RFC 2330 (rfc2330) - Page 1 of 40

Framework for IP Performance Metrics

Network Working Group                                          V. Paxson
Request for Comments: 2330                Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
Category: Informational                                         G. Almes
                                             Advanced Network & Services
                                                              J. Mahdavi
                                                               M. Mathis
                                         Pittsburgh Supercomputer Center
                                                                May 1998


                  Framework for IP Performance Metrics


1. Status of this Memo

   This memo provides information for the Internet community.  It does
   not specify an Internet standard of any kind.  Distribution of this
   memo is unlimited.


2. Copyright Notice

   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (1998).  All Rights Reserved.

Table of Contents

   1.  STATUS OF THIS MEMO.............................................1
   2.  COPYRIGHT NOTICE................................................1
   3.  INTRODUCTION....................................................2
   4.  CRITERIA FOR IP PERFORMANCE METRICS.............................3
   5.  TERMINOLOGY FOR PATHS AND CLOUDS................................4
   6.  FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS............................................5
     6.1  Metrics......................................................5
     6.2  Measurement Methodology......................................6
     6.3  Measurements, Uncertainties, and Errors......................7
   7.  METRICS AND THE ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORK............................8
   8.  EMPIRICALLY SPECIFIED METRICS..................................11
   9.  TWO FORMS OF COMPOSITION.......................................12
     9.1  Spatial Composition of Metrics..............................12
     9.2  Temporal Composition of Formal Models and Empirical Metrics.13
   10.  ISSUES RELATED TO TIME........................................14
     10.1  Clock Issues...............................................14
     10.2  The Notion of "Wire Time"..................................17
   11. SINGLETONS, SAMPLES, AND STATISTICS............................19
     11.1  Methods of Collecting Samples..............................20
       11.1.1 Poisson Sampling........................................21
       11.1.2 Geometric Sampling......................................22
       11.1.3 Generating Poisson Sampling Intervals...................22



Paxson, et. al.              Informational