KENET conducted an advanced PerfSONAR training for experienced Network Engineers and Administrators from September 7^th to 11^th, 2015. The training was conducted by the following trainers’ Brian Candler (Network Startup and Resource Center), Scott Chevalier (Indiana University), and Patrick Okui (Network Startup and Resource Center). It was attended by 12 engineers from KENET and Academic Model for Prevention and Treatment of HIV/AIDS (AMPATH) of Moi University.

PerfSONAR is a widely-deployed test and measurement infrastructure tool that is used by science networks and facilities around the world to monitor and ensure network performance. Use of this infrastructure tool allows users to maintain a healthy, high-performing network because it helps identify the “soft failures” in the network path.

Prior to the training, the KENET team set up the base operating system, IPMI configuration and deployed five (5) PerfSONAR nodes. The server nodes were deployed at Nakuru, Eldoret, Kisumu, UON and USIU POPs. The immediate outcome of the training was that visibility of the network throughput, latency and packet losses between the main distribution points; UoN and USIU to the regional POPs; Kisumu, Eldoret and Nakuru was achieved.

The deployment of PerfSONAR server nodes and training at KENET was aimed at enabling KENET Network Engineers and Administrators to identify connectivity problems, latency and packet losses on the access, Inter-PoP and international connections. It also enabled KENET to work collaboratively with its member institutions to pro-actively set up metrics for measurements that will help with problem identification on end-to-end from the university campuses to collaborators in other research and education networks.