1. Planning Project Work Special Topic: Software Defined Networks
Rudra Dutta
Computer Science, NCSU

2. Project Objectives
Propose and develop a solution/tool for some specific purpose
System oriented
Disseminate information about realization of the solution in the form of website, reports and demo
Implementation/realization is the key part of the project
Learn by doing
Copyright Fall 2017, Rudra Dutta, NCSU

3. Project Resources Environments VCL
Netlabs, ExoGENI
Student-owned computing (virtual machines)
VCL
Various existing websites/documents for information
No special documentation developed to support this project
No special help available from TAs
Copyright Fall 2017, Rudra Dutta, NCSU

4. Project Modalities Submit project proposal as a group
Identify team members
Optionally, name your project
Identify environment(s)
Identify area(s) of work
Brief description of functionality of system
Preliminary function level design
Demo script / walkthrough
Task/timeline/point person decomposition
[Interact with instructor to] receive approval
Submit one interim report
Final demo / report / code
Copyright Fall 2017, Rudra Dutta, NCSU

5. Project Structure
First, identify some desired network functionality/capability/characteristic
Must be network-level (demonstrable in small networks, but ideally scalable)
Must be unattainable by IPv4/OSPF/BGP networks
Next, create TWO alternate designs to attain functionality
Ideally, one with more “traditional” technology, and one with more recent “SDN” approach
Design, implement, study metrics
Copyright Fall 2017, Rudra Dutta, NCSU

6. Project Website Examples
Copyright Fall 2017, Rudra Dutta, NCSU

7. Project Proposal Examples
Remember; Components:
Identify team members
Optionally, name your project
Identify environment(s)
Identify area(s) of work
Brief description of functionality of system
Preliminary function level design
Demo script / walkthrough
Task/timeline/point person decomposition
[Interact with instructor to] receive approval
Copyright Fall 2017, Rudra Dutta, NCSU

8. DO Make Proposal Clear Specific Brief
If you are naming a technology, name it
If you have an algorithmic approach in mind, draw a flowchart or write pseudocode
Be grammatical, correct language
Specific
If you have multiple pieces, specify things (e.g. platform) separately for each
Brief
Specific to your proposed project
Include things that increase comprehension of YOUR project
Copyright Fall 2017, Rudra Dutta, NCSU

9. DO Include Big picture (literally) Overall project objective statement
Quite indispensable
Architectural
What are main functional entities?
Where do they reside?
Who codes/coded them?
Indicate information flows, sequence
Challenge: capture as much of architecture in one big diagram as possible
Overall project objective statement
Brief
“We will implement a firewall”
Copyright Fall 2017, Rudra Dutta, NCSU

10. DON’T Include Cut-and-paste
Anything, whatsoever
Whether credited or not
Re-draw pictures, credit
Motivation, justification, flowery background
Alternative design or approach that you are NOT using
Non-specific information
Flowchart (algorithm) can only execute in one place
Copyright Fall 2017, Rudra Dutta, NCSU

11. Project Planning
Don’t let anything in the project proposal be a surprise to instructor
Planning meetings beforehand
15 minutes – come prepared
Big picture, overall description of functionality goal
Idea of demonstration
Timeslots will be announced soon after team assignments
See “Schedule” page
Very likely will need iteration
Plan accordingly
Copyright Fall 2017, Rudra Dutta, NCSU