Current implementation of CSIT Python framework does a "pip install -r requirements" as part of the setup, each time. Fetching packages off the public internet, each time.

We're currently doing 30-50 CSIT runs per day. Each run fetches all packages for times (once on the Jenkins build executor, once on the DUT, and once on each SUT). That means we are currently fetching the same set of PIP packages off the public PIP repositories 200 times a day, increasing tendency.

This is neither economic (fetching these packages each time is time consuming, ie adds to testcase duration) nor good internet etiquette.

We should either ensure that all base images (VIRL, Vagrant and physical testbeds) come with all required packages, so that an additional "pip install" is not needed, or set up a local mirror to cache packages as required.