SLAMD

SLAMD is a distributed load-generation engine written in 100% Java distributed under the Sun Public License. The SLAMD framework was originally designed to benchmark LDAP servers, but the extensible design permits and encourages benchmarking for any type of application. SLAMD Example Job Classes are distributed with the framework.

Architecture

SLAMD uses a distributed model consisting of a server (SLAMD is distributed with Apache Tomcat) and clients. The operator schedules a new job using a browser, and submits the job for execution. The server sends the scheduled job to selected clients, these clients then generate load based on parameters defined in the SLAMD job class and report results back to the SLAMD Server. SLAMD 2.0.0-alpha1 uses the Berkeley DB Java Edition. [http://www.slamd.com/downloads/slamd-2.0.0-alpha1-release-notes.pdf]

Extensibility

:"SLAMD provides a Java-based API to make it possible to quickly develop custom workloads, and it also contains an embedded scripting engine that can make it easy to stress applications using protocols like LDAP, HTTP, SMTP, IMAP, and POP, or any database that can be accessed via JDBC. It also includes tools for recording and playing back TCP traffic, and a utility for intercepting LDAP communication and writing it as a script that may be executed in the SLAMD scripting engine." [ [http://www.slamd.com SLAMD Distributed Load Generation Engine - Home ] ]

SLAMD jobs are managed by Java classes. New SLAMD job classes can be created by writing Java code using a well-defined API [http://www.slamd.com/docs/slamd_job_developers_guide.pdf] , compiling the Java code, and installing the Job Class (the class is installed on the servers and the server pushes it out to the clients).

Installation

Supported Systems

SLAMD is supported on any computer operating system that supports Java, such as Solaris, Linux, AIX, HPUX, and Windows.

Jobs

Benchmarking "campaigns" are a series of SLAMD jobs. SLAMD jobs are created by filling in the forms in the "Schedule a New Job" page. The operator sets up a job via a browser, then submits the job. The Server sends the job to SLAMD Clients.

The SLAMD Clients generate load based on parameters in the SLAMD job class. Parameters can be items such as duration, ramp-up and ramp-down, and any other parameter defined in the Job Class.

Reporting

SLAMD generates reports in the following formats:

* HTML
* Portable Document Format
* text

See also

* Benchmarking

Notes

External links

* [http://slamd2.dev.java.net SLAMD at java.net]
* [http://www.slamd.com SLAMD website]
* [http://management.about.com/cs/benchmarking/a/Benchmarking.htm Benchmarking at about.com]
* [http://www.isixsigma.com/me/benchmarking/ Six Sigma]