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DRAFT, FOR DISCUSSION ONLY






Providing
Test Traffic Measurements (TTM)
as a membership service

Henk Uijterwaal (henk@ripe.net)

RIPE-NCC
July 26, 2000


Document: RIPE-209.ps


Version 1.0

Abstract:

This draft document describes the model for selling Test Traffic Measurements (TTM) as a membership service. This document is based on discussion at the various RIPE-meetings.

This document is being published in order to attract input from interested parties and to facilitate discussion. This document is currently being turned into a formal service contract by the RIPE-NCC lawyers. It is foreseen that the document will be finalized shortly after that.

1 Introduction.

Since early 1997, the RIPE-NCC has been working on the Test-Traffic Measurements project (TTM). The goal of this project is to do independent measurements of Inter-Provider network parameters, such as One-way-Delay, Packet-Loss or Routing vectors, as specified in RFC's 2330, 2679 and 2680 [1]. The design goals have been described in an earlier document [2]. Several papers about the implementation and first results of the project have meanwhile been published [3].

The RIPE-NCC has always used a model where new, experimental projects were funded from the general budget. However, once a project becomes more mature and can be offered as a regular service to its membership, the costs for the service are charged to the sites using the services.

So-far, the TTM project was funded from the general budget, as, when the project started, the design document [2] could actually be implemented. This situation has changed by now, the RIPE-NCC has proven over the last years that it can routinely do delay- and loss-measurements on a large scale.

A direct consequence of the funding model, was that participation in the project was limited to current RIPE-NCC association members. After all, they funded the project. Also, as the number of ``test-boxes'' (measurement stations) was limited, we only installed 1 test-box at each member in order to give as many sites as possible a chance to participate.

Over the last years, we have seen that these limitations are too restrictive. First of all, a fair number of sites who are currently not RIPE-NCC members are interested in hosting one or more test-boxes. These sites usually do not need the LIR-services offered by the RIPE-NCC, because they either are not LIR's or because they already receive these services from another RIR.

Then, several large customers with more than 1 PoP have expressed interest in hosting more than one test-box in order to include their internal networks in the measurement chain as well, or to provide their customers with measurement data between each PoP and the outside world.

For all these reasons, the RIPE-NCC, in consultation with its AGM [4], has decided to move the TTM from an experimental project to a service that will be offered to the entire community as a membership service.

This document describes the model for offering TTM as a membership service. In the first half (section 2) the principles behind the operation are described, the second half (section 3 onwards) describes the implementation details as well as the service agreement between the RIPE-NCC and the site participating in the project.

2 The basic model

  The basic model for participating in the TTM can be described in 2 paragraphs:

Disclaimer:

All numbers are preliminary estimates, they could be off by O(5)%.

2.1 Cost of a test-box

A test-box currently costs approximately Euro2,500, installation costs another Euro250 for a total of Euro2,750. The installation and shipping costs will be reduced if a site orders more than one test-box in a single order. Shipping, local taxes, import duties, and such will have to be paid by the host site.

The test-boxes have a 3 year warrantee from the manufacturer. The RIPE-NCC will buy a few spare test-boxes. In case of a hardware failure, the box will either be repaired or exchanged with a similar test-box from the spares, the latter only if this is possible without having to re-import the test-box.

More details can be found in section 3.

2.2 Service fee

No service fee will be charged in the year 2000. The AGM [4] has asked that the TTM service should generate a self-sufficient budget in 2001. Our first estimates show that this implies that the service should generate approximately Euro300,000 in service fee in that year. Assuming that we increase the measurement network to about 100 nodes in 2000, this implies a service fee per test-box of Euro3,000. Volume discounts for sites hosting several test-boxes will be discussed at a later stage.

The service fee covers operation of the test-box, access to the data according to the current data-disclosure policy [9] and products based on the TTM data as well as maintenance and support, as discussed in more detail in section 4. The service fee also includes membership of the RIPE-NCC association (see section 2.3).

The service fees are intended to recover those costs which the RIPE-NCC incurs by providing the TTM service. These are still somewhat hard to predict exactly and adjustments will be made in coming years according to experience. The expectation is that the service fees will drop as a consequence of more participants sharing the total cost.

2.3 Membership

  At the moment, the RIPE-NCC association has 4 different membership categories (small, medium, large, multi-national). The membership category determines, amongst other things, the number of votes a member has at the RIPE-NCC AGM. In 2000, the LIR-service fees for the various categories of members are listed in table 1.


 
Table:   RIPE-NCC membership fees for the year 2000, from [5].
Category LIR-Service Fee
Yearly Small Euro 2,400.-
Yearly Medium Euro 3,350.-
Yearly Large Euro 4,400.-

The RIPE-NCC will not introduce a new membership category for sites buying this service. Instead, it will assign them the membership category one would get if the site spent the same amount in LIR-service fees. A site buying both TTM and LIR services from the RIPE-NCC, will be assigned a category based on the total amount of money spent.

For example: A site just buying the TTM service (Euro3,000.-), will be put into the medium membership category (Euro3,350,-). A small LIR (Euro2,400.-) also buying the TTM service (Euro3,000.-), for a total of Euro5,400.-, will be put into the large category.

2.4 Transition for existing test-box hosts

The RIPE-NCC proposes that all sites, including the ones currently hosting a test-box, will pay the service fee starting in 2001. However, any hardware that has already been installed, will be given to those sites for free.

There is no warrantee on the currently installed hardware anymore. If anything breaks, the box can only be fixed against cost. The next generation of test-boxes will have clocks that are easier to operate and maintain. Once the RIPE-NCC has some running experience with these clocks, it will offer the possibility to upgrade the existing (Motorola) clocks to the newer (Trimble) clocks against cost.

2.5 Private and public experiments

So-far, all measurements done with the test-boxes are what we call ``public experiments'', that is, the test-box is operated as a black box by the RIPE-NCC, measurements are being done to other test-boxes hosted by other sites and the data is made available both the host of the sending and receiving test-box.

However, there has been some interested in doing ``private'' experiments with the test-boxes, for example:

Although the RIPE-NCC wants to focus on public experiments, it does want to help sites to set up their private experiments. For this reason, test-boxes will also be sold without a service contract. After the test-box has been set up, control of the machine will be transferred to the hosting site and the hosting site is free to use the test-box for whatever purpose they see fit.

In order to guarantee the integrity of the data[*], a test-box cannot be used for both public and private experiments at the same time.

In this paragraph, we have assumed that the number of requests for test-boxes for private experiments is small. If the number grows, we may have to revisit this model.

2.6 Build your own test-box?

Several sites have asked if it would be possible to build their own test-boxes instead of ordering them from the RIPE-NCC. In some countries, this might be cheaper, though one should keep in mind that the RIPE-NCC orders a large number of test-boxes at the same time and thus gets volume discounts.

Setting up a test-box will also require more work (of the order of a day) and knowledge (in particular of the FreeBSD Operating System) at the hosting site.

The advantage is that setting up a test-box will sometimes be faster, as one does not have to wait for the RIPE-NCC to produce a test-box.

If there is sufficient interest in this, the RIPE-NCC will publish the requirements for a machine to be used as a test-box. Note that only a very small number of hardware configurations can be tested by the RIPE-NCC. Any hardware not on the list, will not be supported.

If the test-box will be used for ``public'' experiments, RIPE-NCC will provide host with instructions on how to configure the box. After the box has been set up, the host site should transfer control of the machine to the RIPE-NCC. The RIPE-NCC will then download the necessary software to the machine. After that, measurements will be started as soon as the service fee has been paid.

If a host site wants to use the test-box for private experiments, the RIPE-NCC provide the host site with the necessary software as well as instruction on how to set this up.

2.7 Further development and feedback on the project

The TTM service will continue to be improved and expanded. The global development plans as well as the services fees for the next year will be described in the annual RIPE-NCC Activity Plan. This activity plan is discussed and approved by the AGM of the RIPE-NCC. As the sites participating in TTM will be full members of the RIPE-NCC Association, they will be able to attend this meeting and provide input on the future of the project.

On a less formal level, the RIPE-NCC will present its development plans for the project in the RIPE Test Traffic-Working Group (TT-WG) meetings and mailing-list, where they can be discussed. These meetings and mailing list are open to everybody interested in this project.

3 Details on buying a test-box

  Test-boxes can be ordered by filling out the online order-form with the necessary configuration data. After that, you will receive a copy of the service contract. This has to be signed by somebody authorized to do so in your organization. The The RIPE-NCC will also send an invoice with instructions on how to pay for the box.

We will assume that you have read the installation document [6] before ordering a test-box and that you have checked that your site meets the requirements necessary to install and operate a test-box. We also assume that installation of a test-box will not violate any local security or safety requirements.

After your order has been received, a test-box will be configured according to the current production schedule and tested. It will be shipped to your site as soon as the machine is ready and the payment has been received.

Included in the shipment are:

Not included with the test-box are: Source code will made available on request via our FTP-server.

3.1 Shipping

By default, the test-box will be shipped to the host-site by SkyNet. The box will be insured for the replacement value of the test-box. The current rates for shipping the boxes can be found in table 2. These rates are an indication only and may change without notice, please contact the RIPE-NCC for the latest figures.


  Country Rate
1. Holland, Belgium Euro ( 43 + 0.45x)
2. Other European Union countries Euro (130 + 4.50x)
3. Other European countries Euro (312 + 12.30x)
4. Middle east, Africa Euro (406 + 15.90x)
5. Former Sovjet Union Euro (312 + 12.30x)
6. North America Euro (219 + 8.20x)
7. Australia, Japan Euro (292 + 11.80x)
8. Elsewhere Euro (406 + 15.90x)
caption

[Costs of shipping a test-box to various destinations] Costs of shipping a test-box to various destinations. The weight of a test-box with cables and such is between 20 and 25 kg, the base rate is for a box of 20 kg, x is the number of kilos above 20. These rates are the upper limit for shipping to a particular destination, in practice they might be lower. These rates do not include Dutch Sales Tax (of, at the moment, 17.5%). These rates are an indication only and may change without notice.


As an alternative, the box can be sent to the host site by FedEx, UPS or another company with the costs directly charged to the customer's account. To use this option, please send us your account details.

3.2 Site-surveys and installation by the RIPE-NCC.

The RIPE-NCC has some possibilities to send an engineer to do either a site-survey or help with the installation of the test-box at a site. However, all travel and related costs as well as an hourly fee will be charged to the host site.

The RIPE-NCC cannot do electrical safety tests and such. If those are required, please contact a local expert.

4 The service fee.

  The service fee includes operation of the test-box as a ``black box'' by the RIPE-NCC. Under normal circumstances, the test-box host will not have to do anything to keep the test-box running. We do, however, expect that the site appoints a local contact person to help with problems that cannot be solved remotely. (For example, pressing the reboot button.)

The service fee includes the following:

Not included are:

References

1
V. Paxson et al, ``Framework for IP Performance Metrics'', RFC2330, May 1998.
G. Almes et al, ``A One-way Packet Delay Metric for IPPM'', RFC2679, September 1999.
G. Almes et al, ``A One-way Packet Loss Metric for IPPM'', RFC2680, September 1999.

2
O. Kolkman, H. Uijterwaal, ``Internet Delay measurements using Test Traffic'', RIPE-158, May 1997, see: http://www.ripe.net/test-traffic.

3
Henk Uijterwaal et al, ``Internet Delay Measurements using Test Traffic: First results'', in Proceedings of the SANE98 Conference, Maastricht, November 1998.

4
``RIPE-NCC Annual General Meeting Minutes 1999 (AGM'99)'', RIPE-205, see: http://www.ripe.net/ripe/docs/ripe-205.html.

5
Kees van Draanen, Mirjam Kuehne, ``RIPE-NCC Charging Scheme 2000'', RIPE-198, see: http://www.ripe.net/ripe/docs/ripe-198.html

6
Henk Uijterwaal, ``Internet Delay Measurements using Test Traffic, Installing and hosting a Test Box'', RIPE-168, see: http://www.ripe.net/test-traffic. This document will be replaced shortly, check our website for the current document.

7
Rene Brun and Fons Rademakers, ``ROOT - An Object Oriented Data Analysis Framework'', Proceedings AIHENP'96 Workshop, Lausanne, September 1996, Nucl. Inst. & Meth. in Phys. Res. A 389 (1997) 81-86. See also http://root.cern.ch/.

8
René Wilhelm, Minutes of the TT-WG meeting at RIPE35, see http://www.ripe.net/ripe/meetings/archive/ripe-35/.

9
Henk Uijterwaal, ``Internet Delay Measurements using Test Traffic, Data Disclosure Policy'', RIPE-180, see: http://www.ripe.net/test-traffic.

About this document ...


DRAFT, FOR DISCUSSION ONLY






Providing
Test Traffic Measurements (TTM)
as a membership service

This document was generated using the LaTeX2HTML translator Version 97.1 (release) (July 13th, 1997)

Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, Nikos Drakos, Computer Based Learning Unit, University of Leeds.

The command line arguments were:
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The translation was initiated by Henk Uijterwaal on 7/26/2000


Footnotes

...data
For example, a private experiment with a lot of I/O, will affect the results of the regular measurements. This is hard to detect and correction afterwards is almost impossible.


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Henk Uijterwaal
7/26/2000