[Ofa_boardplus] OFA XWG Agenda 9/14

Thu Sep 14 14:25:15 PDT 2017

I think it's worth mentioning that there is development work __of bounded scope__ that could be done immediately that would benefit OFA members.  Even if a hired developer only completed those projects before funding expires, it's as beneficial as using reserved funding to create training material or buying new systems, for example.

If there's concern about using reserves for funding un-scoped development, then a reasonable alternative is to contract for specific development work.  As just an example, target the re-writing of the Linux kernel ABI.

As long-term funding becomes clearer, development work can move away from project specific contracts.

- Sean

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ofa_boardplus [mailto:ofa_boardplus-
> bounces at lists.openfabrics.org] On Behalf Of Fields, Parks M
> Sent: Thursday, September 14, 2017 1:51 PM
> To: Paul Grun <grun at cray.com>
> Cc: ofa_boardplus at lists.openfabrics.org,
> <ofa_boardplus at lists.openfabrics.org>; Coulter, Susan K <skc at lanl.gov>
> Subject: Re: [Ofa_boardplus] OFA XWG Agenda 9/14
> 
> What would you say is Temporary?    3 months, 6 months, 9   ?????
> 
> >
> > No surprise to anyone that I agree strongly with the perspective
> offered by Scott.  Operating expenses should be covered by current
> income, not by reserves.
> >
> > One quick point about the size of the reserve.  I think the worst
> case scenario is one in which we find ourselves with a mismatch
> between income and operating expenses due to a temporary dip in
> income.  This can happen, for example, if we see an unexpected fall
> off in membership for some reason, especially if we believe the fall
> off is temporary.  At least one trade organization of which I am a
> part experienced this exact scenario; several years of below expected
> income.
> >
> > It's not necessarily true that expenses can be quickly scaled to
> match income.  If we experience a reduction in income due to the loss
> of a couple of members we can always think about shedding expenses,
> but that can be hard to do especially if we think the reduction in
> income may be temporary.  We don't want to find ourselves in a death
> spiral with insufficient funds to keep essential services in place
> while we wait for income to recover.
> >
> > So my take on it is that we should have sufficient reserves to tide
> us over in the case where expenses temporarily outstrip our income due
> to a loss of income.  My finger-in-the-wind guesstimate is that we
> would want reserves equal to  one year's operating expenses.
> >
> > -Paul
> >
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: Ofa_boardplus [mailto:ofa_boardplus-
> bounces at lists.openfabrics.org] On
> >> Behalf Of Fields, Parks M
> >> Sent: Thursday, September 14, 2017 12:50 PM
> >> To: Coulter, Susan K <skc at lanl.gov>
> >> Cc: ofa_boardplus at lists.openfabrics.org,
> <ofa_boardplus at lists.openfabrics.org>
> >> Subject: Re: [Ofa_boardplus] OFA XWG Agenda 9/14
> >>
> >>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Comments in line …
> >>>
> >>>> On Sep 14, 2017, at 12:16 PM, Atchley, Scott <atchleyes at ornl.gov>
> wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>> Hi Susan,
> >>>>
> >>>> Here are a few thoughts about the budget, operating reserve, etc.
> >>>>
> >>>> 1) The operating budget that we are discussing is only $160-
> 170K/year
> >>>>
> >>>> Given that the plugfest dollars are a pass-through and that we
> incur no
> >> expenses if the income does not come, I am ignoring this $140K,
> which is how I
> >> arrive at a budget of $160-170K.
> >>>>
> >>>> 2) We have 2.3 years in reserve
> >>>>
> >>>> Clearly, this is too much.
> >>>
> >>> Agreed.
> >>> There has been talk about being fiscally responsible with our
> reserves - and that
> >> goes both ways.
> >>> It could be said that “sitting on” 2.3 years of complete funding
> is not fiscally
> >> responsible.
> >>>
> >>>> I would be comfortable with 1.0 years in reserve or less. I would
> even consider
> >> Jim’s mention of shut-down funds or perhaps 1.5x that value just in
> case we
> >> overlooked something.
> >>>
> >>> Since we are a different beast, I am leaning towards something
> slightly less than
> >> 1 year.
> >>> ( i.e. If all our members jump ship - we would have no operating
> >>> expenses ) Coming to a sensible decision on the right operating
> reserves is
> >> paramount.
> >>>
> >>>>
> >>>> 3) The bulk of the remaining budget is marketing
> >>>>
> >>>> What is this used for? Is it really Workshop expenses that should
> be classified
> >> as such? If so, the Workshop operates ~$75K in the red and is not
> break-even.
> >>>
> >>> I do not believe it is work shop related - but this is a question
> for Bill to answer.
> >>>
> >>>>
> >>>> 4) I am opposed to using reserve money to pay operating expenses
> >>>>
> >>>> I do not believe in using “one-time” money for on-going expenses.
> If we hire
> >> or contract with someone to perform a job (ED or maintainer), that
> funding
> >> should come from income from day one.
> >>
> >>
> >> I agree. Reserves are for events that happen outside the norm. EX:
> a one time
> >> audit or a penalty of sometime.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>>> If not, it will simply draw down the reserve until it runs out
> and then you can
> >> no longer pay the staff/contractors. I would not be comfortable
> with bringing
> >> someone on with the expectations that we will raise dues without
> firm
> >> commitments from all current members to accept the higher levels.
> If you have
> >> that, then simply raise the dues and cover the added costs (i.e.
> don’t draw down
> >> the reserve for this).
> >>>
> >>> Normally I would agree with you.
> >>> In this case, the OFA is going through a serious transition.
> >>> If you read the common literature on organizations whose
> mission/focus
> >> changes - most of them do not survive the transition.
> >>> That is a possibility here.
> >>> Therefore, it seems important to be willing to work outside the
> normal
> >> envelope, but within reasonable boundaries.
> >>>
> >>>>
> >>>> 5) So what is the reserve good for?
> >>>>
> >>>> I do not know. New training materials? Upgrading the IOL
> equipment? Other?
> >>>
> >>> Exactly.
> >>> I like the idea of upgrading IOL equipment.
> >>> Per my comment above, we should also be willing to consider making
> a one
> >> time decision to spend the reserves on these staff positions.
> >>> Such a decision would be tightly coupled with an agreement on what
> those
> >> positions will cost and what that means for membership fee changes
> >and< a
> >> majority of the current members expressing support for those higher
> fees.
> >>>
> >>> Again, as I said on the call, it was originally my goal to active
> the current
> >> membership so we could continue as an “all volunteer” organization.
> >>> It has been a slow realization that an all volunteer alliance was
> a
> >>> pipe dream.  :) We are now up against a deadline to resolve this
> issue and, I
> >> believe, we need to be willing to take some risks to succeed.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>>
> >>>> Scott
> >>>>
> >>>>> On Sep 13, 2017, at 5:52 PM, Coulter, Susan K <skc at lanl.gov>
> wrote:
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Attached is the agenda, minutes from the last XWG, and a preso
> from the
> >> conference earlier this year about the IWG/InterOp.
> >>>>> We will >not< be going through the slides during the XWG, but we
> will have a
> >> discussion about the IWG - led by Paul Bowden.
> >>>>> The preso is included for background in case folks want to check
> it out
> >> between now and the call.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Talk to you tomorrow !
> >>>>>
> >>>>> <OFAXWGAgenda20170914.docx><OFAXWGMinutes_20170824.pdf><OFA
> >>>>> Workshop_IWG-and-CANDI_ 2017_0329.pptx>
> >>>>> ==================================================
> >>>>> Susan Coulter / HPC-DES
> >>>>> Network Capability Lead
> >>>>> (505) 667-8425
> >>>>> “Once in a while you get shown the light  In the strangest of
> places
> >>>>> if you look at it right”  Robert Hunter
> >>>>> ==================================================
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>> _______________________________________________
> >>>>> Ofa_boardplus mailing list
> >>>>> Ofa_boardplus at lists.openfabrics.org
> >>>>> http://lists.openfabrics.org/mailman/listinfo/ofa_boardplus
> >>>>
> >>>
> >>> ==================================================
> >>> Susan Coulter / HPC-DES
> >>> Network Capability Lead
> >>> (505) 667-8425
> >>> “Once in a while you get shown the light
> >>>   In the strangest of places if you look at it right”  Robert
> Hunter
> >>> ==================================================
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> _______________________________________________
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> >>> http://lists.openfabrics.org/mailman/listinfo/ofa_boardplus
> >>
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