[Ns-developers] Data collection framework API proposal

[Pavel Boyko]

  Hi, Fuad,

>    I was a happy user of ns2measure framework, and I was looking
> exactly for a tool like that for ns-3. I saw on your Wiki page that
> you reference both ns2measure and previous ns-3 work on statistical
> framework (i.e.
> http://www.nsnam.org/wiki/index.php/Statistical_Framework_for_Network_Simulation ). So my questions are a) how similar / complimentary / different to both ns2measure and previous ns-3 work is your work? 

  Here we propose a data collection subsystem only. You can treat it as
an advanced analog of Stat singleton of the ns2measure. The rest of
ns2measure functionality is supposed to be implemented on top of data
collection framework, Felipe Perrone leads that work.

  Comparing to ns2measure data collection subsystem we propose much more
flexible solution with emphasis on 
 1) decoupling models, data collection and data storage
 2) flexible on-line data reduction / normalization capabilities
 3) supporting collection of arbitrary typed data (e.g. packets,
headers, routing tables, visualization events, etc.)
 4) supporting several simultaneously running data collectors

  Comparing to current ns-3 stats framework created by Joe Kopena we add
 1) time series collection (actually scalars are treated as a degenerate
case of time series)
 2) capability to stack data reduction / processing modules ("probes")
in trees to implement some complex on-line data reduction. 

> and b) would it be correct to say that your work "fills the gaps"
> mentioned as "To-Do" in
> http://www.nsnam.org/wiki/index.php/Statistical_Framework_for_Network_Simulation ?

  Basically yes, except of "Provisions in the data collectors for
terminating runs, i.e. when a threshold or confidence is met" which is
treated as higher level functionality. At the same time we propose a
concept-proof implementation only and for now it lacks many features of
existing stats framework.  

  Best regards,
  Pavel