XXXX double precision MIPS (Whetstone) per CPU

From Unofficial BOINC Wiki

Contents 1 General 2 Example Log(s) 2.1 Successful Benchmark Run 2.2 Aborting CPU Benchmarks 2.2.1 Line-By-Line Explanation 2.3 Number Of Usable CPUs Has Changed. Running Benchmarks. - Failed 2.3.1 Line-By-Line Explanation 3 Other Related Messages 4 Also See 5 Developer Information

[edit] General

Message Type: Information Message

This message is one of the series of messages that are given to the Participant as the Benchmark Test is run.

This benchmarking process can take place for the following reasons:

• At the Participant's request File Menu "Run CPU Benchmarks" option
• A periodic basis usually once per week
• The BOINC Daemon determines that its Version Number changed.

This means, in general, the BOINC Daemon will run the benchmarks about once a week.

The Benchmark Test runs two main tests to ascertain the speed of the computer:

• Floating Point Unit's (FPU) speed using the Whetstone Benchmark; and the
• Arithmetic and Logic Unit's (ALU) (Integer) speed using the Dhrystone Benchmark.

These are two "industry standard" tests and have been used for decades (maybe it only seems to me like decades). These two numbers are used by the Scheduling Server to estimate the amount of work that can be performed by your computer.

[edit] Example Log(s)

[edit] Successful Benchmark Run

The complete series of messages is as follows:

(01) 5/29/2005 9:57:05 AM|                     |Suspending computation and network activity - 
                                                running CPU benchmarks
(02) 5/29/2005 9:57:05 AM|climateprediction.net|Pausing result 2rx3_300150803_0 
                                                (removed from memory)
(03) 5/29/2005 9:57:05 AM|Einstein@Home        |Pausing result H1_0993.5__0993.5_0.1_T12_Fin1_1
                                                (removed from memory)
(04) 5/29/2005 9:57:07 AM|                     |Running CPU benchmarks
(05) 5/29/2005 9:58:04 AM|                     |Benchmark results:
(06) 5/29/2005 9:58:04 AM|                     |   Number of CPUs: 2
(07) 5/29/2005 9:58:04 AM|                     |   1369 double precision MIPS (Whetstone) per CPU
(08) 5/29/2005 9:58:04 AM|                     |   1765 integer MIPS (Dhrystone) per CPU
(09) 5/29/2005 9:58:04 AM|                     |Finished CPU benchmarks
(10) 5/29/2005 9:58:04 AM|                     |Resuming computation and network activity
(11) 5/29/2005 9:58:04 AM|climateprediction.net|Restarting result 2rx3_300150803_0 using hadsm3
                                                version 4.12
(12) 5/29/2005 9:58:04 AM|Einstein@Home        |Restarting result H1_0993.5__0993.5_0.1_T12_Fin1_1
                                                using einstein version 4.79

Line by Line Explanation

1. Suspending computation and network activity - running CPU benchmarks
   • This Status Message is simply a statement that the BOINC Daemon has stopped doing any work using the Science Applications, but, instead, it is going off-line and doing the speed test.
2. Pausing result 2rx3_300150803_0 (removed from memory)
3. Pausing result H1_0993.5__0993.5_0.1_T12_Fin1_1 (removed from memory)
   • These Status Messages indicates that the Results that are being processed will be suspended and removed from memory. You can see that there are two CPUs in this system and that each of them was processing one Work Unit and that both of these Work Units were halted. Obviously, to get a "fair" test of the CPUs we don't want them running anything else at the same time we are testing the speed of the CPUs. Nor do we want anything in the CPU's Cache.
4. Running CPU benchmarks
   • This Status Message that indicates that the Benchmark Tests have started. There is a pause now that lasts about 2 minutes as the tests are run.
5. Benchmark results:
   • This Information Message indicates that the results of the Benchmark Tests follow.
6. Number of CPUs: 2
   • This Information Message tells you the number of CPUs tested during the Benchmark Test. In my opinion, this is the most important number returned by the Benchmark Test. It is the one that tells you how many processors you have in your computer, at least as far as the BOINC Daemon is concerned. If you have a single physical processor then it should say "1". If you have a dual processor system it should say "2". If you have a Hyper-Threaded processor it should say "2" as there are two "Logical" Processors in the one Physical Processor.
   • If you are real rich, you may have a dual-Xeon with Hyper-Threading in which case you would see "4" CPUs here (I wish *I* had one, actually, I do have one now!).
7. 1369 double precision MIPS (Whetstone) per CPU
   • This Information Message tells you the number of MIPS achieved during the benchmark testing of the Floating Point Unit using the Whetstone Benchmark. The number of "MIPS" completed in a unit time frame (in "x" seconds) is a reasonable measurement of the efficiency of the Floating Point Unit.
8. 1765 integer MIPS (Dhrystone) per CPU
   • This Information Message tells you the number of MIPS achieved during the benchmark testing of the Arithmetic and Logic Unit's (ALU) (Integer) speed using the Dhrystone Benchmark. The number of "MIPS" completed in a unit time frame (in "x" seconds) is a reasonable measurement of the efficiency of the Arithmetic and Logic Unit.
9. Finished CPU benchmarks
   • This Information Message indicates that the running of the Benchmark Test is over and normal processing will start.
10. Resuming computation and network activity
    • This Status Message indicates that the normal running of the BOINC Client Software will begin. This message is simply a statement that the BOINC Daemon is now ready to go back to work doing processing of a Work Unit (or more) using one of the Science Applications instead of being Off-Line and doing the speed test. Yea!
11. Restarting result 2rx3_300150803_0 using hadsm3 version 4.12
12. Restarting result H1_0993.5__0993.5_0.1_T12_Fin1_1 using einstein version 4.79
    • These Status Messages show that the CPUs have been scheduled and are now doing work on the Results indicated.

[edit] Aborting CPU Benchmarks

6/6/2005 8:43:20 AM||Running CPU benchmarks
6/6/2005 8:43:28 AM||Aborting CPU benchmarks, one or more active tasks are still running.
6/6/2005 8:43:28 AM||Resuming computation and network activity

Line-By-Line Explanation

• Running CPU benchmarks

This message indicates the beginning of the Benchmark process. The BOINC Daemon will issue commands to the currently running Science Applications which then have to Checkpoint and halt operation.

• Aborting CPU benchmarks, one or more active tasks are still running

After the time interval allowed for the Science Applications to halt operation has expired, if the BOINC Daemon finds one or more active tasks still running, the BOINC Daemon will give up and re-start normal operations.

• Resuming computation and network activity

Ok, back in business.

[edit] Number Of Usable CPUs Has Changed. Running Benchmarks. - Failed

7/8/2005 7:24:27 AM|SZTAKI Desktop Grid|General preferences have been updated
7/8/2005 7:24:27 AM|                   |General prefs: from SZTAKI Desktop Grid
                                        (last modified 2005-07-08 07:20:05)
7/8/2005 7:24:27 AM|                   |General prefs: no separate prefs for home;
                                        using your defaults
7/8/2005 7:24:27 AM|                   |Number of usable CPUs has changed.  Running benchmarks.
7/8/2005 7:24:28 AM|                   |Suspending computation and network activity -
                                        running CPU benchmarks
7/8/2005 7:24:28 AM|SETI@home Beta Test|Pausing result 01dc03ab.18159.160.509654.64_2
                                        (removed from memory)
7/8/2005 7:24:29 AM|                   |request_reschedule_cpus: process exited
7/8/2005 7:24:30 AM|                   |Running CPU benchmarks
7/8/2005 7:24:38 AM|                   |Failed to stop applications; aborting CPU benchmarks
7/8/2005 7:24:38 AM|                   |Resuming computation and network activity
7/8/2005 7:24:38 AM|                   |request_reschedule_cpus: Resuming activities

Line-By-Line Explanation

• General preferences have been updated

Because the BOINC Database has updated General Preferences they have been downloaded to this computer.

• General prefs: from '(project)' (last modified yyyy-mm-dd hh-mm-ss)

This message identifies the Project which provided the most up-to-date General Preferences to this Participant's Computer and the date when they were last updated.

• General prefs: no separate prefs for '(venue)'; using your defaults

This Message indicates that there is no established Preference Set for the new Venue.

• Number of usable CPUs has changed. Running benchmarks.

Because the updated Preference Settings contained a change in the number of available CPUs we need to re-run the Benchmarks.

• Suspending computation and network activity - running CPU benchmarks

Stop work to run Benchmarks.

• Pausing result '(result)' (removed from memory)

Pause the Result and remove it from memory.

• request_reschedule_cpus: process exited

Because the Science Application (process) was stopped we need to reschedule the CPU to run the Benchmarks.

• Running CPU benchmarks

This message indicates the beginning of the Benchmark process. The BOINC Daemon will issue commands to the currently running Science Applications which then have to Checkpoint and halt operation.

• Failed to stop applications; aborting CPU benchmarks

After the time interval allowed for the Science Applications to stop has expired, the BOINC Daemon will give up and re-start normal operations.

• Resuming computation and network activity

Ok, back in business.

• request_reschedule_cpus: Resuming activities

Again reschedule the CPU, this time to start work again on a Result.

[edit] Other Related Messages

• Aborting CPU benchmarks, one or more active tasks are still running (Obsolete)
• Benchmark results:
• CPU benchmarks timed out, using default values
• Failed to stop applications; aborting CPU benchmarks
• Finished CPU benchmarks
• Number of CPUs: '(Nbr of CPUs)'
• Number of usable CPUs has changed. Running benchmarks.
• Pausing result '(result)' (removed from memory)
• Resuming computation and network activity
• Running CPU benchmarks
• Suspending computation and network activity - running CPU benchmarks
• Version Change Detected (x.y -> x1.y1); running CPU benchmarks
• XXXX double precision MIPS (Whetstone) per CPU
• YYYY integer MIPS (Dhrystone) per CPU

[edit] Also See

• Wikipedia: Benchmark
• Wikipedia: Dhrystone Benchmark
• Wikipedia: Whetstone Benchmark

[edit] Developer Information

Code Location:	boinc/client/cs_benchmark.C
Function:	CLIENT_STATE::cpu_benchmarks_poll()
Documentation:	boinc/client/cs_benchmark.C
CVS Extract:	cvs -d :pserver:anonymous@alien.ssl.berkeley.edu:/home/cvs/cvsroot checkout boinc/client/cs_benchmark.C