Changes between Initial Version and Version 1 of sppReport-1Q10

Timestamp:

04/05/10 15:18:14 (14 years ago)

Author:

Vic Thomas

Comment:

--

sppReport-1Q10

@@ +1 @@
+
+= Internet Scale Overlay Hosting Progress Report 1/1/2010-3/31/2010) =
+
+== 1. Project Activities this Quarter ==
+
+=== Transition from Development to Early User Support ===
+
+In this quarter, we have made the transition from primarily a development
+mode to a mix of development and support mode for early users.
+Our primary activity this quarter was preparing for the SPP
+tutorial that was held at GEC 7.
+This included making improvements to our slice configuration tools,
+preparing a user documentation wiki and
+developing demonstrations and laboratory exercises for use
+during the tutorial. This required preparing scripts and traffic
+generation tools that were sufficiently "canned" to allow
+participants to get some real experience during the one hour
+we had available for hands-on activities.  At the same time,
+we felt it important to give them a chance to make changes
+to the experimental configuration so they could get a concrete
+understanding of the user tools and their effect on the system.
+To facilitate productive
+activity and maximize what users learned, we developed a set of
+worksheets to help guide them through the exercise.
+These turned out to be extremely important to the success of
+the hands-on session.
+Our preparation included several "dry-runs" with Washington
+University graduate students and staff. These helped us to
+refine the presentation material, demonstrations and laboratory
+exercises.
+
+ From a technical perspective, the tutorial went very well.
+We were able to cover our prepared material in the available time,
+and while it went quickly, users were generally able to grasp the
+essentials and get a solid understanding of how the system works
+and how it enables network experimentation. However, the sign-up
+process for the tutorial did not get appopriate planning at an
+early enough stage, and as a result, many of those who were
+registered for the tutorial did not actually show up. On the other
+hand, there were a large number of "walk-ins" who we were able
+to include in the session, allowing us to go ahead with a reduced
+but still reasonable group. As we plan for the next tutorial at GEC 8,
+it will be essential that we take steps to ensure this does not
+happen again. We plan to refine the "sign-up" to distinguish between
+those who are prepared to commit to attending, and those who are
+less sure. It will also be important to follow-up with prospective
+attendees in the week before GEC8 to confirm their planned attendance.
+This will allow us to free up slots for walk-ins.
+
+=== GEC 7 Demonstration ===
+
+In addition to the tutorial, we did a demonstration at GEC7.
+The demo leveraged the materials from the tutorial session,
+and gave us a chance to show off the SPPs to a larger group.
+
+
+=== SPP Configuration Tools ===
+
+We made a number of improvements to the SPP configuraton
+tools in preparation for the tutorial. These were mostly
+aimed at simplifying the interface for users, and eliminating
+inconsistencies that had arisen during the development process.
+This effort has continued following the tutorial, but we are now
+converging on a coherent and consistent set of user tools with
+which we can move forward.
+
+=== User Documentation ===
+
+We have developed user documentation on a wiki that is now available
+to users. Work on this is continuing, but we plan to have the wiki
+essentially complete by the end of the next quarter. At this time,
+the wiki is not user-editable, but we plan to transition the wiki pages
+to a dedicated SPP-only wiki that will be editable by users.
+
+=== Flow Monitoring ===
+
+The flow monitoring system is now largely complete, in the sense that
+we are capturing and storing statistics. The data is not yet being stored
+in the format needed to allow us to use the PlaneLab tools for accessing
+the data, but we plan to complete that work over the next quarter.
+
+=== Development of Second Version of Network Processor Datapath Software ===
+
+We made limited progress on version 2 of the NPE software this quarter.
+While have still not been able to devote the time needed
+to complete version 2 of the NPE software.
+We expect to make more progress in the coming quarter, but
+this will likely not be completed until later in the year.
+
+=== Bug Fixes ===
+
+Tracking down and fixing bugs is a continuing process in a project like this.
+
+There have been no major new issues this quarter, but this continues to occupy a
+
+signficant amount of staff time.
+
+== 2. Milestones achieved ==
+
+User web site - completed 3/16/2010
+S2.c User documentation wiki - completed 3/16/2010
+S2.d Demo at GEC6 - completed 11/17/2009
+S2.e Demo at GEC7 - completed 3/16/2010
+S2.g First user tutorial at GEC 7 - completed 3/16/2010
+
+== 3. Deliverables made ==
+
+Nothing new
+
+== 4. Project participants ==
+
+Jon Turner – PI (unsupported) [[br]]
+Patrick Crowley – PI (unsupported) [[br]]
+John Dehart – technical staff (40% support level) [[br]]
+Ken Wong – technical staff (15% support level) [[br]]
+Mike Wilson – graduate student (unsupported) [[br]]
+Mart Haitjema – graduate student (unsupported) [[br]]
+Ritun Patney – graduate student (unsupported) [[br]]
+
+== 5. Publications (individual and organizational) ==
+None yet.
+
+== 6. Outreach activities ==
+User tutorial
+
+== 7. Collaborations ==
+
+Working to establish connections between SPP nodes and the GPENI and MAX
+networks.
+
+Have begun using Plush/Gush tools for configuring SPP nodes.
+
+Have demonstrated experiments that use combination of SPP and PlanetLab nodes.
+
+Have had initial discussions with Jim Griffoen of the University of Kentucky,
+about using SPPs in support of his Post-Modern Internet Architecture.