Performance Working Group Meeting of 15-October-2008

at Internet2 Fall Member Meeting 2008, New Orleans

Attendees:

Carla Hunt, (Chair)
Ken Lindahl, UC Berkeley
Ana Lucia De Moura, RNP Brazil
Yasuchi Kitamura, APAN
Shawn McKee, University of Michigan
Frank Van Lingen, Cal Tech
Sherilyn Evans (for Eric Liu), CENIC
John T. Killebrew, NCREN
Chester Ruszczyk, MIT Haystack
Steven Senger, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
James Deaton, ONENET
Mark Johnsonk, NCREN
Eric Boyd, Internet2
Andrew Lake, Internet2
Matt Zekauskas, Internet2
Susan Evett, Internet2  
Jeff Boote, Internet2 (flywheel)
Emily Eisbruch, Internet2 (scribe)

Welcome and Announcement of Monthly Meeting Time

Carla welcomed the group.

She announced that regular Performance Working Group calls will be held the 4th Monday of every month at noon, starting Monday, November 24, 2008.

Review/Overview of existing Task Forces

Carla reviewed the current status of the three task forces formed at the Performance Working Group meeting at Joint Techs in Lincoln, NE (July 2008).

Update from Campus and RON Requirements/Best Practices Task Force

ken reported that the Campus and RON's Requirements/Best Practices (BCP) task force now includes several members and is eager to add more members. Information is found at: 
https://spaces.at.internet2.edu/display/PerformanceWG/BCP+-+Task+Force

The BCP task force aims to produce three documents:

• Document #1. Campus/RON Guidelines
• Document #2. Checklist for Measurement Infrastructure Operators
  (who may also be the same as network operators)
• Document #3. Functional Specifications for Developers

Work is underway on Document #1. 

Details on Campus/RON Guidelines Document

The BCP task force took the LHC best practices document (http://code.google.com/p/perfsonar-ps/wiki/Tier2BCP) as a starting point. The task force will update it to make it fit the more general environment of a campus or RON.  Changes will be made on the wiki at:

https://spaces.at.internet2.edu/display/PerformanceWG/BCP+-+Campus+and+RON+Guidelines

The time goal is to finish the guidelines document by the next Internet2 member meeting (April 27-29, 2009)

The audience is measurement infrastructure operators and network operators.

The purpose is to provide a rationale for using tools; to detail the benefits of building a measurement
infrastructure

Status - The task force took a first pass through the LHC document, but they have not started rewriting yet. They need folks
willing to complete a second review of LHC document and contribute to revisions.

Homework for task force participants is to read the Guidelines document and prepare some thoughts on sections needing updating.

Next Steps - ken lindahl will send a Doodle poll to set up the next BCP task force conference call.

Eric Boyd mentioned the importance of determining ways to encourage implementation of the best practices.  Should there be training? How does the WG recommend rolling it out? 

perfSONAR Update

Jeff Boote reviewed the new Toolkit, available on a CD or available at http://www.internet2.edu/performance/pS-PS/

Organizations that install a performance node using the toolkit will be included in the list of active endpoints and services at http://www.perfsonar.net/deploy.html

The perfSONAR PS development team is getting feedback from users and making the toolkit even better. They are also preparing better documentation on individual services and the analysis client.  They hope to make use of more and more of these tools in the Network Performance Workshops, to show how perfSONAR can be leveraged.

There is still some development work to do, especially in netflow analysis. 

Anyone who can help with testing the tools -- or provide any feedback at all -- should email
performance-node-users AT internet2 DOT edu.  

Discussion 

Carla suggested discussion on:

• Challenges with transition of measurement tools and infrastructure from research to operations.
• Challenges implementing end to end performance (i.e outreach to researchers)

Ana Luicia De Moura, from RNP in Brazil, commented that deploying a measurement system is a lot of work. It's important to involve the POP. Providing training that includes hands-on experience with the tools and the environment is key.  They developed a well-defined use policy governing which users have access to what information.

Sherilyn from CENIC asked "What is the right skill set for people deploying measurement tools: network engineer or system administrator?"   Responses focused on the need for a particular breed of system admin to solve the little glitches over time. There is also a need for people with the skill set to interpret and explain the results.  This can be someone in the network engineering team who cares about what end-to-end performance users are getting.

Other Working Groups in the Network Area

Carla noted that there are three working groups in the network area, and there is some overlap.

1. Performance WG
2. DCN WG
3. Transport WG

Chet and Steve, the cochairs for the Transport WG gave a quick overview of that WG, saying the goal is to solve end-to-end performance/transport issues.

Topic for the Future 

 International best practice was identified as a good topic for the future.

- Intellectual Property Policy Reminder -

All Internet2 Working Groups operate under the Internet2 Intellectual Property Framework. Working group members should review the policy at http://www.internet2.edu/membership/ip.html.