| 5 | | GENI might be right for your experiment if: |
| 6 | | * Your experiment requires more resources than would ordinarily be found in your lab. Since GENI is a suite of infrastructures it can potentially provide you with more resources than is typically found in any one laboratory. This is especially true for compute resources: GENI provides access to large testbeds with hundreds of PCs and to cloud computing resources. |
| 7 | | * Your experiment requires non-IP connectivity across resources. Some GENI aggregates allow you to set up Layer 2 connections between resources within the aggregate. Experimenters may install and run their own Layer 3 and above protocols on these resources. It is also possible to setup Layer 2 connections between many GENI aggregates that connect to GENI backbone networks (Internet2 and NLR). You can even set up your network to route through experimenter programmable switches in the GENI backbone. |
| 8 | | * Your experiment requires requires geographically distributed resources. Some GENI aggregates include resources distributed around the world. |
| | 5 | GENI might be right for your experiment if your experiment requires: |
| | 6 | * ''More resources than would ordinarily be found in your lab.'' Since GENI is a suite of infrastructures it can potentially provide you with more resources than is typically found in any one laboratory. This is especially true for compute resources: GENI provides access to large testbeds with hundreds of PCs and to cloud computing resources. |
| | 7 | * ''Non-IP connectivity across resources.'' Some GENI aggregates allow you to set up Layer 2 connections between resources within the aggregate. Experimenters may install and run their own Layer 3 and above protocols on these resources. It is also possible to setup Layer 2 connections between many GENI aggregates that connect to GENI backbone networks (Internet2 and NLR). You can even set up your network to route through experimenter programmable switches in the GENI backbone. |
| | 8 | * ''A deeply programmable network.'' GENI has switches in the backbone and at the edges that you can program to set up the network topologies you need and to control flows in your network. |
| | 9 | * ''Geographically distributed resources.'' Some GENI resources are distributed around the world. |
| | 10 | * ''Reproducibility.'' You can get exclusive access to certain GENI resources including CPU resources and network resources. This gives you control over your experiment's environment and hence the ability for you and others to repeat experiments under identical or very similar conditions. |
| 226 | | * The degree of control you need over your experiment. Do you need to tightly control the resources (CPU, bandwidth, etc.) allocated to your experiment or will best-effort suffice. If you need a tightly controlled environment you might want to consider the U. of Utah ProtoGENI aggregate that allocate entire PCs that can be connected in arbitrary topologies. |
| 227 | | * The desired network topology. Does your experiment have to be geographically distributed? What kinds of connectivity do you need between these geographically distributed locations. Almost all aggregates can connect using IP connectivity over the Internet. Many aggregates connect to one of the GENI backbones and allow you to set up IP connections with other resources on the backbone. This will give you a bit more control over the network. Some aggregates provide Layer 2 connectivity over a GENI backbone i.e. you can set up vlans between these aggregates and other resources on the backbone network. This allows you to run non-IP protocols across between the aggregate and other resources. |
| 228 | | * The desired control over network flows. If you need to manage network traffic to/from an aggregate you might want to use aggregates that connect to a GENI backbone using OpenFlow switches. |
| 229 | | * The number of resources you need from an aggregate. Aggregates vary from small installations such as the GPO Lab ProtoGENI aggregate that consists of eleven nodes to the PlanetLab and ProtoGENI aggregates that consist of hundreds of nodes. |
| | 228 | * ''The degree of control you need over your experiment.'' Do you need to tightly control the resources (CPU, bandwidth, etc.) allocated to your experiment or will best-effort suffice. If you need a tightly controlled environment you might want to consider the U. of Utah ProtoGENI aggregate that allocate entire PCs that can be connected in arbitrary topologies. |
| | 229 | * ''The desired network topology.'' Does your experiment have to be geographically distributed? What kinds of connectivity do you need between these geographically distributed locations. Almost all aggregates can connect using IP connectivity over the Internet. Many aggregates connect to one of the GENI backbones and allow you to set up IP connections with other resources on the backbone. This will give you a bit more control over the network. Some aggregates provide Layer 2 connectivity over a GENI backbone i.e. you can set up vlans between these aggregates and other resources on the backbone network. This allows you to run non-IP protocols across between the aggregate and other resources. |
| | 230 | * ''The desired control over network flows.'' If you need to manage network traffic to/from an aggregate you might want to use aggregates that connect to a GENI backbone using OpenFlow switches or set up vlans to these aggregates through the ProtoGENI Backbone Nodes or the SPP Nodes. |
| | 231 | * ''The number of resources you need from an aggregate.'' Aggregates vary from small installations such as the GPO Lab ProtoGENI aggregate that consists of eleven nodes to the PlanetLab and ProtoGENI aggregates that consist of hundreds of nodes. |
| | 232 | |
| | 233 | The GENI Project Office is happy to help find the best match of resources for your experiments. Please contact [mailto:help@geni.net Mark Berman] for assistance. |
