WG Action: Performance Metrics at Other Layers (pmol)

[IESG Secretary <[e-mail]>]

A new IETF working group has been formed in the Operations and
Management Area. For additional information, please contact the Area
Directors or the WG Chairs.

+++

Performance Metrics at Other Layers (pmol) 
===========================================

Current Status: Active Working Group

WG Chairs: 
Al Morton <[e-mail]> 
Alan Clark <[e-mail]> 

Operations and Management Area: 
Dan Romascanu <[e-mail]> 
Ronald Bonica <[e-mail]> 

Operations and Management Area Advisor: 
Dan Romascanu <[e-mail]> 

Mailing Lists: 
General Discussion: [e-mail] 
To Subscribe: https://www1.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/pmol 
Archive: http://www.ietf.org/mail-archive/web/pmol/index.html 

Description of Working Group: 

The successful implementation and operation of IP based applications 
often depends on some underlying performance measurement infrastructure 
that helps service operators or network managers to recognize when 
performance is unsatisfactory and identify problems affecting service 
quality. Standardized performance metrics add the desirable features of 
consistent implementation, interpretation, no comparison. 

The IETF has two Working Groups dedicated to the development of 
performance metrics however each has strict limitations in their 
charters: 

- The Benchmarking Methodology WG has addressed a range of networking 
technologies and protocols in their long history (such as IEEE 802.3, 
ATM, Frame Relay, and Routing Protocols), but the charter strictly 
limits their Performance characterizations to the laboratory 
environment. 

- The IP Performance Metrics WG has the mandate to develop metrics 
applicable to the performance of Internet data delivery, but it is 
specifically prohibited from developing metrics that characterize 
traffic (such as a VoIP stream). 

The IETF also has current and completed activities related to the 
reporting of application performance metrics (e.g. RAQMON and RTCP XR) 
and is also actively involved in the development of reliable transport 
protocols which would affect the relationship between IP performance and 
application performance. 

Thus there is a gap in the currently chartered coverage of IETF WGs: 
development of performance metrics for IP-based protocols and 
applications that operate over UDP, TCP, SCTP, DCCP, Forward Error 
Correction (FEC) and other robust transport protocols, and that can be 
used to characterize traffic on live networks. 

The working group will focus on the completion of two RFCs: 

1. A PMOL framework and guidelines memo that will describe the necessary
elements of performance metrics of protocols and applications 
transported over IETF-specified protocols (such as the formal 
definition, purpose, and units of measure) and the various types of 
metrics that characterize traffic on live networks (such as metrics 
derived from other metrics, possibly on lower layers). The framework 
will also address the need to specify the intended audience and the 
motivation for the performance metrics. There will also be guidelines 
for a performance metric development process that includes entry 
criteria for new proposals (how a proposal might be evaluated for 
possible endorsement by a protocol development working group), and how 
an successful proposal will be developed. Also, it is recognized that
there are applications and protocols that do not need to use this
framework and can make use of simpler specific methods for determining
performance. 

2. A proof-of-concept RFC defining performance metrics for SIP, based on
draft-malas-performance-metrics. This memo would serve as an example of 
the framework and the PMOL development process in the IETF. 

Discussion of new work proposals is strongly discouraged under the 
initial charter of the PMOL WG, except to advise a protocol development 
WG when they are evaluating a new work proposal for related performance 
metrics. 

The Working Group will work closely with the RAI and APPS areas,
performing early review of the documents with the two areas and inviting
their particpation in the WGLC. 

The PMOL WG will also be guided by a document describing how memos 
defining performance metrics are intended to advance along the IETF 
Standards track (draft-bradner-metricstest). 

PMOL WG will take advantage of expertise and seek to avoid overlap with 
other standards development organizations, such as ETSI STQ, ITU-T SG 
12, ATIS IIF, ATIS PRQC, and others. 

Milestones 

June 08 SIP Performance Metrics Draft to IESG Review for consideration 
as Proposed Standard 

Sept 08 PMOL Framework and Guidelines Draft to IESG Review for 
consideration as BCP 

Nov 08 - Discuss rechartering of the WG for new PMOL metrics work or shut
down

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