Lael Verace
Biography and Interests
I am a second-year graduate student in the CMS group at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, advised by Professor Kevin Black.
Project
I work with Fermilab scientists Dr. Syed Asif Raza Shah and Dr. Oliver Gutsche on a networking R&D project titled “Performance Testing of High-Speed Scientific Networks through A Distributed Load Generation Approach.” Our goal is to develop an infrastructure which allows us to test the performance of wide area network connections among scientific computing sites on a large scale. We aim to do this through the dynamic deployment of lightweight perfSONAR Testpoint containers across multiple machines which generate network traffic to a given site. This approach allows us to send enough traffic to saturate the network pipe, enabling tests of the network performance in realistic high-volume scenarios. Monitoring the resulting throughput and comparing it to expected values enables us to diagnose unforeseen bottlenecks that might be limiting the performance of scientific network connections once data-volumes increase past their current amounts. By finding and fixing those bottlenecks now, we can prepare and optimize our high-speed scientific network for the future.
Recent Accomplishments
- Since starting the project, I’ve gained a vast amount of valuable knowledge and hands-on experience in containerization, networking, and server management. It really amazes me when I look back on how much I’ve learned in a relatively short time just by working on this project!
- Developed a system for conducting automated iPerf3 network performance tests between Podman containers hosted on two separate servers using systemd timers.
- Utilized perfSONAR to conduct coordinated throughput measurements between multiple testbed servers. Currently working to expand this and implement a centralized monitoring tool to keep track of all ongoing measurements.
Mentors
- Kevin Black (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
- Syed Asif Raza Shah (Fermilab)
- Oliver Gutsche (Fermilab)