[AusNOG] Networking professionals required for usability trials of “L3DGEWorld”

[Warren Harrop]

At the Centre for Advanced Internet Architectures, Swinburne University 
of Technology, we are performing research into real-time network 
monitoring and control using virtual worlds instantiated using 3D game 
engines.

This might sound familiar, as this research has, in my opinion, a very 
high accolade to it's name: “As presented at AusNOG01”.
Remember? No? It was the last talk on day 1? Still not ringing any 
bells? It was right before the heavy drinking began on day 1. Ah, OK 
then – say no more.

We have reached a stage of the research where we are performing 
usability studies on the prototype software we have developed.
I'm asking a favour of any one on the list to lend some of your time to 
help with our research.

In particular I'm chasing the folks at AusNOG 2007 who made foolish 
promises to lend themselves (and in some cases all of their 
subordinates) to the usability trials.

If you can help out, or are interested in this research (described as 
“Crazy idea.” - anonymous paper reviewer), please read on...

WTF?
For those who were not at AusNOG01 (or don't remember):

We have just completed the prototype software output of this research 
“L3DGEWorld 2.3” (based on the Quake III Arena game engine). L3DGEWorld 
was produced as an attempt to simplify two key network management tasks: 
The identification of anomalous traffic patterns within IP networks, and 
the control of network elements (such as routers and firewalls) to block 
anomalous traffic. L3DGEWorld creates a virtual world in which objects 
spin, jump, grow and change colour to represent a number of different 
network metrics. By using in-world techniques ('shooting a gun at the 
spinning object') a network operator can initiate an ACL update to block 
undesired traffic.  L3DGEWorld is a flexible system that, through 
various software abstractions, allows virtually any network measurement 
to be represented as any in-world change and any in-world action to 
alter any 'real' external system.

The next stage of this research is to answer research questions about 
which network measurements are most appropriately mapped to which 
in-world actions. We are doing this through guided 1 hour usability 
trials and are currently asking for participants.

What we need:
Your time. Tests involve using the software in a controlled manner for 
about 1hr. During this time we initially get some background info on 
participants (are they a network admin? Are they a 'gamer' or not? etc). 
  We then get them to use the prototype software in various ways and 
give their views on the system.

Who we need:
Ultimately we're looking to test a range of people, from networking 
professionals through to non-networking professionals but at the current 
time we are just seeking a range of people with some form of network 
administration experience.

Where?
We're Melbourne based (Hawthorn) and it would be great if people could 
come to our lab. But if you're in the Melbourne area and can arrange a 
bunch of folks (10 or more) and a quiet place to conduct the usability 
trials on site, we can probably be able to come to you. (If you have a 
bunch of people in the 20-30 range, I might even be able to travel 
interstate, but contact me off list if you have these sorts of numbers 
outside of Victoria.)

More info:
For the full request for participation including privacy and ethics 
approval details (pdf):
http://www.caia.swin.edu.au/cv/wharrop/L3DGE-CallForResearchParticipants.pdf

For more info on the project “L3DGE” (Leveraging 3D Game Engines):
http://caia.swin.edu.au/urp/l3dge/

For more info on the prototype software “L3DGEWorld”
http://caia.swin.edu.au/urp/l3dge/tools/l3dgeworld/index.html

For those with little interest, or an attention span that has been 
destroyed by TV, the system in action on YouTube:
http://www.caia.swin.edu.au/urp/l3dge/tools/l3dgeworld/characteristics.html#videos

Please contact me off list if you can spare the time to help out with 
the research.

Thanks in advance folks,
Warren Harrop
PhD Candidate
Centre for Advanced Internet Architectures
Swinburne University Of Technology
Hawthorn, Melbourne