| SunVTS 7.0 Software User’s Guide for Initial Release Through Patch Set 7 |    
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| C H A P T E R 4 |
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Using the Graphical User Interface |
This chapter describes how to run a test session using the SunVTS Graphical User Interface (GUI). Topics Include:
The SunVTS graphical user interface (GUI) is a Java-based standalone user interface. The Java GUI needs to be started on the same machine under test that has the SunVTS kernel is running. The GUI does not allow remote connection. See Starting SunVTS.
FIGURE 4-1 Main Screen for Graphical User Interface
The Test Group screen (FIGURE 4-1) lists the tests that are registered with the host machine. The Tests tab is associated with the Test Group View. The host machine name can be viewed on the heading of the page.
The Test Group table (FIGURE 4-1) displays the tests registered with the host. You can set the testing modes, schedule the tests, and monitor the testing status of each of the tests.
Also on this page, the feature - session utility can be used to store any specific selection settings. These settings can later be loaded to perform the system testing. You can select the tests to run for testing.
Each row in the table has a test with the default set of test specific values and a progress bar (only for the selected tests once the testing is started).
The progress bar indicates the percentage of the test run based on the selected scheduling criteria. The table includes Actions, Test, State, Scheduling Policy, Stress, Progress, and Status.
This section describes the parameters available in setting up a test. Select parameters from the Test Group screen (FIGURE 4-1) and Test Options screen (FIGURE 4-7).
The Test Group screen (FIGURE 4-1) displays the name of the system being viewed for status (santoor in this example). The following items describe the table:
Tests can be any of the following: Memory, Disk, Removable Disk, Network, HBA, Graphics, Processor, IOports, lnterconnect and Media. Click on the test link to set the test options, namely: stress level, scheduling policy (time-based or in terms of test passes) and error limit.
This column shows the state of the test at a given time (enabled or disabled).
On the Test Options screen (FIGURE 4-7), select Test Time or Test Pass based on the testing requirement. In the case of Test Time, specify the time in minutes in the text box (range 0 -99999). For Test Pass, specify the number of passes in the text box (range 0 -99999). By default, Test Time is the scheduling policy and the default value for both (Time or Pass) is zero.
Select Test Pass when time is not a constraint and is being used to reproduce an error on the specific test.
Select low or high (FIGURE 4-7).
The Progress bar in the Test Group table (FIGURE 4-1) indicates the percentage of the test run completed. A tool tip over the progress bar shows the progress of the test in percentage and the current state of the test.
The Status column in the Test Group table (FIGURE 4-1) shows the status of the test, either idle, testing, analyzing, not supported, stopping, failed, or completed, along with the passes and error count. Each status item is described as follows.
Idle - A test can be idle for any of the following reasons:
Not supported - For the given stress level, a test might not be able to run for any of the following reasons:
Analyzing - A test is running after completion of each pass that checks for certain terminating parameters such as max time, max pass, and max error to analyze if it can run for the next pass. The Analyzing status lasts for 2 to 3 seconds.
Testing - The test is currently executing.
Completed - The test has completed its execution. The completion factor is based on the limits set from the scheduling policy, (time or pass limit).
Failed - The test stopped because the test errors reached the maximum error limit.
Waiting for swap - If there is not enough swap available, you can stop a test and schedule the test execution for later.
Stopping - When you press the Stop button, the test status shows the transition from stopping status to idle status.
The Test Results column displays test results in two subcolumns. The first subcolumn displays the number of test errors and second displays the number of test successes.
You can perform various functions on the Test Group table (FIGURE 4-1) using the buttons Enable, Disable, Start Tests, Stop Tests, Edit Global Options, Reset Results and Reprobe. TABLE 4-1 describes the button functions.
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1. Click on the view host configuration button to fetch the details of the machine under test.
2. Click the View Host configuration button.
The host configuration page is displayed with machine details such as hostname, IP address, platform, operating system, number of CPUs, machine type, and architecture of machine under test (FIGURE 4-2).
FIGURE 4-2 Host Configuration Window
3. Click the Back button to return to the main page.
You can also use the navigation link at the top of the page to return to the parent page.
Select the Test Mode depending upon the testing requirement. Test Mode is located at the top left corner of the Test Group table. You can select one of the three test modes (Online Stress, System Exerciser, and Component Stress) from the drop down menu. By default the Test Mode is set to System Exerciser mode.
For more information about the test modes, see Test Modes.
The Session feature is very useful when you want to automate execution of
SunVTS 7.0 with some defined set of options. Instead of setting up the combination of test, global or mode options each time you need to diagnose the host machine, you can create a session file with the combination of options. Once you save your test preferences with session name, you are not required to do any manual setting. The session is saved in XML format. Then only load the session file and the same option settings will be reflected.
For selected test mode, you can save chosen tests with configured option values. This feature comes handy when you wish to re-run the tests in the same configuration repeatedly for the same machine or different machine. This is available as a drop-down menu in Tests Screen.
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1. Configure SunVTS for the test session that you want to save.
2. Select a Save Session option from Session drop-down menu available in the Test Group screen.
The Save Session window is displayed ().
3. Provide a name in the Session Name Text field.
You can also choose existing session name from the list.
| Note - Do not use any space for the session name input. |
4. Select a Test Mode as the default active Test Mode for the Session.
5. Select Overwrite Session option if you want to overwrite existing session with new.
6. Select the type of session, either Generic or Host Specific.
7. Click the OK button to save the session.
The Save Session window is closed, and your session configurations are saved for future use.
FIGURE 4-3 Save Session Window
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You can view all the sessions existing for the machine. To list sessions:
1. From the Test Group window, select the List Sessions option from the Session menu.
The List Sessions window is displayed with the list of all the existing sessions
2. Click Close to close the List Session Window.
FIGURE 4-4 List Session Window
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This option allows you to choose desired session. The test configuration and option values for tests execution is set based on selected session. To load sessions:
1. Select a Load Session option from the Session drop-down menu available in the Test Group screen.
The Load Session window is displayed.
2. Select an existing session name from the list to load.
3. Select a Test Mode as the default Test Mode to load the session.
4. Click Ok to Load the session.
The Load Session window is closed, and the test session configuration is loaded into SunVTS. SunVTS will update and refresh the values on the BUI. The BUI will show the name of the loaded session. You can use this configuration, or modify it, before you start the testing (FIGURE 4-5).
FIGURE 4-5 Load Session Window
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If you no longer need a specific test configuration, you can delete the session associated with it. To delete a session:
1. Select Delete Sessions option from the Session drop-down menu available in the Test Group screen.
The Delete Session window is displayed with the list of all existing sessions.
2. Select the session that you want to delete from the List of Sessions.
3. Click OK to delete the selected Session.
The Delete Session window is closed, and selected session will be deleted.
FIGURE 4-6 Delete Session Window
If you loaded or saved a session but then decide to run the tests with the default test configuration, you can use this option. This clears the values and settings done by the session and loads default parameters.
The Test Options screen (FIGURE 4-7) appears when you click the Test Name from the Test Group table in the Test column.
FIGURE 4-7 Test Options Screen
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1. Specify the stress level - low or high, depending upon your requirement (FIGURE 4-7).
The default value of stress are based on the configuration of the system. If the system has a small memory configuration, then the default stress is set to “low” level. Otherwise, the default stress is “high” level. SunVTS considers a system as a small memory configuration if it has less than or equal to 2GB of memory (for x86), and less than or equal to 4GB (for SPARC).
2. Choose the Scheduling Policy between Test Time or Test Passes.
Depending on the selection, provide the time in minutes or number of passes.
3. Choose a Specific Pass Level.
You can choose a specific pass level and only the test related to that specific pass level will run. The valid range of pass levels are listed in the enclosed bracket next to the specific pass level tag. By default, the value of Specific Pass level is 0 and means that no specific pass level has been selected.
Specify the number of errors beyond which the test should stop executing. By default, the Error Limit is set to 1. An error limit of 0 would mean that the test continues to run with no limits to error count.
5. Choose specific test device options (optional).
Some Tests export specific options that allow you to select the test devices and modify the device options.
a. Select the check box corresponding to the device and click the “enable” or “disable” button to select/de-select the device. By default, all the devices will be enabled or disabled.
b. To change the device options, click on the device link.
The test option selection window is displayed.
6. Click OK to confirm the changes and to return to the parent page.
The Cancel button cancels the changes and returns to the parent page.
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There are certain options that can be applied to all the tests globally. These options can be used to schedule the total time of the testing session. To edit the Global options:
1. Click on the Edit Global Options button on the Test Group screen.
The Global Test Options screen is displayed (FIGURE 4-8).
FIGURE 4-8 Setting Global Options
2. Set the duration of testing in the Duration of Testing field in minutes.
3. For the Verbose option, select Enable if you want to log the Verbose messages or Disable, if otherwise.
Verbose messages are the console messages. If verbose is enabled then the console messages from the vtsk are not only displayed on the BUI console, but also logged in the log file. If this box is not checked, all verbose messages are only logged in the log file in /var/sunvts/logs/sunvts.verbose.
4. In the Duration of Logging option, set the time in minutes after which the information messages should log in the sunvts.info file.
For example, if the duration is set to 60 minutes, the testing information messages will be logged in the sunvts.info file every 60mins.
5. Click OK to save the edited global options.
Clicking Cancel navigates you back to the Test Group page without saving the edited options. You can also navigate back to the parent page using the links provided at the top of this page.
SunVTS 7.0 Patch Set 6 (PS6) and subsequent compatible releases support a new global option. This option allows you to perform more stressful hardware testing.
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Caution - Use the unsafe option carefully. To conduct more stressful testing, the test performs operations on the device under test and erases data that is present on the device. |
By default all SunVTS tests are data safe. You must decide whether to choose to Disable the Safe option: choosing Disable performs the more stressful testing. By default, the option is always Enable or Data Safe.
To provide extra protection, the option will only becomes active if the sunvts_options.conf configuration file is present with the appropriate variable set. All the conditions need to be met before the tool accepts the unsafe testing (the Disable option).
The details on creation of the configuration file and its setting are mentioned below:
2. Create a configuration file: /etc/sunvts/conf/sunvts_options.conf
The file takes a variable "name" and a corresponding "value,” which will be used by the tool. Both the “name" and the "value" are keywords. The only name and value that are accepted are:
SunVTS will now read the configuration file. On the GUI, the "Global Option" button now has another entry: "Safe Testing". You can set the button to Enable or Disable.
With the Safe Option feature, the Global Test option screen will look similar to FIGURE 4-8.
Logs appears as a tab that can be located next to the Tests tab. Select the Logs tab to view the following five logs. Each of these logs are displayed in five separate tabs.
Click a specific tab to view related logging information (FIGURE 4-9).
Click this tab to view the tests related error messages that gets logged to /var/sunvts/logs/sunvts.err directory. The test error logs contains time-stamped SunVTS test error messages. This file is not created until a SunVTS test failure occurs.
You can click this tab to view the vtsk related error messages that gets logged to /var/sunvts/logs/vtsk.err directory. Vtsk error logs contains time-stamped SunVTS kernel and SunVTS probe errors. SunVTS kernel errors are errors that relate to running SunVTS, and not to testing of devices. This file is not created until SunVTS reports a SunVTS kernel error.
Clicking this tab will provide all information about the running tests. Data like number of test passes, failures, time elapsed, will get collected after fixed interval of time. Informative messages are generated at the start and stop of SunVTS testing session and also during intermediate interval notifications. The messages will be logged to /var/sunvts/logs/sunvts.info directory. This file is not created until a SunVTS test session runs
Click this tab to view system generated UNIX messages. It displays all the general Solaris events logged by syslogd. The pathname of this log file is /var/adm/messages.
Verbose Messages logs the test messages that can be useful for debugging. The logs displays test messages only when the verbose mode is enabled from Global Options. Verbose message are logged in /var/sunvts/logs/sunvts.verbose directory.
Type the number of lines from the end of log file that you want to view and press the View button.
This button clears the test log from the screen as well as delete it from the directory. Click the delete button.
A conformation dialog is displayed to confirm the deletion of the log.
Under normal circumstances, you run only one mode at a time in a session. Once testing with a mode is over, you must switch the mode in the same session and start the testing if it is required. See Saving a Test Session Configuration for Repeated Use (Session Files).
Use the Auto Mode Sequencer if a testing session requires running different modes automatically. You can select any of the three modes for the first, second and third sequences. It can be the same mode for all three sequences. You can specify one of the modes and leave the other two sequences as None. This will result in running only one mode for loop number of times.
| Note - At least one sequence must have a mode specified. If no modes are selected for the sequence, the sequencer will behave as if it is set to off, even if the sequencer option is set to “on”. |
When testing is started with the Auto Mode Sequencer, if the testing incurs an error in any of the modes in the sequence, the Auto Mode sequencer will halt and will not switch to the next mode in the sequence. This allows you to analyze the test error. If the testing had continued without halting, the error might occur without notice.
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Use the sequencer to determine the sequence of tests in auto mode. By default, the Sequencer is switched off (set to Disable).
1. Set the Sequencer option to Enable.
Loop determines the number of times the sequence will run.
1. Specify a numerical value for this option.
The default value is 1. The maximum value is 99999.
2. Click OK to apply the changes.
FIGURE 4-10 Auto Mode Sequencer Screen
| SunVTS 7.0 Software User’s Guide for Initial Release Through Patch Set 7 | 820-0012-20 |
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To View the Host Configuration