[comp.protocols.tcp-ip] Test suite for IP based systems

dnwcv@dcatla.UUCP (William C. VerSteeg) (08/25/88)

Is there an application program written to test IP based systems ?
Public domain code would be best, but I would consider paying for 
a good test suite. I recall that somebody was trying to start a 
firm for this purpose, but I never heard any hard facts about a test suite.

What I am looking for is something that I can put on a private ethernet
cable, do some minimal configuration (i.e give it some IP addresses and 
the applications that I want tested), and walk away
from. I would like to come back and have a printout saying "Yes the target
knows about redirects", "The target responds to the following Telnet
negotiations properly", "The target can FTP a file at xxxxx Bytes/Sec",etc.

I need this suite for regression testing of systems that I am
modifying. It is so time consuming to make sure 
nothing breaks as I add new features to my code. If such a system doesn't
exist, would anybody like to work with me to put one together?


Bill VerSteeg
Digital Communications Associates

LYNCH@A.ISI.EDU (Dan Lynch) (08/27/88)

Bill,  I know of no such wonderful regression test suite.  DCA has developed
(via a contractor) a whole set of tests for TCP/IP and the three applications
that does what you want, but it requires putting a lot of probe points in the
tested system.  The software is available from NBS now.

Dan
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messing@MCL.UNISYS.COM (Judy Messing) (08/31/88)

Bill,
The DCA Upper Level Test System, the DCA system referred to by Dan Lynch, is 
available through NTIS (National Technical Information Service).  It does not 
require any tuning of your protocol implementation.  It does however 
require simple application programs (specifications for which are also
available from NTIS) which act as the upper level user of your protocol.
The Test System refers to this programs as remote drivers. Currently,
the Test System runs using Ultrix 1.1.  I believe DCA has plans to port
the system to other operating systems.

We developed this system for DCA and often used the test suites in regression
testing as we tried to ensure that adding new capabilities did not break
things that formerly worked. If you have further questions, I'll be glad
to answer them.

Judy Messing
Unisys