Jul 2020: Whose line is it anyway? - Problem solving in complex networks

Today’s collaborative science often utilizes massive datasets shared across great distances. With better access to data we ask harder questions: interactive data sources change the very science we do. These factors have also given rise to new challenges, namely understanding the end-to-end performance of large data transfers. In a growing, complex, global network, no one person or entity controls all the pieces. End users don’t know what kind of performance to expect. Soft failures are notoriously difficult to find. Just as today’s science is collaborative, so must be our approach to troubleshooting and resolution of network performance issues. EPOC was created to be a focal point for these efforts, bringing together operational expertise and analysis to shed light on the multi-faceted problems that hamper research data movement. Along with our partners in this space, such as Trusted CI, we are able to coordinate efforts between researchers, CI engineers, and network operators to bring resolution to complex data transfer issues, whether the root cause is technical or, as we have discovered in many cases, social. Community engagement has often proven to be the missing piece of the puzzle in this ever changing landscape, and lessons learned from these engagements are invaluable as we continue forward to the next phases of large-scale collaborative science.

Speaker Bio:
Doug Southworth is a Network Systems Analyst for International Networks at Indiana University, working with EPOC, perfSONAR, and NetSage in both developer and science engagement roles, focusing on performance analysis. Prior to working at IU, Southworth has held senior systems engineer positions with several state and federal agencies, including his last position with the United States Courts.