Test results database needs package info.

[sgbotsford]

It's really cool that you can filter test results by service provider, however it would be even more useful, if the nominal package speed was also listed. Would it be possible to add this info to new entries in the database?

E.g. With explornet on the old Anik F2 you could get 500K 1M or 2M down, 1/4 of that up. If you want to compare promised vs delivered, you need to know which was promised.

Or can you do this already, and I missed it.

[CA3LE]

It's really cool that you can filter test results by service provider, however it would be even more useful, if the nominal package speed was also listed. Would it be possible to add this info to new entries in the database?

E.g. With explornet on the old Anik F2 you could get 500K 1M or 2M down, 1/4 of that up. If you want to compare promised vs delivered, you need to know which was promised.

Or can you do this already, and I missed it.

Great idea. For years I've been thinking of a way to do this without really bugging people but I think I'll have to just ask... have it as optional information on the results page or something.

I just sat here and thought about it for like 20 minutes, I got totally lost in plotting, haha. I've got the database logistics worked out in my head. It's going to be a little work to build that into what I've go going on. I'm using some pretty neat techniques to query all of my information these days... oh, if you only knew the amount of information that I've gathered. Some of those queries should take minutes not milliseconds, it's all about the database design. I'm just barely starting to figure out how to really display it all in meaningful ways... I totally agree, "promised vs delivered" data would make the information MUCH more useful. If it's done correctly.

Keep checking back for that, I will work it in soon.

Thanks for visiting, make sure to tell your friends!

[sgbotsford]

How about named connections? For most people this would be only ONE connection, but some people may also run this at work, or on remote servers, So, for example I run a bunch of tests, and my named connection is

SGB-FooNet. When I set up a test, my named connections are available as a dropdown list or a radio button.

When I create my named connection, one of the fields is for "Nominal package speed"

[TriRan]

How about named connections? For most people this would be only ONE connection, but some people may also run this at work, or on remote servers, So, for example I run a bunch of tests, and my named connection is

SGB-FooNet. When I set up a test, my named connections are available as a dropdown list or a radio button.

When I create my named connection, one of the fields is for "Nominal package speed"

there is already a feature to label which computer your testing from is which location so you can sort through them

[sgbotsford]

Good point. But what I meant was that the package speed is associated with the connection name -- that way it doesn't have to be entered as an option when you submit results. Having a rate associated with a connection name would fill in the rate for a large number of backlogged tests.

Under normal circumstances once you entered a speed you couldn't change it. If you changed plans, you create a new connection a new name. This way the history of the database would remain useful. Internally the database keeps connection names/speeds as username.connection_name, so it wont matter if both you and I have a connection called xplornet-1mbs

During the transition you would be asked something like "you have records for this connection dating back to X. Should all of these be given this nominal speed?

[TriRan]

Good point. But what I meant was that the package speed is associated with the connection name -- that way it doesn't have to be entered as an option when you submit results. Having a rate associated with a connection name would fill in the rate for a large number of backlogged tests.

Under normal circumstances once you entered a speed you couldn't change it. If you changed plans, you create a new connection a new name. This way the history of the database would remain useful. Internally the database keeps connection names/speeds as username.connection_name, so it wont matter if both you and I have a connection called xplornet-1mbs

During the transition you would be asked something like "you have records for this connection dating back to X. Should all of these be given this nominal speed?

yeah lol i figured that's what you meant i just wanted you to know that part of it was already implemented

[sgbotsford]

Ok. Where do I name my connection? I see that I can filter results depending on words like office home, etc, but I I don't see a place to actually set my connection and give it a name.

Back for more coffee. Need to wake up.

[sgbotsford]

Interesting that the concept is 'which computer' and not 'which connection' The labels are arbitrary, but it reflects a difference in mindset.

When I was sysadmin at a dot com company, we had dual connections -- fiber into the building from Shaw Cable -- and a T1 connection from Telus. The company felt that internet was important enough that we had dual connections. We chose Telus as the backup company becuase they had their own fiber network throughout western Canada, so it it was unlikely that any glitch could take out both connections to head office in Seattle. If it did it meant likely that all of Western Canada (at least) was dark. Our service level agreement stated that we got a month of free service for any interuption longer than two hours. Mind you, we paid for it too. Couple thousand bucks a month.

Anyway, I made all my tests from my desktop, changing the connection in use by changing the default router. (We assigned routers by DHCP. This meant that the loss of the main connection meant ONE edit in ONE file, and either rebooting, (most users) or restarting the network stack on your desktop. (developers & some power users.) (Servers did not have access to or from the world.) The backup router was just an old PC running OpenBSD. Most of the time it just sat there, every 5 minutes sending 3 ping packets to a list of servers to see if the connection was workable, and sending me a notification if anything was amiss.

I suppose that some of you with fast connections taht the computer might be the choke point. I dream of that. I just paid for an upgrade from 1 Mb/s capped at 24 MB/hour to 5 Mb/s capped at 30 GB/month + FAP on the top 10% of users when the network gets congested. ($60/month for the first year. 85 thereafter) Which is why I intend running 4 times daily tests forever. If I'm paying so much for so little, I want a way to prove how badly they have been screwing around with me.