Service Activity 2 (SA2): Multi-Domain Network Service Operation
Task 3, Service Monitoring Tools and Performance, addresses the specific challenge of providing the monitoring layer and tools designed for the multi-domain network connectivity services described in Task 1. These tools will provide a multi-domain monitoring service in support of the Performance Enhancement Response Team (PERT) activities piloted in GN2. The continuation of PERT activities will also be part of this task, including operation and enhancement of the existing PERT initiative.
Task 3 of SA2 Service Monitoring Tools and Performance
Objectives
Task 3 has two themes – monitoring and performance. The work of the task in these areas recognises that it is vital from a user perspective that the performance of services crossing multiple domains should be comparable to that which they experience within their own operational domain. Under the theme of monitoring, this task will provide the monitoring layer and tools designed for the multi-domain network connectivity services as described in Task 1. Under the theme of performance, the continuation of collaborative federated PERT activities will be part of this task, including operation and enhancement of the centralised component of the PERT. Together, these areas will provide a multi-domain monitoring and performance service in support of multi-domain service management activities for the NRENs and key users of multi-domain services.
The specific objectives of this task are to manage the requirement gathering, definition, architectural design, development and introduction support aspects of a monitoring service portfolio and to organise and support collaborative performance activities via the framework of a federated PERT.
Outline of Work Plan
The service monitoring part of SA2 Task 3 will:
• Provide functional specification of new tools or changes required for the monitoring of the network services, such as extensions to the MDM perfSONAR monitoring service required to support Task 2 of SA2 operational processes and Task 1 of SA2 service health.
• Develop specification of the perfSONAR MDM service to improve the operation of multi-domain services and to provide additional capability that will benefit the PERT.
• Implement the agreed tools or functionalities i.e. build, test and release them according to functional specification and standards provided by SA4.
• Provide a Monitoring Service Support team that will assist and support the NRENs in the deployment and in the operation of the multi-domain monitoring functionalities.
• Organise operational support to the service users by network service support roles and act as an escalation point for them.
• Carry out advanced software problem investigation, bug fixing and implementation of simple requests for enhancement.
The performance part of SA2 Task 3 will:
• Develop a central PERT team that will offer central services to the participating PERTs.
• Administer PERT accreditation according to the agreed policy developed in GN2 SA3 (DS3.12.4 ‘Policy for a Federated Performance Enhancement Response Team (PERT)’)
• Organise PERT meetings for sharing information and experiences. This is the most crucial role of all for extending and re-enforcing the distributed community and will be done in conjunction with NA2.
• Manage the central PERT Knowledge Base and disseminate lessons learned from it.
• Regularly review the federated PERT policy in order to keep it up to date with new requirements and enhancements.