C Using Prestoserve Sundiag



This appendix gives instructions for using Prestoserve Sundiag to verify the functionality of the Prestoserve SBus or NVSIMM hardware.

SunDiag is a SunView/XView-based user interface that runs diagnostic tests on Sun hardware. The SunDiag tests verify the configuration, functionality, and reliability of most Sun hardware controllers and devices. An unbundled diagnostic software package, the Sun Diagnostic Executive, is available from Sun to pinpoint specific hardware failures.

For detailed instructions on using SunDiag, see the latest version of the SunDiag User's Guide (shipped with Solaris and SunOS documentation).

C.1 Hardware and Software Requirements

SunDiag's TTY interface makes it possible to run SunDiag from a terminal that is attached to a serial port, or from a modem. Sundiag uses the Sun Prestoserve device driver to access the SBus or NVSIMM card components.

SunDiag can be used on any system that has SunOS version 4.x or Solaris 2.x installed. The operating system must be configured to support all peripherals that are to be tested.

The amount of swap space required varies widely with the type and amount of hardware being tested. SunDiag tests require a minimum of 8 to 16 Mbytes of swap space to run effectively. Frame buffer tests require additional swap space, and the virtual memory test requires special swap space considerations. See the SunDiag User's Guide for further information.

C.2 Sundiag Files

The Prestoserve Sundiag files were automatically transferred to the /usr/diag/sundiag directory in SunOS 4.x and the /opt/SUNWdiag/bin/sundiag directory in Solaris 2.x from the Sun Prestoserve CD-ROM during installation. The files are pstest and .usertest. If the Sundiag directory does not exist, the pstest and .usertest files are not installed in the Sundiag directory. However, these files are installed in the Prestoserve directory and must be moved to the Sundiag directory.

C.3 Prestoserve Sundiag Tests

The Prestoserve Sundiag test consists of three checks, listed below. Errors are entered in the Sundiag log file.

C.3.1 Battery Check

This routine checks the power of the battery on the SBus or NVRAM card. To ensure proper battery power level, the test runs this check before running the other two checks. If it finds a bad battery, it exits the test and displays an error message.

C.3.2 Memory Check

This part of the test brings down the driver, locks the card to prevent multiple accesses, and then performs a write/read verification test to ensure that the NVRAM device is retaining data properly.

C.3.3 Performance and File I/O Access Check

This routine exercises read and write access to card memory. Only synchronous read/write access is exercised in this test. The test locks the card to prevent multiple accesses, then it writes data to the memory cache and reads the data back for comparison. The time taken to write the data is measured twice - the first time with Prestoserve disabled, the second time with Prestoserve enabled. The first value is divided by the second to get the performance ratio. If this value is less than 1.5 on three passes of the test, the Prestoserve card is deemed to have failed.

Note that Prestoserve must be in the "up" state (use command, presto -u) for this test to pass. If Prestoserve is in the "down" state, you will see error messages similar to these:

pr0 pstest VERBOSE: File I/O test, elapsed time: xx seconds. (Prestoserve up)

pr0 pstest WARNING: File I/O test failed with low performance ratio: 1.00:1

Please check that /opt is prestoized.

C.4 The SunDiag Interface

When you start SunDiag, a SunView or XView window is displayed on your screen. The window is divided into four smaller windows:

C.5 Starting Sundiag

    1. Become superuser.
    2. If you are running Open Windows, exit the window mode.
    3. Open a shell and type one of these two commands (depending on the SunOS release) to open the SunDiag window:

    4. Check the control panel on the right side of the SunDiag Window for the OTHER DEVICES and Prestoserve fields.
    5. Use the mouse to put a check mark in the OTHER DEVICES and Prestoserve fields.
    6. Use the mouse to select the Option field.
    7. Use the mouse to select pstest.

    pstest performs three tests that are specific to Prestoserve:

    8. For each test:
      a. Press the Option button for each device you want to test. Option menus are similar to the one shown below.

    Figure C-1 An Example of a SunOS 4.x Option Box

      b. Select the options you want by using the mouse to toggle through the options.
      c. Press either the Reset/Default button or the Apply/Done button. The Reset/Default button selects the default options; the Apply/Done button saves the options you have selected.
      d. Press the Start button to start a test.
      e. Press the Stop button to halt a test.
    9. After you've tested all of Prestoserve's features, press Quit to exit SunDiag.

C.6 Changing the Test Name

If you wish, you can change the name of the test as it appears in the Sundiag window. Do this by creating and then modifying the .usertest file as follows:

    1. Make sure you are in your Sundiag directory, /usr/diag/sundiag for SunOS 4.x and /opt/SUNWdiag/bin/sundiag for Solaris 2.x.
    2. Login as super user.
    3. Create the .usertest file in the Sundiag directory. Then modify the file to include a line using this format:

    sundiag test label, test name, command-line arguments

    You can replace sundiag test label with any name you want to be displayed on the Sundiag control panel in the Sundiag window. Use pstest for the test name. Refer to the Sundiag User's Guide for information on the available command-line arguments.