[RSSAC Caucus] Comments on the "RSS Metrics WP presentation to RSSAC Workshop"

[Fred Baker]

> On Apr 23, 2019, at 10:13 PM, Robert Story <rstory at isi.edu> wrote:
> 
> I think there should be another metric, along the lines for "What is
> the state of the RSS as a whole". This could be a status (Green /
> Yellow / Orange / Red) based on N of M RSOs responding in a timely and
> correct manner.

I agree that we need some form of metric in this context. From my perspective, it is a measurement taken by an observer, who might be in a data center or some other "central" point in the topology, and might be in a place of their own choosing and interest. The measurement platform that has been suggested seems like it could be some software downloadable from GitHub or equivalent and used by anyone in any location. We (ISC) get requests for server nodes from time to time, and wind up evaluating the service the party already gets and advising them on what an instance in their location might do for them. Such a measurement might automate part of that, or at least give people access to information from their own perspective.

From my perspective, part of this would be a simple access to each of the 26 signal addresses (or however many there are at the time), which could be measured for
  - did I get a response at all?
  - was it correct? This might include DNSSEC, comparison to other responses, a "known-good" AXFR, etc.
  - if I did, what was the latency?

In reporting it, the response data would be how many responses I got and whatever might be known about them. As you say, there might be an N of M component in that. But it might tell me, for example, that I don't have IPv6 (or IPv4) access where I am, or possibly in some upstream network, that some RSOs are being blocked, that responses are being mimicked or other wise doctored, etc.

Yes, that is in at least some sense a measurement of an RSO being don't 26 times. That's at least one definition of the RSS, though. I personally worry about a situation in which we assume that access to exactly one RSO is equivalent to gaining access to the service; it is, but only in a limited sense. To me, the definition of "access to the RSS" includes being able to access any RSO and get a correct answer, regardless of whether I would *choose* to when latencies etc are taken into account.

My two yen.
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