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Addanc Reference Manual
Addanc User Guide

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Brick User Guide

Brick Command Line Options

The AddancBrick is used to produce test loads for web based applications. The basic invocation is:

brick.py [switches] <script file> <arrival rate> [<testID>]

The <script file> and <arrival rate> specifications are mandatory.

The <script file> command line entry specifies the path to a XML file containing the test script. The format of the XML script file is described in the Script Files section of this document..

The <arrival rate> command line entry is an ASCII floating point number specifying the arrival rate in terms of the number of new Virtual Clients per minute.

The <testID> command line entry is used to specify an unique test id. This test id is used by the MySQL instrumentation recorder to tag data from this instance of the brick. Multiple bricks, running on (possibly) distributed workstations, may use the same unique test id to collate instrumentation data collected during a cooperative test run. The <testID> command line entry is required only when the MySQL instrumentation recorder is enabled.

The optional switches control aspects of Addanc behavior and test specification. The test specification switches allow the user to define virtual client behavior parameters and the start and elapsed time for a test run. The test specification switches are:


 --startdelay=<TESTSTARTDELAY>
-s<TESTSTARTDELAY>
 Set the delay, in <TESTSTARTDELAY> seconds, before generating traffic from the first virtual client. If this option is not defined, Addanc will start generating test traffic immediately upon invocation.

--elapsedtime==<ELAPSEDTIME>
-e<ELAPSEDTIME>

 Define the time, in <ELAPSEDTIME> seconds, that Addanc will continue to generate new Virtual Clients and their corresponding test traffic. If this option is not set, Addanc will continue to generate test traffic indefinitely. An Addanc test can be stopped by typing ^C (CTRL-C).

--runout
-r
 When a test elapsed time period expired, or a test is terminated manually, if this option is set, Addanc will allow any virtual clients that have started generating test traffic to complete their assigned script. If this option is not set, all virtual clients will be stopped immediately when a test elapsed period expires or the test is stopped manually.

Another set of Addanc options display configuration information or control the operation of the brick:


 --version Display the version number of Addanc and exit.

--help
-h
 Display a help notice and exit.

--logfile=<LOGFILENAME>
-f<LOGFILENAME>
 Specify the filename (and path) for the AddancBrick  log file. If this option is not specified, the log file name defaults to addanc.brick.log.

--config=<CONFIGFILENAME>
-c<CONFIGFILENAME>
 Specify the filename (and path) for the AddancBrick's configuration file name. See the Brick Configuration Files section for information on the format and contents of this file.

--configlog=<LOGCONFIGFILENAME>
-lLOGCONFIGFILENAME>
 Specify the filename (and path) for the AddancBrick's logging configuration file. If this option is not specified, the logging configuration information will be read from the file addanc.log.config.See the Brick Configuration Files section for information on the format and contents of this file.

--measurmentsfile=<INSTFILENAME>
-m<INSTFILENAME>
 Specify the filename (and path) of the Addanc instrumentation file. If this option is not specified, the instrumentation file name defaults to addanc.instrumentation. The format and contents of this file are described below.

--heartbeat=<HEARTBEAT>
 Set the time (in <HEARTBEAT> seconds) between Addanc heartbeat messages to the log file and console. If this option is not specified, heartbeat messages are sent/displayed every 2 seconds. A heartbeat message displays the current queue depth of various internal queues which can be useful for tracing the performance of the system under test.

--daemon
-d
 Run the brick in daemon mode. Detach from the console and receive commands on the jabber channel.

--pidfile=<PID_FILE_NAME>
 Specify the filename (and the path) where the brick will write the PID when started in beamon mode. If this option is not set, the PID filename defaults to addanc.brick.pid.

Yet another set of options give the user the ability to set Jabber server information and the brick's jabber account information.


 --jid=<JID>
-j<JID> 		Set the jabber ID (<JID>) of the brick's jabber account. The JAD should specify the fully qualified domain name of the jabber server; e.g., addanc_brick@myjabber.mydomain.com.

--password=<JABBERPASSWORD>
-p<JABBERPASSWORD>

 Specify the jabber password to be used when authorizing the Brick's jabber account.

--commander=<COMMANDERJID>
-o<COMMANDERJID>
 Specify the jabber ID (<COMMANDERJID>)of the AddancCommander component. The JAD should specify the fully qualified domain name of the jabber server; e.g., addanc_commander@myjabber.mydomain.com.

--brickid=<RESOURCE_NAME>
-i<RESOURCE_NAME>
 Specify the Brick ID (<RESOURCE_NAME>)to be used as this brick instance's resourse ID when registering with the AddancCommander component. This allows multiple bricks to share a single jabber account and yet remain individually addressable by the AddancCommander.



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Page Updated: 02/09/2004