Re: [MirageOS-devel] Notes on testing

[Richard Mortier <richard.mortier@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Probably...

http://conferences.sigcomm.org/sigcomm/2005/paper-BisFai.pdf for those
who've not seen it.

On 6 May 2015 at 03:19, Jon Crowcroft <jon.crowcroft@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Worth re-reading peter Sewell's SIGCOMM paper on TCP?
>
> On 6 May 2015 01:32, "Richard Mortier" <richard.mortier@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>
>> A little late, but finally got round to writing up some notes on the
>> conversation a couple of weeks ago on how we might approach testing in
>> Mirage.
>>
>> """
>> # Notes
>>
>> + Testing is used for a variety of purposes. Of note for us are:
>> reproduction of reported issues; regression testing of previously
>> fixed issues; unit testing within a component; and continuous
>> integration testing of an entire component
>>
>> + Perhaps the key problem at this stage is that the stack does not appear
>> to
>> have an explicit design guideline: it is unclear whether it is intended to
>> be
>> copying/non-copying; to accept and provide aligned/unaligned buffers
>> to/from
>> applications; to be blocking/non-blocking; or buffer ownership policy.
>>
>>   + Confusion was expressed over whether `NetIf.write` is intended to
>> assemble a list of buffer fragments or transmit a list of complete
>> packet buffers. Magnus confirms: `NetIf.writev` assembles a list of
>> buffer fragments to a new buffer, `NetIf.write` just writes a buffer.
>> I think `Netif` is the module that is currently responsible for
>> assembling in `writev`, as the list of buffers seems to be just passed
>> on to `Netif` in the other modules.
>>
>> + There is evidence that at least some parts of the stack currently
>> require blocking behaviour, eg., `tcpip` deadlocks if blocking is not
>> introduced -- from Magnus: "mirage-tcpip requires that Netif calls the
>> listener callback with Lwt.async/ignore_result, as tcpip blocks in
>> some of the listener threads while it is waiting for more data (e.g.
>> for an mvar to be updated)". `NetIf` and `Io-page.1.3.0` recently
>> changed API to always copy data.
>>
>> + Longer term there is a perceived need to start splitting protocol
>> libraries to provide separate front- and back-end implementations
>> following the practice in `vchan`. Separation of `tcpip` into several
>> submodules that permit independent testing (`SlidingWindow`, etc) was
>> also recommended.
>>
>> + Inter-layer testing is a pain on Travis but may be ultimately
>> supported using `VNetIf` and a front/backend separation. Also required
>> for regular performance testing so we can build `is-mirage-fast`.
>>
>>   + From Magnus: "mirage-vnetif has now been released in opam and
>> tests for connect and iperf in travis have been added to tcpip:
>>
>> https://github.com/mirage/mirage-tcpip/tree/master/lib_test
>>
>> I've also added a backend to test trailing bytes. The tests can be run
>> in alcotest verbose mode to see the measured speed."
>>
>> + Similarly, it was also suggested that a non-blocking API is
>> ultimately preferable as it provides more explicit control over queues
>> and pushback throughout stack, vs the current practice where listen
>> threads accumulate data and eventually return.
>>
>> # Actions
>>
>> [djs]: Tell us where to look in the mirage-xen front/backend code, and
>> to write down what actually happens there. Find out about XenRT
>> graphs.
>>
>> [magnus]: Document `NetIf`. Send link to blog post network setup; verify
>> iperf
>> over `VNetIf` works. Send pointers to tests for NSDI/Jitsu.
>>
>>   + "I've added documentation and examples for the mirage-vnetif
>> network setup in the README:
>> https://github.com/MagnusS/mirage-vnetif/blob/master/README.md Tests
>> for jitsu/synjitsu are under development ... but not quite there yet
>> :-) We are tracking progress here:
>> https://github.com/mirage/jitsu/issues/11";
>>
>> [mort]: Document that `mirage-net-pcap` should be used to gather
>> `.pcap` files for a bug report. File issue on `ocaml-vchan` for
>> @samoht to use alcotest. File issue for `TROVE` to indicate tests and
>> passes, Travis status, and maintainer.
>>
>> [masoud]: Setup to run perf tests daily and automatically report findings.
>>
>> [thomas]: Create `ocaml-test-skeleton` basing off "best practice" in
>> vchan/ alcotest/ocaml-irmin.
>>
>> [mindy]: Build a simple example of testing for a single-layer of the
>> stack (ARP) using Irmin.
>> """
>>
>> --
>> Richard Mortier
>> richard.mortier@xxxxxxxxxxxx
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> MirageOS-devel mailing list
>> MirageOS-devel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> http://lists.xenproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mirageos-devel



-- 
Richard Mortier
richard.mortier@xxxxxxxxxxxx

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