N8Mail and N7Mail workloads

The N8Mail and N7Mail workloads model an active user on a Notes® 8 client and Notes® 7 client respectively, acting on a Domino® 8 server performing the same set of calendaring and mail operations. An average user will run this script four times per hour.

About this task

Each script iteration reads five documents (replying to one message every other iteration), moves one document, deletes two documents, opens and closes one database, opens, scrolls, and closes one view, sends one memo to one recipient, every other iteration sends 1 memo to three recipients, and performs name look ups on the Domino® Directory. Once per two hour period, the test schedules one appointment, sends one invitation to the recipients, and accepts one invitation. Messages are deposited in the SUT's mailbox. Even though this document will reference N8Mail throughout, all of the initialization and workload settings and operations are identical for the N7Mail workload.

This test measures:

  • Throughput of completed Notes® operations
  • Average response time at maximum capacity
  • Maximum number of mail users supported
  • The resulting capacity metric for a mail-only server is the maximum number of users that can be supported before the average user response time becomes unacceptable.

System under test (SUT) is required.

If you have not already created mail databases, do so before running the test. Use the N8Mail Initialization workload to create the mail files.

NOTES.INI settings for the N8Mail Driver

About this task

The following table shows required variables that do not appear on the Script Variables box:

Table 1. Required variables

NOTES.INI setting

Description

Domain=MyDomain

SUT's domain.

NB_MAIL_SAVE_MESSAGE=1

When sending a memo, save to the Sent folder.

NB_PERCENT_ATTACHEMENTS_READ=25

What percentage should be read out of all attachments encountered.

NABENTRIES=1

Number of valid users on the server.

NB_MailRealFromField=1

The Notes® ID file.

MailRecipientBeginNumber=1

The Beginning of the range of users from which to choose a random recipient.

MailRecipientEndNumber=1000

The end of the range of users from which to choose a random recipient.

ContextIteration1=24

The iteration interval in which to add a calendar appointment (24 = once per 6 hour period).

ContextIteration2=24

The iteration interval in which to send a meeting invitation (24 = once per 6 hour period).

ContextIteration3=24

The iteration interval in which to respond to a calendar invite (24 = once per 6 hour period).

RUNTIME=9999

How long over all the entire test should run.

NOTES.INI settings for the N8Mail SUT

About this task

  • Log_MailRouting. Set to 20 for minimal logging, or to 10 for no logging (minimizes logging while testing.) Set it to 40 to display additional routing information on the console; for example, to verify that messages are being routed by the Router and MTA tasks.
  • ServerTasks=Replica,Router,Update,AMgr,Adminp,Sched,CalConn,RnRMgr,LDAP,HTTP
  • IMAP_Session_Timeout. Set to 60.

Other suggested SUT settings include:

  • Server_Pool_Tasks=100
  • Server_Max_Concurrent_Trans=100
  • SERVER_SHOW_PERFORMANCE=1

Server document settings for the N8Mail workload

About this task

Ensure that the Basics tab of the Server document contains these settings:

  • Routing tasks: Mail Routing, SMTP Mail Routing
  • SMTP listener task: Enabled
  • Fully Qualified Internet host name: servername.company.com

Be sure to enable Mail Journaling and Transaction Logging on the Server document.

Running the N8Mail or N7Mail workload

Procedure

  1. Make sure that you already completed the procedure to run the N8Mail Initialization workload.
  2. On the SUT, do the following:
    • Start the Calendar Connector task (Calconn).
    • In the Configuration Settings document on the Router/SMTP Basics tab, set the field Number of mailboxes to 2 or higher.
  3. In the Test Type field, choose Built-In, and then choose N8Mail Workload or N7Mail Workload test from the list.
  4. Click the Test Parameters tab. If you are running the test on multiple clients, increment the value of the Starting Thread No. parameter when you run the test on each client.
    Table 2. Test Parameters tab

    Variable

    Action

    MailServer

    Enter the canonical name of the mail server -- for example, CN=MailServer1/O=Renovations.

    nb_dbdir

    Enter a database directory relative to the Notes® data directory. Recommended value is mail\.

    MailTemplate

    Enter the name of the mail file template.

    NB_N8_NUM_READ_ENTRIES/

    NB_N7_NUM_READ_ENTRIES

    Number of entries to read (Notes® 8 or Notes® 7, depends on which workload is selected.)

    %NUMCALENTRIES%

    Set by LocateCalNote, but for init purposes, set to 0.

    NB_ReplyNthIteration

    When reading notes, how often, based on iteration, to reply to one message.

    NB_Memo1NumRecipients

    The number of recipients for the first memo.

    NB_Memo1NthIteration

    How often to send first memo.

    NB_Memo2NumRecipients

    The number of recipients for the second memo.

    NB_Memo2NthIteration

    How often to send second memo.

    NB_InvtNumRecipients

    Number of Recipients for sending an invite.

    ScriptIterationLimit

    Enter the number of times the outer loop of the test script runs. Recommended value is 1. This value must match the value in the Script Loop Count field on the Test Parameters tab.

  5. Optional: Click the Stop Conditions tab to set a stop condition.
  6. Click Execute.
  7. Optional: Select metrics to monitor.
  8. Optional: In the Server to receive console commands field, enter the name of the SUT.
  9. Click Start Test.