[atlas] Software Probs

Dear Shahin,

On 26-nov.-14 15:56, Shahin Gharghi wrote:
> Dear RIPE Atlas team
>
> I want to ask why don't you make software probes?

we regularly get these questions, and we have documented the reply here:
https://atlas.ripe.net/about/faq/#why-did-you-choose-a-hardware-solution-instead-of-software

There are other projects that do measurements using virtual machines
or SW applications, that might be more suitable for your needs, for 
example NLNOG RING: https://ring.nlnog.net/

We cooperate with them on several levels, but out goals are slightly 
different.

For example, using RIPE Atlas you can target RING nodes:
https://atlas.ripe.net/targets/ringnodes/map/

> RIPE NCC have to spend a lot of money on RIPE Atlas. They can easily
> make RIPE Atlas VMWare image or an RPM,deb package and even windows
> service. So people can install them on their servers.
>
> The other way to save probes is making probes multi-home.
 >
> For example I have 4 probes in one place to monitor 4 different IP
> prefixes and paths. I know because of the hardware limits we can't use
> sub-interfaces but we can set 4 IP addresses manually and add 4 any
> route by the source, then we can save 3 other probes.
>

Now that's an interesting idea, and I can say that we'll take it into 
consideration -- but you have already mentioned HW limits yourself.

Please take a look at our roadmap, where we document major feature 
requests. SW probe is also there, as "requested", along with the link to 
the explanation why we are not going to go for that solution now:

http://roadmap.ripe.net/ripe-atlas/

Regards,
Vesna Manojlovic
Community Builder for Measurements Tools