[RFC] [KDUMP] [PROPOSED WORK] kdump on Xen hypervisor and guests, more tests for utilities, like makedumpfile, mkdumprd, kexec etc

[Subrata Modak]

Hi,

Cai has proposed to work on the above LTP-KDUMP test cases
enrichment/enhancements. Please let us know about your views on the
same. We encourage people to review his proposal and the corresponding
upcoming test cases. I am going to put this soon on the LTP-KDUMP plan
document.

http://ltp.cvs.sourceforge.net/ltp/ltp/testcases/kdump/doc/TEST_PLAN.txt,

Regards--
Subrata

..................................

Here is my first draft plan of Kexec/Kdump tests enhancement sorted by
priorities. I would like to add them as many as possible.

== filtered vmcore utilities ==
- in different compressed levels, verify the vmcore with the correct
  layout. 
- verify it in flat file or ELF formats from a network host.

== analyse vmcore utilities ==
- GDB
- crash with better error detecting.
- crash to analyse Hypervisor and Dom0 Kernel.

== test scripts ==
- timestamp information for crash was triggered, vmcore was generated,
  and vmcore was verified.
- aim to 100% automation, and reduce manual setup.
- tidy up scripts.

== crash scenarios ==
- SDINT switch for ia64 if possible.
- Hypervisor crash for Virtualization.
- crashes on full- and para-virt guests.

== fix bugs in existing tests ==
- printk LKDTM module can hang the second Kernel.

== kdump configurations and init script ==
- capture vmcore after init runs.
- rpm pre- and post-scripts
- kdump_pre and kdump_post directives

== increase coverages for new kexec/kdump development efforts ==
- new reserved region syntax in Kernel.

CaiQian