Benchmarking Tools

[JMJ_coder]

Hello,

What are the best tools to benchmark a system?

[ocicat]

What are the best tools to benchmark a system?
By "best", do you mean "popular"?

In either event, look at the following list found in pkgsrc:

http://pkgsrc.se/benchmarks

[TerryP]

(I'm sorry but I couldn't resist)


The best tools to benchmark a FreeBSD system:

Place the computer in a climate controlled room.

Turn up the room temperature to 48-50 degrees Celsius.

Place a hot plate on the server

Start the timer.

Boot the system and begin a build (but not install) sequence for rebuilding the operating system

While attempting to flood the machine with more network requests then it can handle

While downloading an up to date ports tree via csup from scratch

When every thing as completed or the server explodes, stop the timer.

And see if the kernel build will works after you stop the timer.


Assuming you don't get fired, you have just simultaneously stress tested and benchmarked the hardware ^_^


(Again sorry, but I just couldn't resist lol)

[stukov]

What do you want to benchmark? Disk I/O? CPU performance? video performance?

[JMJ_coder]

Hello,

What do you want to benchmark? Disk I/O? CPU performance? video performance?

I am looking at general system performance - including, as you mentioned, disk i/o; cpu performance; etc. So if no one tool can do that, probably need a small suite of tools.

[JMJ_coder]

Hello,

By "best", do you mean "popular"?

In either event, look at the following list found in pkgsrc:

http://pkgsrc.se/benchmarks

Generally, most popular is thought to be best performing (though that rule is probably broken more often than upheld ;)). I prefer better performance and useful information over popularity - but, if abilities and popularity coincide great.

I have looked through the list, but I don't want to install all those (which is why I posted here in the first place). I am not familiar with benchmarking software and didn't feel like testing and benchmarking the benchmarking tools. :p

Also, I am currently in a cli-only environment for NetBSD, so any tool that requires X is out.

[stukov]

For disk I/O I'm pretty sure you'll love Bonnie++. I also ran a lot of benchmark with sysbench (can test disk, cpu, memory, etc.). While sysbench is less specialized than Bonnie++, it is great if you need the big picture between two machines or to measure improvements over two version of a similar hardware.

[ocicat]

I am looking at general system performance - including, as you mentioned, disk i/o; cpu performance; etc.
I'm with stukov on this one; it sounds like you want to focus on the standards first -- systat, iostat, & netstat, etc. At that point, you will have a better foundation to branch out into more exotic solutions.

[JMJ_coder]

Hello,

I'm with stukov on this one; it sounds like you want to focus on the standards first -- systat, iostat, & netstat, etc. At that point, you will have a better foundation to branch out into more exotic solutions.

Thanks - that does look like what I am looking for.

I really do need to take a long look at and see all the tools that do come with my NetBSD system (I guess I'm too accustomed to everything being third-party add-ons). :o