Resource: LCE13 Name: Test and Validation Summit: The future of testing at Linaro Date: 09-07-2013 Speaker:

1. Linaro Test and
Validation Summit
Linaro Engineering Teams
LCE13 - Dublin, July 2013
How Do We Better Test our Engineering
2nd Half

2. PART 1: Linaro Platform
Overview
LAVA
Citius,Altius,Fortius
"Faster,Higher,Stronger"
Builds&CI
BuildYourCodeWhenYou
areNotLooking
QAServices
Coverallbases
PART 2: Linaro Engineering
KernelDevelopers
&Maintainers
LandingTeams LinaroGroups
LEG/LNG
(DotheyuseCI? Manual orAutomatedTesting?)*Howdotheyvalidate/verifytheiroutput?
*What/howdotheydevelop?
&easiertouse

3. Linaro Test and
Validation Summit
Mike Holmes
LCE13 - Dublin, July 2013
LNG Engineering

4. ● Create:
Two Linux kernels (with and without RT) and
a yocto filesystem.
● Benchmark:
RT + KVM + HugePage + Dataplane APIs
Required to test kernel and userspace
performance, some tests may be run in both
spaces.
● Platforms:
Arndale, AM335x Starter Kit ? (LSI & TI
boards in future ?) QEMU - versatile Express
?
LNG outputs

5. ● Our code is validated using CI, and
performance trends monitored.
● Our output is verified on one general
purpose ARM platform and against two SoC
vendor platforms via a configurable switch to
allow for dedicated links between nodes
under test.
● Using open source software, we use one
realistic network application, a general
purpose benchmark and five feature specific
test suites.
LNG outputs are verified by

6. Automated testing is done using
● custom scripts run via jenkins & lava executing
○ (RT) LTP (Real Time Test Tree)
○ (RT) Cyclictest
○ (RT) Hackbench
○ (KVM) virt-test
○ (Hugepage) sysbench OLTP
○ (KVM, Hugepage, RT) openvswitch (Kernel and
userspace)
○ (KVM, Hugepage, RT) netperf
○ Traffic test cases via pcap files and tcpreplay
LNG uses these tools

7. ● We test against three branches
○ linux-lng-tip (development)
○ linux-lng-lsk (bug fixes to stable)
○ linux-lng-lsk-RT (bug fixes to stable RT variant)
● LNG specific CFG fragments
○ KVM (or will this be in a lsk kernel per default?)
○ PREEMPT_RT
○ NO_HZ_FULL (or will this be in a lsk kernel per
default?)
○ HUGEPAGE (is that a CFG option?)
LNG Kernel branches / configuration

8. ● Some of the SoC vendors hardware has up to 16 x
10Gb links, generating this much traffic is non trivial.
● Tests equipment such as IXIA traffic generators are
expensive.
● Test equipment needs to be remotely switched between
the different hardware under test in an automated way
● Scheduling test runs that take days and requires
specific equipment to be dedicated to the task.
LNG unique challenges

9. ● Multiple nodes may be needed to test traffic
interoperability.
● It is not feasible to replicate the test environment at
every developer's desk.
● the applied RT patch even when disabled, alters the
execution paths
● Some test run for 24 hours or more
LNG unique challenges

10. Questions
○ LAVA is(isn't) working for us
■ Interactive shells in the LAVA environment would
speed debugging given that testing can only be
performed with the test equipment in the lab
■ Multinode testing, with the reservation and
configuration of network switches is required.
■ Long term trends in performance data need to
analysed and compared for regression analysis,
triggering alerts for deviations.
○ Further thoughts on Friday
○ https://lce-13.zerista.
com/event/member/79674
LNG Q&A

11. Linaro Test and
Validation Summit
Scott Bambrough
LCE13 - Dublin, July 2013
Landing Team Engineering

12. ● Bootloaders
● Linux kernels based on mainline or current
RC's
● Linux kernels based on LSK (expected)
● Ubuntu member builds
● Android member builds
● ALIP member build
Some outputs are public, others confidential.
LT Outputs

13. ● Kernel code is validated using CI in the
Linaro LAVA Lab, on various member
hardware devices and ARM fast models.
● Our kernel code is also validated in member
LAVA labs on both current and next gen
hardware.
● Our builds at present are a sanity tested by
the LT's but most testing is done by
piggybacking on QA or automated testing
set up by the platform team.
Verification of LT outputs

14. ● Currently run only basic compile boot test + default CI
tests (LTP, powermgmt)
● This needs to change, we want/need to do more
● We need more SoC level tests, having LT's aware of
how to produce tests to run in LAVA will become more
important
LT and kernel tests

15. 1. Much better LAVA documentation
2. Document the tests themselves
3. Infrastructure for testing
4. Infrastructure for better analysis of results
LT & Member Services Needs

16. ● Deployment Guide
○ what are the hardware requirements for a LAB
○ what are the infrastructure requirements for a LAB
○ hardware setup, software installation instructions
● Administrator's Guide
○ basically how Dave Piggot does his job
○ after initial setup, day to day ops and maintenance
Better Documentation

17. ● Test Developer's Guide
○ how to integrate tests to be run in lava-test-shell
(lava glue)
○ recommendations on how best to write tests for lava-
test-shell
● User's Guide for lava-test-shell
○ for developers to use lava-test-shell
○ section devoted to using lava-test-shell in workflow
of kernel developer?
Better Documentation

18. ● Impossible to answer the question: What tests are
available in LAVA?
● http://lava-test.readthedocs.org/en/latest/index.html
○ not sufficient, not up to date
○ problem isn't LAVA team, Linaro needs an
acceptance policy on what a test has available
before being used in LAVA
● would like to see meta-data in test documentation that
can be used in test reports
○ in a format that can be used in report generation
Document the tests

19. ● Buddy systems
○ TI LT developed tests that require access to
reference material for comparison
■ video frame captures
■ audio filed
○ TI LT audio/video tests required external box to
capture hdmi/audio output
○ Need to do more of this type of automated testing to
verify that lower level functions work correctly at
BSP level
○ GStreamer insanity test suite requires access to
multimedia content
Infrastructure for Testing

20. ● Web dashboard won't cut it
● need to separate analysis from display
○ rather do an analysis, then decide how to display
● why infrastructure?
○ think there should be a level of reuse for
components used to do analysis
○ think these should be separate from LAVA
○ think of this a more of a data mining operation
Infrastructure for Analysis

21. example:
● generate test report as PDF
○ perform tests, generate a report
○ include metadata regarding tests
■ metadata from test documentation?
example:
● test report comparing:
○ current member BSP kernel
○ current LT kernel based on mainline
● evidence of quality/stability of LT/mainline kernel
● could be used to convince product teams
Infrastructure for Analysis

22. example:
● regression analysis of kernel changes
○ perform tests one day, make changes, test next
○ did any test results change?
■ yes, send report of changes via email
example:
● generate test report as PDF
○ perform tests, generate a report
○ include metadata regarding tests
■ metadata from test documentation?
Infrastructure for Analysis

23. example:
● test report comparing:
○ current member BSP kernel
○ current LT kernel based on mainline
● evidence of quality/stability of LT/mainline kernel
● could be used to convince product teams
Infrastructure for Analysis

24. Linaro Test and
Validation Summit
Kevin Hilman
LCE13 - Dublin, July 2013
Kernel Developer/Maintainer

25. Most kernel development is done with little or
no automation
● build: local, custom build scripts
● boot: manual boot testing on local hardware
● debug: custom unit-test scripts, manual verification of
results
● publish: to public mailing lists
● merged: into maintainer trees, linux-next
● test: manual test of maintainer trees, linux-next
○ but many (most?) developers don't do this
Current workflow: development

26. ● Code review on mailing list
● build/boot testing by maintainers
● build testing in linux-next (manual)
○ several developers do manual build tests of their pet
platforms in linux-next and report failures
● Intel's 0-day tester (automated, but closed)
○ regular, automatic build tests
○ multi-arch build tests
○ boot tests (x86)
○ automatic git bisect for failures
○ very fast results
○ detailed email reports
○ extremely useful
Current workflow: validation

27. This model is "good enough" for most
developers and maintainers, so...
Why should we use Jenkins/LAVA?
Linaro test/validation will have to be
● at least as easy to use (locally and remotely)
● output/results more useful
● faster
○ build time
○ diagnostic time
Current workflow: "good enough"

28. ● Local testing: aid in build, boot, test cycle
○ local LAVA install, using local boards
○ reduce duplication of custom scripts/setup
○ encourage writing LAVA-ready tests
○ easy to switch between local, and remote LAVA lab
● Remote CI: broader coverage
○ "I'm about ready to push this, I wonder if broke any
other platforms..."
○ automatic, fast (ish) response
Potential Usage models

29. ● Has to be easy to install
○ packaged (deb, rpm)
○ or git repo for development (bzr is ......)
● Has to fit into existing developer work flow
○ LAVA does not exclusively own hardware
○ developers have non-Linaro platforms
○ command-line driven
○ must co-exist with existing interactive use of boards
■ existing Apache setup
■ existing TFTP setup
■ existing, customized bootloaders
■ ...
Local testing: LAVA

30. ● Broad testing
● multi-arch (not just ARM)
● ARM: all defconfigs (not just Linaro boards)
○ also: allnoconfig, allmodconfig, randconfig, ...
● Continuous builds
○ Linus' tree, linux-next, arm-soc/for-next, ...
○ developers can submit their own branches
● On-demand builds
○ register a tree/branch
○ push triggers a build
● fast, automatic reporting of failures
○ without manual monitoring/clicking through jenkins
Remote CI

31. Tracking build breakage in upstream trees
● when did build start breaking
● what are the exact build error messages
(without Jenkins click fest)
● which commit (probably) broke the build
○ automated bisect
Useful output: build testing

32. Where is the line between Jenkins and LAVA?
● Jenkins == build, LAVA == test?
● when a LAVA test fails how do I know...
○ was this a new/updated test?
○ was this a new/updated kernel?
○ if so, can I get to the Jenkins build?
In less than 10 clicks?
Issues: Big picture

33. ● "Master image" is not useful
○ LAVA assumes are powered on and running master
image (or will reboot into master image)
○ assumptions about SD card existence, partitioning...
○ assumptions about shell prompts
linaro-test [rc=0] #
○ etc. etc.
● Goal: LAVA directly controls bootloader
○ netboot: get kernel + DTB + initrd via TFTP
○ extension via board-specific bootloader scripting
Tyler's new "bootloader" device support in LAVA
appears to have mostly solved this !!
Issues: LAVA design

34. ● Terminology learning curve
○ dispatcher, scheduler, dashboard
○ device, device-type
○ What is a bundle?
○ WTF is a bundle stream?
○ Documentation... not helpful (enough said)
● Navigation
○ click intensive
○ how to get from a log to the test results? or...
○ from a test back to the boot log?
○ what about build log (Jenkins?)
○ can I navigate from Jenkins log to the LAVA test?
Issues: LAVA usability

35. Kernel + modules: omap2plus_defconfig
● 1 minute
○ hackbox.linaro.org (-j48: 12 x 3.5GHz Xeon, 24G)
● 1.5 minutes
○ khilman local (-j24: 6 x 3.3GHz i7, 16G RAM)
● 8 minutes
○ Macbook Air (-j8: 2 x 1.8GHz i7, 4G)
● 14 minutes
○ Thinkpad T61 (-j4: 2 x Core2Duo, 4G RAM)
● 16 minutes
○ Linaro Jenkins (-j8: EC2 node, built in tmpfs)
● 17 minutes
○ ARM chromebook (-j4: 2 x 1.7 GHz A15, 2G RAM)
Issues: Jenkins performance

36. Linaro Test and
Validation Summit
Grant Likely
LCE13 - Dublin, July 2013
LEG Engineering