Announcing the IXP Tools Hackathon

Results of the hackathon are published in this RIPE Labs article   (updated on 1 November 2016)  

Introduction

This will be the fourth hackathon the RIPE NCC has hosted, and we've learned that these events are a great way to bring together developers, operators and designers to come up with creative new tools and visualisations that benefit the entire Internet community.

This time, we'll be focusing on developing tools related to Internet Exchange Points (IXPs). While the past three hackathons have specifically focused on RIPE Atlas , this hackathon will include other data sources as well, such as the Routing Information Service (RIS) and the PeeringDB .

Join us 22-23 October 2016 in Madrid for the IXP Tools Hackathon!

As has become customary, the hackathon will take place the weekend before the next RIPE Meeting, from 22-23 October in Madrid. RIPE 73 runs from 24-28 October, so the weekend before is a perfect opportunity to bring together community members who are already planning on attending the meeting and to introduce newcomers to the RIPE community. The winning hackathon team will have a chance to present during the RIPE Meeting's Connect Working Group session.

Focus on IXP Tools

Together, we want to use any openly available data to develop useful analytical tools for the benefit of network operators and the IXP community.

Some potential focus areas could include:

• Tools that IXPs can use to demonstrate potential performance improvements if operators peer with IXP members
• Improving the IXP Country Jedi tool and determining the impact of IXPs on connectivity between networks, depending on whether they peer with one IXP vs. another
• Improving the integration of the IXP Manager (an open-source tool) with RIPE Atlas data, which was started at previous RIPE NCC hackathons
• Improving work done at previous RIPE NCC hackathons on IXP traceroutes, BGP traceroutes, etc.
• Determining the best places for building new IXPs based on exiting measurement data
• Anything else you think would help IXPs, operators who want to peer, researchers, etc. – include your idea in your application!

Participants

We are specifically looking for:

• Developers familiar with Python, PHP, etc.
• UX and UI experts
• Graphic designers 
• Network engineers
• People with knowledge of BGP, traceroute, TCP/IP
• Colleagues from Internet Exchanges
• Network operators who can give feedback about what would be useful to them

You'll have the chance to work alongside RIPE NCC developers, meet others in your field, and exchange knowledge and experience.

Details

Event Date: 22-23 October 2016

Time: Saturday: 9:00-21:00, Sunday: 9:00-21:00 (including social event)

Location: Melia Castilla Hotel , Madrid, Spain

Timeline

The deadline for applications is 15 September . The jury will review the applications and will make final selections about successful participants. All applicants will be informed by 21 September .

Apply

Interested in participating? Apply today! It only takes a few minutes. And please help us spread the word to other developers and and network operators who might be interested.

Funding

Travel funding will be available for 10 participants, in the amount of €500 per person. Applicants will be informed about whether they qualify for funding when they are informed about their applications status on 21 September. The jury will make all final decisions about who receives funding; however, preference will be given to applicants from "least developed countries" , those working for not-for-profits, and those contributing to free and open-source software and projects.

Format and Prizes

Small teams will work with RIPE NCC developers to meet one of two goals:

• Work on furthering existing ideas developed at previous hackathons and by the community
• Work on developing entirely new tools for use in the IXP community

At the end of the two-day event, we aim to have completed tools or advanced prototypes.

All this work will culminate in short presentations to the jury on Sunday afternoon. Food and drinks will be provided throughout the weekend.

All source code developed during the hackathon will be publicly licensed and available on GitHub, and available for the entire community to use.

Participants will receive the usual "swag": t-shirts, stickers and a few surprises. The winning team's work will be presented at the Connect Working Group session during the RIPE 73 Meeting, and one more person will be selected by the jury to receive a paid trip to either IXP-workshop at the next Euro-IX meeting in Krakow, or to the next hackathon. 

More Information

Sponsors

The RIPE NCC is grateful for our sponsors' generous support of the IXP Tools Hackathon.

 Comcast Cable is one of the U.S.'s largest high-speed Internet, video, and phone providers  to  residential customers under the Xfinity brand. Comcast's Innovation Fund provides grants for novel technical research as well as development of open source software, and in 2016 is focusing more investment in Internet measurement. Comcast has supported the distribution of hundreds of RIPE Atlas probes in a wide range of networks in North America and hosts two U.S.-based RIPE Atlas anchors. Comcast also sponsors other events that are run "for the good of the Internet", such as IETF meetings and the North America Operators' Group (NANOG). 

 The Internet Society is the trusted independent source for Internet information and thought leadership around the world. It is also the organizational home for the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). With its principled vision, substantial technological foundation and its global presence, the Internet Society promotes open dialogue on Internet policy, technology, and future development among users, companies, governments, and other organizations. Working with its members and Chapters around the world, the Internet Society enables the continued evolution and growth of the Internet for everyone.

Supporting Organisation

  Euro-IX is an association of Internet Exchange Points (IXPs), promoting an open interchange of ideas and experiences, gained to mutual advantage of the membership, by offering fora, workshops, tutorials, mailing lists and online resources. 

About the Organiser

The RIPE NCC is one of five Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) that support the global operation of the Internet. The RIPE NCC is an independent, not-for-profit organisation responsible for distributing and administering Internet number resources for more than 14,000 members in Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Central Asia. We support the global Internet community by providing data, expertise and a neutral platform for the exchange of ideas.