Re: Initial Route Server Stats for MAE-East

["Mike O'Dell" <mo () uunet uu net>]

the IPPM effort within the Benchmark Methodology Working Group is
working on "IP Performance Metrics" which apply to large IP networks
viewed as the "device-under-test" and not "provider metrics" per se.
(I say this as the both the Co-Area Director and the AD responsible for
the working group.)

understanding the performance of complex networks IS a very much
unsolved problems.  people are thrashing around taking whatever
measurements they can think of with hopes of generating SOME kind of
understanding.  I don't blame them at all - there isn't much else to do
right this instant.

all this means, though, is that folks concerned with the problem need
to participate in the BMWG efforts.  there is a lot of work to do here
and with some luck, we may do some science to the point of developing
some understanding about how to measure and characterize these beasts
we've built.

A lot has been done in characterizing performance of network elements,
so now we need to draw a bigger circle around what we're testing
but still apply significant rigor and good experimental methodology
so the data will be meaningful.

        yours for more consistent confusion,

        -mo