README

README for lmbench-next
==========================

The goal is to modernize lmbench so that it runs smooth on modern Linux systems.
It probably breaks stuff for non-Linux systems.

Major changes compared to version 3.0-a9:
* Refine cross-compile support
* Remove dependency on make on the target
* Support WARMUPS, REPETITIONS parameters from lmbench script
* Allow realtime scheduler and CPU pinning for most test cases
* Set default compiler optimization to -O2
* Add information about used compiler and flags to output
* Removed hand-written HTTP 1.0 server and rhttp tests
* Removed MP/SYNC_MAX from default script
* add cgroup support
* Fixed bugs

Apart from minor changes the testcases stay unmodified.


To run the benchmark, you'll need to create a config file first.
The config file could be created manualy from configs/template
or using the (incomplete) scripts/config-run. 

	[set CROSS_COMPILE and ARCH to your toolchain]
	make
	[copy bin/$ARCH to your target]
	run bin/$ARCH/lmbench <config file>

Be warned that many of these benchmarks are sensitive to other things
being run on the system, mainly from CPU cache and CPU cycle effects.
So it is a good idea to stop as much as possible programs, disable
power management, etc.

It's a good idea to do several runs and compare the output. Also
WARMUPS and REPETITIONS parameters help to increase stability of the
result.

Questions/Feedback welcome: jan <dot> glauber <at> gmail <dot> com