In recent years, UNH-IOL has expanded beyond just test services, and now offers several conformance test tools that members can use to replicate the UNH-IOL capability in their own labs. One example of this is the IOL INTERACT tool used for NVMe conformance testing. There are two versions of the IOL INTERACT tool, and we'll be discussing both of them.
WHAT IS IOL INTERACT?
The IOL INTERACT software is a tool designed to expedite and automate the testing of NVMe SSDs. The NVMe Promoters Group has focused its interop and test program around an Integrators List housed by the UNH-IOL. In order for a product to be listed on the NVMe Integrators List, it must go through conformance and interop testing at the UNH-IOL. Since being included on the Integrators List is so important, UNH-IOL has made it priority to allow customers to be able to replicate UNH-IOL capability in their own labs, to raise confidence that products will pass the Integrators List requirements when submitted to the UNH-IOL for testing.
All conformance testing is based on the UNH-IOL NVMe Conformance Test Suite, written by UNH-IOL and vetted by the NVMe Promoters Group. All IOL INTERACT tools are designed to perform the tests defined in the UNH-IOL NVMe Conformance Test Suite.
IOL INTERACT PC EDITION
Early in the development of NVMe, a test tool called tNVMe was created and made available as an open source project on github. Using a command line interface, users could perform NVMe conformance testing. The only requirements were to use a PC with an Intel PCIe chipset and Ubuntu Linux. Recently UNH-IOL become the admin for the tNVMe project on github, and is contributing modifications and fixes.
While powerful, the tNVMe tool on its own was not suited for use in a formal test program. With that in mind, UNH-IOL created the IOL INTERACT PC EDITION to streamline the performance of the tests required for the NVMe Integrators List. This allows the testing to be fully automated. Several UNH-IOL customers have used the IOL INTERACT PC EDITION tool in their labs to verify that their products meet the NVMe Integrators List requirements.
IOL INTERACT TELEDYNE-LECROY EDITION
UNH-IOL has partnered with TELEDYNE-LECROY to utilize the TELEDYNE-LECROY SIERRA PCIe Test System for performing the NVMe conformance tests as well. IOL INTERACT TELEDYNE-LECROY EDITION automates the performance of the NVMe conformance tests, and saves the detailed PCIe trace logs of the traffic between the test tool and the device under test to aid in debugging. Having the trace logs is essential for any deep debugging.
CONCLUSION
UNH-IOL expanding beyond test services into has been a great opportunity both for our students and our customers. Our students serve as the admins for open source projects that we use in our test tools, and our customers are able to replicate some of the extensive UNH-IOL capability in their home labs.
For more information on IOL INTERACT, please Contact Us.
David Woolf, Senior Technical Staff