TEFIS: A single access point for conducting multifaceted experiments on heterogeneous test facilities

Abstract

A few years ago, an experimental facility composed of networking gear and simulation tools was sufficient for testing the main features of a prototype before the final product could be launched to the Internet market. This paradigm has certainly changed, but the lack of platforms enabling the realistic assessment of the different facets of a product, including cross-cutting trials across different testbeds, poses strong limitations for researchers and developers. In light of this, we present an open platform that offers a versatile combination of heterogeneous experimental facilities called “TEstbed for Future Internet Services” (TEFIS). TEFIS provides a single access point for conducting cutting-edge experiments on testbeds that supply different capabilities, including testbeds dedicated to network performance, software performance, grid computing, and living labs. We shall show that TEFIS covers the entire life-cycle of a multifaceted experiment, with the advantage that a single testrun can seamlessly execute across different experimental facilities. In order to demonstrate the potential and versatility of the TEFIS platform, we describe the deployment of four distinct experiments and provide a set of results highlighting the benefits of using TEFIS. The experiments described in this article cover: (i) the experimentation with an open API called OPENER (which is an open and programmable environment for managing experimentation with SDN applications); (ii) an application for skiers and tourists at the Megève ski resort in France; (iii) an application that can dynamically adapt the Quality of Experience (QoE) of multimedia services for mobile users; and (iv) an augmented reality workspace for remote education and learning purposes based on videoconferencing.