Looking to write an ARIES test script in c.

[Steven E. Protter]

We are about to migrate a lot of PA-RISC systems to superdome IA-64.

Due to some licensing issues, we have to run a bunch of oracle databaes and app's without a software update to IA-64 versions.

We wrote some shell scripts to test mathematical and other system calls and ran them one with the ksh shell from a PA-RISC system, one native.

We are concerned however that the shell, which is notoriously bad at math, or at least inefficient, will not provide accurate results.

We are looking for suggested code in C to do realistic mathematical calculation tests and a wide variety of other system calls.

Anyone want to point the way to some useful code snippets.

I have a background in C and can handle compiling it and getting the loops working. But I'm a little fuzzy on what code to use to insure the test program has a wide variety of system calls.

Good help will be rewarded generously.

If you advocate using another language don't expect high point levels. We chose C because the HP-UX OS has a free c compiler and a couple of us know enough how to debug the code.

SEP

[Bob E Campbell]

If you want shell tests with math, you could code up a script that drives dc(1). Pretty simple.

I believe that IEEE math is part of POSIX certification. I assume these tests were run under ARIES at some point, but will ask to be sure. http://www.opengroup.org/testing/testsuites/vsxpcts2003.htm

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi:

HP has already performed the tests you are seeking. Why not consult the Aries(5) manpages and examine the table of performance for integer and floating point arithmetic?

As for the statement, "...to do realistic mathematical calculation tests and a wide variety of other system calls", what's "realistic" for your environment? You need to define the type of things you do --- integer arithmetic, trigonometry, statistical functions, single or double precision, what?

> We are concerned however that the shell, which is notoriously bad at math, or at least inefficient, will not provide accurate results.

The shell does integer arithmetic and can be made to perform efficiently or horribly depending on how you do the arithmetic. Do you use 'typeset' integers? Do you use built-in shell arithmetic or do you rely on external processes like 'expr' or 'bc' to do work?

How do you intend to extrapolate your Oracle environment and its applications into a benchmark of PA-RISC versus Itanium performance using scripts and simple executables that do math?


Regards!

...JRF...

[Steven E. Protter]

Shalom,

HP has provided their data and recommended we do this test.

We want to test a wide variety of system calls in order to see if we get any crashes.

We are looking at doing a large number of operations in a loop. We'll adjust the mix of operations to best simulate our environment.

We are trying to benchmark and do not trust the shell script results due to mathematical efficiency and the lack of variety in the current mix of system calls.

SEP

[Dennis Handly]

>ran them one with the ksh shell from a PA-RISC system, one native.

Any particular conclusion you reached?

>a wide variety of other system calls.

If you have some example programs, you can use tusc to list out the system calls.
And you can use this on your actual apps, to compare with your test programs.

>fuzzy on what code to use to insure the test program has a wide variety of system calls.

A program that has lots of system calls has lots of system calls. Are you talking about a variety of calls? Or calls in almost tight loops?

[Steven E. Protter]

Both Dennis.

I will pass along anything useful to my former team members.

SEP