= INSTOOLS, Instrumentation Tools =

Instrumentation Tools, or INSTOOLS, is a network instrumentation and measurement framework designed to make it easy to track and understand network behavior. INSTOOLS consists of three basic components:
 * Instrumentation: data capture tools are deployed at points in the network to capture data. [wiki:Instrumentize instrumentize]
 * Measurement: data is captured while the system is running.
 * Presentation: the processed data is presented to the user. [wiki:SlicePortal INSTOOLS Portal] and [wiki:INSTOOLSInterface INSTOOLS Live View]
The INSTOOLS framework is designed to make these components easy for the user to specify, configure and deploy. The INSTOOLS user does not need to be an expert in system administration or network management, The goal is not to reinvent the wheel, but, rather develop ways to automatically deploy and leverage existing tools. Network state information is typically more important than packet trace information, therefore many of the tools used measure data such as routing tables, packet counters (e.g., interface counters), cache entries (e.g., ARP, DNS, and NAT tables), processor load averages, memory statistics, host configurations, firewall rules, etc. 

Each slice receives its own Measurement Controllers (MCs). These machines are responsible for capturing the data. Currently the slice has at least one MC per aggregate. This ensures scalability and efficiency since each set of instrumentation tools is tailored to capture, record, and display only the desired information associated with that slice.

The MC's create a measurement plane which is separate from the data plane.  This minimizes interference with the slice caused by the various measurement tools.


=== Presentations ===

[http://www.netlab.uky.edu/p/instools/ Protogeni Tutorial: USING INSTOOLS] GEC9 

[http://groups.geni.net/geni/attachment/wiki/Gec7InstMeasWGAgenda/griffioen%20%20instools_imwg_gec7.pdf  GEC7 Conference slides]  March, 2010

[http://groups.geni.net/geni/attachment/wiki/GEC6InstMeasWGAgenda/UK_IMWG_11-2009.pdf GEC6 Conference slides] November, 2009

[http://groups.geni.net/geni/attachment/wiki/presentations/GEC3_Kentucky.pdf Instrumentation Tools for a GENI Prototype], GEC3 Conference, 2008  (outlines the project goals and relationships with other projects).

[http://groups.geni.net/geni/attachment/wiki/GENIMeasWS/gmw_uk.pdf An Instrumentation Approach for ProtoGENI-based Edulabs], GENI Measurement Workshop (June, 2009)

[http://groups.geni.net/geni/attachment/wiki/Gec6ClusterCMondaySlides/INSTOOLS_Shadowbox.pdf Kentucky INSTOOL update and proposed Shadowbox projects], GEC6 Conference, November 2009

[http://groups.geni.net/geni/attachment/wiki/GEC6InstMeasWGAgenda/UK_IMWG_11-2009.pdf INSTOOLS: Instrumentation Tools for a ProtoGENI Prototype], GEC6 Conference, November 2009