perfSONAR-PS

The pS Performance Toolkit can be installed in one of two methods on a target system:

• A LiveCD that uses an operating system on a read-only medium and stores data to the hard disk.
• A NetInstall option that will install the OS to the target machine's hard disk

The following sections describe the use cases and differences between the two varieties.

LiveCD

The LiveCD solution is recommended for sites that:

1. Prefer a network measurement appliance, where key binaries from the operating system can not be modified/hacked.
2. Are upgrading from an existing LiveCD (version 3.1.x or version 3.2.x) and do not want to delete existing data or configuration.
3. Wish to preserve the measurement host as a pristine environment, absent of other functionality that might perturb measurement results.

NetInstall

The NetInstall solution is recommended for sites that:

1. Wish to do upgrades without needing physical access to the machine.
2. Require the ability to manage security patches and upgrades in the same manner as other hosts on the site network.
3. Want to keep measurement software up to date via package management systems (e.g. using yum).
4. Wish to use the measurement host for other functionality.