Name

netx − TCP/IP net exerciser

Syntax

/usr/field/netx [ −h ] [ −tn B ] [ −pm ] nodename

Description

The netx exerciser sets up a stream socket connection to the miscd() server in the TCP/IP internet domain. With connection made, the exerciser writes random data to the miscd server; the server loops the data back to netx, and the data is read and verified against the data written out.

The netx exerciser runs in conjunction with the miscd() server.

The netx exerciser by default will use the port number of the echo service in the /etc/services file. Make sure that the TCP echo service is enabled in the /etc/inetd.conf file (no ‘#’ in front of the service). The exerciser will run until <CTRLC> or kill −15 pid is sent to the process.  The nodename is the remote or local system host name running the miscd() server.

Options

The netx options are:

−hPrint the help message for the netx command.

−tnRun time in minutes (n).  The default is to run until the process receives <CTRLC> or kill −15 pid. 

−pmSpecify port number to use in internet domain (m < 32768).  Note that this option is not used with the miscd() server, so you should never have to use this option.

Restrictions

If there is a need to run a system exerciser over an NFS link or on a diskless system, there are some restrictions.  For exercisers that need to write into a file system, such as fsx(,), the target file system must be writable by root.  Also the directory, in which any of the exercisers are executed, must be writable by root because temporary files are written into the current directory.  These latter restrictions are sometimes difficult to overcome because often NFS file systems are mounted in a way that prevents root from writing into them.  Some of the restrictions may be overcome by copying the exerciser to another directory and then executing it.

Examples

The following example exercises the TCP/IP network from the local host to node keel until a <CTRLC> or kill −15 pid is received:

% /usr/field/netx keel

The following example exercises the TCP/IP network from the local host to node photon for 180 minutes in the background:

% /usr/field/netx −t180 photon &

See Also

Guide to System Exercisers