Internet2 End-to-End (e2e) Performance Initiative

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Internet2 End-to-End (e2e) Performance Initiative

• Laurie Burns ltlburns_at_internet2.edugt
• Steve Corbató ltcorbato_at_internet2.edugt

Internet2 Fall Member Meeting Atlanta,
Georgia October 31, 2000
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Context for e2e Performance Initiative

• Internet2 member universities have gained access
  to high performance backbone networks.
• Now, under certain conditions within particular
  regional and local network environments, faculty,
  researchers, and students can experience the full
  benefit of this infrastructure in the development
  and use of advanced applications.
• However, too often many of them experience a gap
  between the potential of the national
  high-performance networking infrastructure and
  their own experience when they use the network to
  accomplish their work.

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e2e Performance Initiative

• Goal
• To create a ubiquitous, predictable, and
  well-supported environment in which Internet2
  campus network users have routinely successful
  experiences in their development and use of
  advanced Internet applications, by focusing
  resources and efforts on improving performance
  problem detection and resolution throughout
  campus, regional, and national networking
  infrastructures.
• In short, to turn high performance networking
  into a utility across Internet2 campuses.

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Components of the e2e Initiative

• Creation of
• a persistent, proactive, and widely deployed
  performance measurement infrastructure, including
  tools and instruments for detection and
  resolution
• distributed, coordinated Performance Evaluation
  and Response Teams (PERTs), information
  resources, and mechanisms for access to expertise
  
• ongoing outreach, technology transfer and
  dissemination of best practices to the Internet2
  membership and beyond

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Defining e2e Success Metrics

• A core set of applications and services must be
  identified
• TCP applications (mandatory)
• Internet-based telephony (VoIP)
• Internet-based videoconferencing technologies
  which one(s)?
• Pervasive native multicast for multimedia and
  data distribution
• Scope
• How broadly across the campus network can/should
  e2e be supported?
• Timing
• How quickly can these goals be met?
• End user expectation management is essential

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Anticipated Key Partners

• NSF-sponsored engineering efforts (NLANR)
• Distributed Applications Support Team (DAST)
  NCSA
• Measurement and Operational Analysis Team (MOAT)
  SDSC
• National Center for Network Engineering (NCNE)
  PSC
• Web100 Project (PSC/NCAR)
• Abilene partnership
• Qwest Communications, Cisco Systems, Nortel
• Network Operations Center Indiana University
• Internet2 Technology Evaluation Centers NC and
  OH
• Internet2 Corporate Members
• GigaPoPs (e.g., the Quilt)

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Performance obstacles to target

• End system
• Application tuning
• Operating system upgrade and tuning
• Network attachment upgrade
• Campus network
• Backbone upgrade
• Local Area Networks upgrade
• Campus network uplink
• Possible upgrade of campus attachment to
  regional GigaPoP or national high-performance
  backbone
• Personnel investment
• Network upgrade engineering and installation
• Integrated operational support structures for
  networks and applications
• End user awareness, training, and support

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Initiative Phases (I)

• First Gear
• Preparation and planning phase
• Set metrics, build partnerships, design RFP
  process
• Now through January, 2001
• Second Gear
• Early Adopters phase (analogous to Middleware)
• Partner with limited number (10-15) of campuses
  to develop tools, information resources, best
  practices
• Develop PERTs
• January-December, 2001

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Initiative Phases (II)

• Third Gear
• Begin dissemination of tools, information
  resources continue to refine
• Provide guidance on setting up additional PERTs
• Determine scope and goals for ongoing efforts
• Beginning spring, 2001
• Fourth Gear(s)
• As determined by work in previous phases

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Reality checks

• Will create demand for campus upgrades
• Increasing expectations for campus network
  engineering and operations teams
• Will raise expectations of ubiquitous high
  performance by campus researchers

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Next steps

• New mailing list e2e-interest
• To subscribe e2e-interest-request_at_internet2.edu
• Campus focused workshops advanced networks and
  applications
• December 4-5, 2000
• University of California, San Diego
• Prospectus in the Member Meeting registration
  packet