wiki:Embedded Real-Time Measurements-1Q09-status

Version 2 (modified by jtaylor@bbn.com, 14 years ago) (diff)

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ERM Project Status Report

Period: 1Q09

I. Major accomplishments

During this past quarter, our main accomplishments involved the completion and timely release of milestones 1, 2 and 3. Furthermore, progress on all project milestones was made. We also developed new ns-2 software modules which were made available online to the GENI community. As stated in the following document: in order to effectively implement a real-time measurement based cross-layer communications infrastructure, we propose the design of a unified measurement framework to ultimately limit the hardware and software overhead and complexity associated with accessing measurement data. This ongoing work, coupled with our simulation based investigations, constitutes our main accomplishments. We are continuing focused interactions with other GENI teams, mainly Renaissance Computing Institute (RENCI) and Duke University, as well as the University of Houston, and making progress on all fronts regarding the design of a complementary and effective cross-layer communications infrastructure.

A. Milestones achieved

The following section discusses progress made on the agreed milestones as given in [geni09_1].

Milestone 1: GENI requirements for real-time measurements (03/01/2009) The capabilities of GENI’s (future) infrastructure with respect to real-time measurements were evaluated and we assessed the GENI requirements for real-time user access to measurement data across a diverse set of technologies. Additional information as well as a Technical Note on milestone 1 is available online [geni09_1].

Milestone 2:Develop specifications and networking protocols (target 03/01/2009) A set of specifications for enabling real-time measurements within the substrate and specifications for networking protocols based on the GENI requirements for real-time user-accessed cross-layer measurements were developed. We identified a set of specifications for the implementation of a unified, integrated measurement framework with the ultimate purpose of limiting the hardware and software overhead and complexity associated with accessing measurement data. Additional information as well as a Technical Note on milestone 2 is available online [geni09_1].

Milestone 3: Perform discrete-event network simulations (03/01/2009) To enable and perform discrete-event network simulations and quantitatively evaluate performance impact under several scenarios of cross-layer information exchange based on real-time measurements, we developed new simulation modules for the ns-2 open source network modeling environment and made them available to the GENI community. The newly developed ns-2 ERM software modules as well as a Technical Note on milestone 3 are available online [geni09_1]. (Software modules were developed in cooperation with Alcatel-Lucent, Bell Labs.)

Milestone 4: Develop a software architecture (06/01/2009) This milestone deals with the development of a measurement framework based on GENI real-time measurement requirements and other developments/resources within the GENI prototyping activities. This will include interacting with the other prototype efforts to identify and leverage relevant activities or products, such as the development of specifications for a unified measurement framework [lai09_1].

Cooperation to achieve the interaction with other working groups’ efforts has been started with the Renaissance Computing Insititute (RENCI) and Duke University (Cluster D) [orcaben08_1], and University of Houston [gurkan08_1].

Milestone 5: Support the GPO in developing an experimental use-case (09/01/2009) Within this milestone, we support the GPO in developing experimental designs for use-cases based on a measurement-driven cross-layer communications. Following successful simulation work based on the modules developed in [fidler09_1], we plan to work closely with the GPO to further validate the cross-layer communication schemes in developing experimental use-case.

Milestone 6: Identify a candidate control framework (09/01/2009) The aim of this milestone is to work with the GPO to identify a candidate control framework for integration of the SW module.

B. Deliverables made

  • Input for GENI Wikipedia page on “Embedding real-time substrate measurements for cross-layer communications (March 2009)
  • Technical Note Milestone 1 (March 2009)
  • Technical Note Milestone 2 (March 2009)
  • Technical Note Milestone 3 (March 2009)
  • ERM software modules (ns-2) (January 2009)
  • Oral presentation “Unified Measurements” at 4th GENI Engineering Conference, Miami, FL (April 2009)
  • GENI quarterly report (April 2009)

II. Description of work performed during last quarter

  • Organizational work

Together with the GPO, i.e. John Jacob, detailed information about our group’s contribution to GENI, including the released Milestones 1, 2 and 3, were released on the GENI wikipage. A new webpage containing a software repository with the newly developed ns-2 ERM software modules (hosted at Columbia University New York) was created and is accessible via the GENI wiki page to the whole GENI community. A talk, summarizing the findings of our first milestones, about “Measurements as a GENI resource” was prepared and will be presented at the 4th GENI Engineering Conference by means of an oral presentation in the substrate working group session. Collaborations with a number of other working groups (e.g. the Renaissance Computing Insititute (RENCI), Duke University, and the University of Houston) are currently in progress, with the aim to enable real-time measurements in the future GENI network infrastructure.

  • Requirements and specifications of a unified measurement framework

Within milestone 1 and 2 [geni09_1], a set of specifications for enabling real-time measurements within the substrate and specifications for networking protocols based on the GENI requirements for real-time user-accessed cross-layer measurements was developed. We identified a set of specifications for the implementation of a unified, integrated measurement framework with the ultimate purpose of limiting the hardware and software overhead and complexity associated with accessing measurement data. We also proposed recommendations for the implementation of networking protocols dealing with timing requirements, interfacing issues, and the separation between control and data signals.

  • Simulation

To assess the influence of real-time measurement based cross-layer communication within the GENI network, we programmed new software modules for the open-source network simulator ns-2. The following functionalities were added: intra-packet BER variations, a forward error correction (FEC) module, and a local control plane. The modules were made downloadable from the GENI webpage in January 2009. They are currently used to evaluate experimental use-cases for GENI based on a measurement driven cross-layer communications.

A. Activities and findings

5.1 Unified measurement framework
Within the scope of our project, we have shown the advantages of a unified measurement framework (UMF) and outlined how it would enable cross-layer communications research based on real-time measurements deduced from performance monitors within the substrate. The UMF is required if one wants to

  • control and acquire measurement data in a unified way,
  • abstract measurement capabilities and equipment,
  • provide a single point of access for the GENI researcher and the control framework,
  • enable basic processing of the measurement data,
  • provide some storage capacity,
  • allow for easy reconfiguration, and
  • reduce software, hardware, and design overhead when extending the measurement capabilities of the GENI network.

We have developed a set of specifications that clearly shows the importance of taking into account the timing requirements, the storage capabilities, and the separation of data and control signals when designing the UMF and its interfaces. We proposed possible implementations and realizations of the measurement framework and gave recommendations for the design of (cross-layer based) networking protocols that leverage the measured real-time data.

5.2 Simulation
To assess the influence of real-time measurement based cross-layer communication within the GENI network, we created new software modules for the open-source network simulator ns-2. The modules were created in cooperation with Alcatel-Lucent Bell Labs. The following functionalities were added: intra-packet BER variations, a forward error correction (FEC) module, and a local control plane. The software is currently being used to evaluate experimental use-cases for GENI based on a measurement driven cross-layer communications.

The software modules were made downloadable from the GENI webpage in January 2009. It is our intention to frequently update this repository with the latest version and further developments of the ERM software, as well as with future publications of our research group which include simulation results using the new software package. Such updates will be posted on the GENI wiki. The ns-2 network simulator is licensed for use under version 2 of the GNU General Public License, as are the ERM software modules.

B. Project participants

P.I. Keren Bergman, Columbia University New York, bergman@ee.columbia.edu
Caroline P. Lai, Columbia University New York, cpl2114@columbia.edu
Franz Fidler, Columbia University New York, Franz Fidler
Peter Winzer, Alcatel-Lucent Bell Labs, winzer@alcatel-lucent.com
Marina K. Thottan, Alcatel-Lucent Bell Labs, marinat@alcatel-lucent.com

C. Publications (individual and organizational)

  • C. P. Lai, K. Bergman, “Demonstration of Programmable Broadband Packet Multicasting in an Optical Switching Fabric Test-bed,” OFC 2009, Paper OTuA5, San Diego, CA, Mar 2009
  • F. Fidler, C.P. Lai, K. Bergman, “Milestone 1: GENI Requirements for Real-Time Measurements,” Technical Note, March 2009
  • C.P. Lai, F. Fidler, K. Bergman, “Milestone 2: Specifications and Networking Protocols,” Technical Note, March 2009
  • F. Fidler, C.P. Lai, K. Bergman, “Milestone 3: Discrete-Event Network Simulations,” Technical Note, March 2009
  • F. Fidler, “Unified Measurements: GENI Requirements and Specifications for Embedded Real-Time Measurements”, Presentation at 4th GENI Engineering Conference, Miami, FL, 31. March – 2. April 2009.

D. Outreach activities

None.

E. Collaborations

  • Cluster D: Renaissance Computing Institute (RENCI) and Duke University, Ilia Baldin
    We contacted Cluster D to discuss and assess the possibilities of using (or inserting) real-time measurement capabilities for cross-layer communications into the “Breakable Experimental Network” (BEN) by means of a unified measurement framework as defined in [lai09_1].
  • GENI Substrate Working Group: University of Houston, Deniz Gurkan
    We are currently in active contact with Prof. Gurkan and her group at the Univ. of Houston regarding their current GENI project goals of evaluating the embedded measurement capabilities of the current GENI prototypes.
  • GPO: John Jacob
    We closely cooperated with John Jacob to create an updated version of the GENI wikipedia page which also contains a link to the ns-2 ERM software module repository hosted at Columbia University. Discussions via e-mail on the real-time measurement capabilities within the substrates and defining real-time measurements as a GENI resource were also conducted.
  • Vendor: Infinera, John Walker
    We contacted Infinera with the request for information on the BER monitoring capabilities of their DTN nodes (e.g. the Infinera DNA user guide, Infinera DTN hardware guide, Infinera DTN system description guide, material from the Infinera DTN OAM&P two day course). The process of establishing an NDA on this matter was initiated.
  • Vendor: Polatis, Jim Dertzbaugh
    We contacted Polatis with the request for information on the power monitoring capabilities of their Polatis fiber switches. Detailed information about the remote measurement capabilities of the 24 port switches (which are also part of BEN) could be obtained. Futher, we discussed the fiber switches with a Polatis representative at the 2009 Optical Fiber Communications (OFC) conference exposition in March. The power monitoring functionalities of these switches were observed through an interactive on-site demonstration.

F. Other Contributions

None.

Bibliography

  1. [geni09_1] Global Environment for Network Innovations – Wikipedia (2008, December) [Online]. Available: http://groups.geni.net/geni/wiki/Embedded%20Real-Time%20Measurements
  2. [lai09_1] C.P. Lai, F. Fidler, and K. Bergman, “Technical Note 2, Specifications and Networking Protocols” [Online]. Available: http://groups.geni.net/geni/wiki/Embedded%20Real-Time%20Measurements
  3. [fidler09_1] F. Fidler, C.P. Lai and K. Bergman, “Technical Note 3, Discrete-Event Network Simulations” [Online]. Available: http://groups.geni.net/geni/wiki/Embedded%20Real-Time%20Measurements
  4. [orcaben08_1] RENCI, Duke University, “A Prototype GENI Control Plane (ORCA) for a Metro-Scale Optical Testbed (BEN)” (2008, December) [Online]. Available: http://groups.geni.net/geni/wiki/ORCABEN
  5. [gurkan08_1] D. Gurkan, “Data Plane Measurements” (2008, December) [Online]. Available: http://groups.geni.net/geni/wiki/Data%20Plane%20Measurements


Converted submitted file by Julia Taylor (jtaylor@bbn.com). Original can be found here