User manual
Validation Tests
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naming creating processes. This option allows multiple instances of FILE
stress test to be ran in parallel (typically from parallel stress login sessions)
on multiple disk drives and/or controllers, such as DUA0, DUB0, DUC0 or
VAXA$DUA0 and VAXB$DUA0. To run the test on multiple drives, replicate
[STRESS.FILE] directory to each of the drives, log in at multiple terminals (or
create batch jobs), and execute LAUNCH.COM off corresponding locations.
Optional Parameter “npasses” if specified causes testing image to be
restarted every specified number of file write/readback passes, thus creating
extra load on the system.
Like with all other stress tests, it is recommended to have separate stress-
test login session or sessions and also main console session that can be used
for system management and monitoring system state, and to keep the latter
at elevated process priority, such as 15 or even higher. Nevertheless be
advised that running FILE tests can generate very high disk activity with long
disk driver queues, so console process response even at this high session
priority can be sluggish when activating new images or performing other
actions relying on disk IO.
PAGE
This test exercises virtual memory paging system. Each subprocess launched
by this test creates virtual pages and then at random fills them with data and
eventually verifies its content. This causes heavy paging and stresses paging
system. The test is intended to verify the reliability of the paging system and
its ability to maintain integrity of data. To start the test, run command line
@[.PAGE] LAUNCH <nprocesses> <npages>
This test can be executed in two modes.
One is large physical memory configuration. In this case paging happens
mostly between process memory space and VMS modified and free lists.
Pages get written to paging file, but are not actually read back and mostly
served to the process from either modified or free list caches.
The other testing mode uses reduced physical memory configuration. In this
mode pages actually get cycled back to the process via paging file, thus
stressing also the integrity of IO system and interaction of paging system to
IO system. To activate this mode follow instructions in the header of file
LAUNCH.COM.
Proper functioning of network interfaces can be tested in two ways. Smaller test involves copying files