude:
- OWAMP (3.1)
- BWCTL (1.3)
- NDT client (3.5)
- perfSONAR-PS perfSONAR-BUOY (regular testing framework for bwctlBWCTL)
- Performance troubleshooting approach:
- Ensure TCP is tuned on all hosts
- Pick a set of hosts to investigate from the "worst offenders"
- Divide and conquer testing:
- Test from end-to-end path
- Break up path into smaller segments
- Narrow down the source of the problem by testing along the smaller segments and seeing which segments have the same symptoms as the end-to-end path
- Examples:
- REDDnet Umich and CHIC I2 POP
- REDDnet Vanderbilt to Atlanta I2 POP
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- Goals:
- Measure delay/jitter/loss between points
- Be able to fix any issues that come up
- Approach: Deployed measurement machines at the endpoints and a number of hosts in between and set up regular latency tests between the machines
- Benefits: Shows end-to-end problems, and allows a "Divide-and-Conquer" approach to narrow down the source of the problem
- Tools: OWAMP (Latency Tester) and perfSONAR-BUOY (Test Scheduling Framework)
- Analysis software was written or modified to make it easy to view and understand the data.
- Results: Several potential performance issues, in both the network and the monitoring systems, were identified, and all were solved and verified through diagnostics and monitoring.
Interoperability Testing with Dante - Update
Tom Throckmorton, of MCNC, presented an update on the Multi-Vendor 10 Gigabit Testing that Matt Zekauskus and Tom discussed at the Performance WG at the Feb. 2009 Joint Techs in College Station. The goal is to determine 10GE vendor interoperability and higher speed circuits work between differing vendor hardware over long distance.
Tom reported that interoperability testing on a 10GE transatlantic circuit connecting Internet2 and DANTE has been ongoing over the past year, which was reported on in February 2009. At that point, we had reached limitations in the use of commodity systems as test endpoints. Since the Feb 2009 update, DANTE, Internet2 and MCNC had the opportunity to pursue simultaneous product evaluation of network test equipment from Xena Networks, a new company out of Denmark. This has been an opportunity to quickly complete the interop testing using suitable test equipment before turning the circuit over to production. These test units are FPGA-based, and priced about a tenth of the cost of similar testers.
DANTE had received testers in Jan 2009; Internet2 received testers towards the end of Feb 2009. We had set an aggressive timeframe for completing testing, based on anticipated turnover of the circuit for production. Having equipment on hand allowed us to complete the testing in timely fashion and also to complete tests with a higher degree of confidence than w/ using commodity PCs. There had also been issues around being able to drive circuits beyond certain rates with the commodity systems; with this test equipment in place, we were able to drive the circuit almost to full capacity. Did suite of scripted tests at a range of packet sizes (64-9000 bytes). We were able to iterate through the same set of tests independently and get the same results consistently, leading to high confidence in the numbers.
One issue emerged as a result of this testing. In one direction, we observed some throughput dropoff as the frame size approached 64 bytes. After a number of back-to-back tests, and repeated tests to be sure we got numbers accurately, we surmised a packet processing rate limitation on one side of the connection. Based on the anticipated use of this circuit, this is not a problem interoptablility-wise.
Overall we got excellent results from this gear -- more consistent than out of PCs. Another positive was interaction with Xena -- they were eager to please and responsive to issues we raised with them. Made corrections for us based on feedback we had given them. Will provide a general product evaluation around end of May and an interop test report will be delivered at end of June. Dante is pursuing the purchase of these testers for some use; neither Internet2 nor MCNC are pursuing a purchase at this time.
Some ideas surfaced on how we could make improvements in using commodity systems to do testing, which will be useful for future similar test scenarios. The underlying circuit was turned over for production in mid April and it's been carved up in different ways to serve connections between Dante and a couple of points in the U.S.
If some one wants to learn more, contact Tom Throckmorton or Matt Zekauskus.
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Carla presented the draft WG Charter, and invited comments. Carla would like volunteers to serve with her as a co-chair of the working group.
Next Performance Working Group Call
The next call will be scheduled for June, 2009. Stay tuned for details.