Test Design of `goconserver` Regression Testing

Introduction

A new console server facility, goconserver was introduced in xCAT for quite a time. This goconserver is intend to replace the existing console server, conserver used as a part of xCAT for decade. This test design is intend to provide a plan for the regression testing against goconserver in xCAT 2.14 release. Since xCAT version 2.14 will be an important release in the near future.

Test Strategy

Basic Function Verification

Scenario 1 - Installation

Test package installation on the following Linux distro, and architecture combinations.

• Fresh installation
• Upgrade goconserver package from previous version, say 2.1.0. Verify if the existing configuration can be preserved.

Linux Distro	Architecture
RHEL 7.5	x86-64
RHEL 7.5	ppc64le
RHEL 7.5 ALT	ppc64le
Ubuntu 16.04	x86-64
Ubuntu 16.04	ppc64le

Scenario 2 - Normal Console Functionality

Test if the console can work normally with the console of the following machine type, console, and architecture combinations.

Machine Type	Console Type	Architecture
IBM OpenPOWER	OpenBMC	ppc64le
IBM OpenPOWER	IPMI	ppc64le
IBM OpenPOWER	KVM	ppc64le
IBM System x	IPMI	x86-64
IBM PowerVM LPAR	HMC	ppc64

Scenario 3 - Recovery

Verify the console can continue work in the following conditions.

• Restart a compute node
• Restart the OpenBMC on a OpenPOWER machine with OpenBMC
• Restart the BMC on a OpenPOWER machine with IPMI
• Disconnect the network between the console server and the OpenBMC/BMC

Scenario 4 - Log Redirection

• Redirect console log of compute nodes to remote rsyslogd, which is listen on UDP 514 port.
• Redirect console log of compute nodes to remote rsyslogd, which is listen on TCP 514 port.

Scenario 5 - Hierarchy Support

• Use goconserver with xCAT service node involved.

Scenario 99 - Documentation

• Verify the man page.
• Verify the documentations on Read the Docs.

In scenario 2 through 99, goconserver will be tested and run on a RHEL 7.5 ppc64le environment.

Bug Verification

Verify if the following bugs were fixed in the Release Candidate build.

• Need RETRY in congo session, if something went wrong and disconnected the ssh session
• Escape sequence is sent to the remote side, which should be avoid
• Send SIGSTOP and then SIGCONT to congo cause it crash
• After /var file system filled up, congo console stop working
• Consider log rotate
• When console is not created, the error message doesn't help user
• Output plugins
• File output timestamps are output before their content
• TCP output contains carriage returns at the end of message
• LineLogger NewLineBuf timestamp format
• RPM upgrade overwrites server.conf

Reference

1. Test Design of goconserver Support
2. Test Design of gonconserver redirect logs