nCUBE System Diagnostic Tools

	Don Heller 

      email:     dheller@cse.psu.edu
 

We offer a suite of programs for owners of nCUBE/2 parallel computer systems. These can help with system monitoring and problem diagnosis, by querying the nCX operating system (node microkernel). While not a replacement for nCUBE's own diagnostic suite, these are useful and often faster additions.

Short descriptions:

• nfetch - fetch some words from node memory
• ngrab - grab some words from several node memories
  • ngrab will compare the words and report differences.
  • quick system check:
    • interrupt vectors
    • ECC counts, soft and hard
    • node parameter area
    • node event log header
  • longer system check:
    • node event log
• nscan - run around the nCX data structures and report problems
  • nscan has several levels of detail; the lowest is suitable for most purposes, and the highest is only for experts (there's so much detail that it's hard to read without a search mechanism and the OS code).
  • Choices include
    • processor special registers
    • memory allocations
    • operating system status
    • process status
• nconfig - set bits in the processor special registers affecting memory
  • ? useful for computer architecture students but anti-social for others
• ntype - interpret a system message type
• nerror - interpret a system error code
• a few additional goodies

To obtain the suite, without charge, have your nCUBE salesperson contact the author at the above address. You get complete instructions and an installation script.