CDS Data Throughput Performance Testing

 

 

 

Introduction

 

            This document provides instructions on setting up the CdsStress program in order to test data throughput performance of the Caching Data Server (CDS) on your Server PC.

 

What is tested – CDS data throughput performance, including total CPU, memory access, archive system and potentially network performance.

 

What is not tested – Complete system performance, including functions such as nulling, Client data access and Database updates in real-time.

 

Overview

 

            The CdsStress kit includes all the programs an input files necessary to the run CDS for performance testing.  The kit includes these files:

 

            1. CdsStrss.exe – this is a simulated data source program.  It easily allows increasing the data throughput, the number of parameters and the sample rate mix to effectively simulate a real-world data scenario.  It automatically creates the IADS Configuration file (the IADS Database) and the CDS PRN (parameter definitions) files used by the CDS.  These files are created every time the CdsStress program is run.

 

            2. parmInfo.txt – Input file to the CdsStress program for setting up the various data output rates.  This file is meant to edited by you to set the data throughput rate of the CdsStress Program

 

            3. iadsCds.init – Input file to set CDS run-time properties settings.

 

            4. CDS Data Throughput Testing Instructions.pdf – This document.

 

* Note:  This kit does not include the CDS or IADS Client executables.

 

Steps to run the data throughput tests

 

1)       Download the CDS Stress program kit from the SYMVIONICS, Inc. Web Site

 

                        http://www.symvionics.com/products/IADS/downloads.html

 

                        It's Item #3 Under the "Data Processing Examples" section

 

2)       Unzip all the files onto your system.  If you put all the files into the c:\CdsFiles directory then the included IadsCDS.init file will not need to be modified greatly.

 

3)       Make a shortcut to the CdsStress.exe application. Make a shortcut to the CDS.exe application.

 

4)       Add this command line option to the CDS shortcut:

CDS /StartupFile c:\CdsFiles\IadsCds.init

 

5)       Run the CdsStress program (see Appendix A for sample output screen).  This will output an IADS Configuration and PRN files to the CdsFiles directory.

 

6)       Modify the data location property in the IadsCds.init file to point the data output path to the proper data archive drives on your system:

 

LOCATION1 = C:/CdsFiles/IadsOutputFiles

POSTFLIGHTCONFIG = C:/CdsFiles/IadsOutputFiles/pfConfig

 

7)       Modify the data location property to point to the PC that the CdsStress program is running on.  The Port Id does not need to be modified.

 

DATALOCATION = Pat3600 49000

 

8)       Run the CDS.  The CDS uses the property settings in the IadsCds.init file in order to find the PRN and Configuration files, and connect to the CdsStress data source program.  Enter a “20” on the CDS screen to validate the IADS Configuration. Once complete, enter a “30” to start real-time.  If everything is setup correctly then the CDS will start receiving data and validate time, see Appendix B for a successful CDS run screen.

 

 

Examining Performance

 

            The primary test is to run the system and monitor CDS memory usage.  Because the CDS is designed to use memory on a demand basis any overrun conditions are determined by an ever increasing memory usage on the Server PC which can be monitored by using the Windows Task Manager (see Appendix C).  Each test may take up to an hour before memory usage stabilizes.

            Another test is to connect an IADS Client to the CDS and examine the IRIG time on the dashboard with time output of the CdsStress program and verify that they continue to match.

 

Shutting down

 

            Enter a “99” on the CDS menu and the application will shutdown.  This may take a few minutes to close the archive files.  The CdsStress program will then be ready for another connect, therefore it can continue to run.  However it will need to be re-launched if another data through put set is setup in the parmInfo.txt file.

 

Conclusion

 

            The CdsStress program was written to help end users determine their system’s performance capabilities for the CDS. Currently on machines such as Dell’s 2950 the CDS can process 64000 parameters at 1 Mega sample aggregate data rate. Performance may vary depending on the Server’s capabilities and the network performance to the data source sender. 

 

Appendix A

Sample Running CdsStress Screen

 

 

 

 

 

Appendix B

Sample Running CDS Screen

 

 

 

 

 

Appendix C

Task Manager Performance Monitor