Subject: [I2G2-Proto] Announcing the completion of phase 0 of prototype (finally :) )
From: Loukik Kudarimoti <[email-masked]>
To: Prototype-JRA1 <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 03 Aug 2005 15:56:41 +0100
List-Id: <gn2-jra1-prototype.dante.org.uk>

Hello all,

Some good news! We are all glad to let you know that phase 0 of the 
prototype is now complete! Although a bit overdue, we have managed to 
achieve what we planned to achieve and in the process, we have gained a 
significant amount of experience in doing similar work.

---Here is an overview of what was planned---
* Come up with a basic design of service components to ensure design 
pattern is followed in other services' design so and unnecessary work 
can be ruled out.
* Provide the capability to retrieve measurement data from RRD (Round 
Robin Database) files
* *   Provide an optimised way of data retrieval. This is to reduce 
system overheads when data is asked repeatedly.
* *   A Web Service interface should be used for this purpose
* *  Any defined web service standards should be used
* Use NM-WG version 2 schemas for communications
* Come up with a new format of configuration files which store 
information about available rrd files and any related meta-data

---Here is what we achieved---
* Generic service design: We have designed interfaces for different 
components and we strongly think that they can be used for all types of 
services.
*  The capability to retrieve measurement data from RRD has been tested 
and declared to be working(+). Document/literal style of web services 
which seems to be the best suited in this case has been used. Optimised 
data retrieval methods have been put in place.
* NM-WG version 2 schemas have been used for communications. Schemas and 
example-instances are available
* New format of config file follows NM-WG version 2 schemas designed for 
storage. Usage of such config files have been tested and declared to be 
working
* GEANT2 will be providing data for some interfaces on all its routers 
and for different classes of service. The existing test pilot service 
will soon start providing real time data.

---Highlights of some things that we have worked on which we see as 
important for this prototype---
* Generic Design of components of services
* First use of NM-WG version 2 schemas
* Well defined package structure for the project
* Sophisticated logging mechanisms - usage of log4j
* Error and exception handling definitions
* Well managed service properties
* Structured configuration file
* SAX based reading of xml
* In-line documentation using Javadoc
* Easy to use build scripts
and more...

Next steps include some documentation about what we have done and what 
we have learnt. Efforts are already underway here:
http://monstera.man.poznan.pl/wiki/index.php/Coding_Standards.

We are positive that the delays that we experienced can be seen as 
initial delays (difficulties at lift off) and shouldn't be the same for 
later stages.

Best regards,
Loukik.

-- 
______________________________________________________________________

Loukik Kudarimoti
Network Engineer

DANTE - www.dante.net

Tel: +44 (0)1223 371 300
Fax: +44 (0)1223 371 371
Email: [email-masked]

City House, 126-130 Hills Road
Cambridge CB2 1PQ
UK
_____________________________________________________________________