VMmark mailserver score is 0.00 and NOT compliant

[astutedm]

I'm trying to get a valid run with my single tile configuration, but my results file states that the run is NOT compliant.  In addition, all of my mailserver scores are "0.00".  I have run a standalone LoadGen (using vmmark2initializationtemplate.xml) against my mailserver and it ran without error.

My" Score_1_Tile_Test.out", "STAX_Job_3_User.log", and "vmmark2initializationtemplate.xml" are attached.  Any suggestions are appreciated.

[Joshua Schnee]

Running loadgen without error doesn't necessarily mean all was well.  Can you run it again and attach the Loadgen*html file that gets generated after the run has completed?

Also, I should point out that your storage seems to be a very big bottleneck here.  Some of your DVDstore latencies are well over 3s (it should be under 500ms).  Failing to meet the QoS requirements of the benchmark is what is causing your result to be marked non-compliant.

-Joshua

[astutedm]

My Loadgen*.html file is attached.  Also, I'm looking into the DVDstore latencies.  Thanks.

[Joshua Schnee]

This output seems to indicate your mailserver is doing the actions.  The latencies here are very large though, some over 5 seconds (average). 

At this point I'd suggest you zip up the results folder from your last run (make sure there is a mailserver0.wrf) and let me take a look.

-Joshua

[astutedm]

Results folder is attached.  Thanks.

[Joshua Schnee]

From what I can see the counters never recorded any of the loadgen statistics.  You might try another run where you only have mailserver active to see if it is load related.  If it's not you might try reinstalling loadgen.

To do this, in your VMMARK2.config file, change the following variables

WORKLOADLIST="MailServer"

INFRASTRUCTURELIST=""

After that completes, zip up the results directory and attach it to this thread and I'll take another look.

-Joshua

[astutedm]

The results folder with only the MailServer workload is attached.  Thanks.

[Joshua Schnee]

OK, still no actual work being captured.  I'd go ahead and try uninstalling and reinstalling Loadgen, maybe something went wrong there. 

Some additional questions for debug:

1.  Is your prime client also client0? 

2.  What version of Windows is your prime client and client0?  (Windows 2008?, 32bit/64bit?, Service Pack?, etc)

3.  What version of Exchange did you install on your mailserver?

4.  What version of Exchange tools did you install on client0?

-Joshua

[astutedm]

Joshua,

To answer your questions ...

1) Yes, my prime client is client0

2) My prime client/client0 is running Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard, 64-bit, SP1

3) I am running Exchange Server 2007 on my mailserver

4) I'm not sure exactly which version of Exchange tools I installed ... Does 08.03.0192.001 sound right? How can I determine for sure?

Thanks.

[Joshua Schnee]

Hi,

Some return comments by number:

2)  The correct version of Windows should be the Enterprise one.  See the section "Client Software Requirements" in the latest benchmarking guide.

3)  There are many versions of Exchange Server 2007 (SP1,SP2,etc).  If you open the Control Planel you should be able to add the column "Version" and see the exact version.  This is what I need.

4.  See #3 as I need the same information.

Did you try uninstalling loadgen and resinstalling?

-Joshua

[astutedm]

I uninstalled/reinstalled loadgen and did a short, 15 minute run (results attached).  Which file indicates whether or not there was activity?

Thanks.

[Joshua Schnee]

The mailserver*wrf file is where I'm looking.

At this point I suspect that the latency/storage issues you're having are prohibiting Loadgen from initializing within the required 300 seconds.  To manually watch this.

On the Primeclient /client0:

1. Open a command prompt

2  Type "staf local shutdown shutdown".

3. Run C:\STAF\startSTAFProc.bat

You should now see the STAF window with something like "STAFProc version 3.4.4 initialized" or whatever version your using.

Restart Test.

After the test gets underway you should see the Loadgen Window pop up on client0 with the Microsoft Exchange Load Generator output.  Continue to watch this window.  If at the point the LoadGen Initialization thread (within the STAX Job Monirot) finishes before you see "Starting simulation..." within the Load Generator output window on client0, then I'm right.

If this is the case, I'd recommend adding more storage (extra drives would be best) to your primeclient/client0 or splitting them out (IE one system for the prime client work and one system to be client0's client).

-Joshua

[astutedm]

Joshua,

Here's what I'm seeing ... The LoadGen window pops-up and says something about 'configuring', but then about five seconds later it closes.  I did not see any errors indicated before it closed.  Is this expected?  Then, in the STAX Job Montior, I see the 'LoadGen Initialization (300 seconds)' and 'LoadGen Running' job elements.

Another observation from the vSphere performance monitor ... Before LoadGen initialization starts, I see a burst of I/O activity to may datastore during the 'mailserver restore' process, which lasts for five minutes.  After the mailserver restore, there is no I/O activity at all.

Any other thoughts?

Thanks.

[Joshua Schnee]

If the window is closing like that then it seems you have other issues. I'd suggest that you retry running manually with the loadgen GUI,

Make sure you point it at the c:\vclient0\mailserver\vmmark2-mailserver0.xml file.

Also, make sure that you don't have to edit any of the input fields. It should require no user interaction other than clicking next until the simulation starts.

Thanks,

-Joshua

[astutedm]

When I try to run LoadGen using "vmmark2-mailserver-0.xml", I get an error stating that there are no users (-1).  Previously, when running LoadGen manually, I had pointed it to "vmmark2initializationtemplate.xml" and it works fine with that file (1000 users).  How is "vmmark2-mailserver-0.xml" generated?

[Joshua Schnee]

Its generated by the harness. Double check the values you have in the VMmark2.config are correct.

-Joshua

[astutedm]

I’ve doubled-checked my VMMARK2.CONFIG file and everything seems correct. In the benchmarking guide, it walks though customizations to “vmmark2initializationtemplate.xml”, but I don’t see those customizations getting translated to “vmmark2-mailserver-0.xml”. Is there any relationship between these two xml files? If not, then how is “vmmark2initializationtemplate.xml” used?

[Joshua Schnee]

The initialization file is only used to initialize the mail store prior to any runs starting. The other is created at run time by the harness. You might try following the instructions for deleting the mail store then go back through the initialization section again. I expect you may have missed something in that section.

-Joshua

[astutedm]

I have already recreated my mail store prior to encountering the current issues.

[Joshua Schnee]

That's why I said you might need to delete first. If no users are found something during setup is going wrong.

If you're still running into issues just send me a direct message with your email and I'll coordinate more directly with you.

-Joshua