In RIPE-168, we announced a BoF at RIPE-30 to discuss the data-disclosure policy for the test-traffic project. This meeting has been scheduled on Monday May 18, 17.30 - 19.00 in meeting room D2 at KTH. The goal of the meeting is to discuss all aspects of the disclosure of the test-traffic data. After the RIPE meeting, we will write a data-disclosure policy based on the outcome of the discussions at this BoF and ask for comments. It is our goal to write a data-disclosure policy that is acceptable to all current participants in the project. As a starting point for the discussions, I'll append a draft of a possible data-disclosure policy that reflects our current ideas on this subject. If you have strong opinions about this subject but cannot attend the meeting, please send me an email and I'll bring up your points in the meeting. If there is anything else about the test-traffic project that you'd like to discuss, let me know and I'll add them to the agenda of this BoF. Hope to see you on Monday, Kind regards, Henk ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DRAFT Data Disclosure Policy for the Test-Traffic Project ========================================================= Collecting data with the test-boxes means collecting data about ISP's and the performance of their networks. This is a delicate matter, no ISP wants to see an analysis that puts the performance of his networks in a bad daylight, in particular if the scientific merits of the analysis cannot be proven. On the other hand, the results of the test-traffic project can be a valuable tool in day-to-day operations, so we certainly do not want to be too restrictive about what can be done with the data. The basis of the data-disclosure policy is that, at the moment, the test-traffic project should be considered a scientific experiment. We do measurements and collect data that we believe is correct. The analysis focusses on describing the data and finding parameters that describe the overall network performance. However, we have not proven this (yet) and until such time, one should not use the data to judge the performance of an ISP. Access to the data. =================== As stated in an earlier document, each ISP hosting a test-box will have access to the data collected with the test-box at his site. Analysis and publication of the data. ===================================== The data can be used freely for any analysis that one considers interesting. One is free to discuss the analysis inside the organization that did the analysis or the relevant RIPE working groups. Before an analysis is presented to the outside world, the analysis will have to approved in a peer-review. This means that the organization (including the RIPE-NCC) that did the analysis, will have to provide a write-up of the analysis that includes enough detail for anybody to independently re-implement the analysis and verify its conclusions. If there are objections to an analysis, there will be a discussion with the authors about what changes will have to be made in order to make it acceptable. If data is published, it should include as little references to names of other ISP's, IP-addresses of test-boxes and routers, and the like. Note that it will never be possible to make the data completely anonymously. Changes in the policy. ====================== It is clear that, as the project moves along, the data-disclosure policy might have to be changed. Any changes will be discussed with the participating ISP's first and, again, our goal is that the new policy will be acceptable to everybody participating in the project. The new data-disclosure policy will only apply to data taken after the change in the policy. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Henk Uijterwaal Email: henk.uijterwaal@ripe.net RIPE Network Coordination Centre WWW: http://www.ripe.net/home/henk Singel 258 Phone: +31.20.535-4414, Fax -4445 1016 AB Amsterdam Home: +31.20.4195305 The Netherlands Pager: +6.57626855 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ %DCL-E-NOCFFE, unable to locate coffee - keyboard input suspended.