System performance test/simulation using SIPp

SIPp is a traffic generator for the SIP protocol that can be used to generate a large number of calls on Asterisk and therefore simulate system load.



Official website: http://sipp.sourceforge.net/

This setup assumes a back-to-back setup, but this can be simulated on a single machine with multiple T1/E1s.

Configure Asterisk on both servers

Generate your Wanpipe configuration files, zaptel.conf and zapata.conf using the wancfg_zaptel utility and assign your spans to the from-zaptel context, and group 1. Modify your /etc/asterisk/sip.conf to accept incoming calls from SIPp.

The configuration files are identical on both Asterisk servers.

Example of sip.conf
--------------------------------------------
[general]
tos=none
dtmfmode=info
allow=alaw
allow=ulaw

[127.0.0.1]
type=friend
callerid=112
host=dynamic
canreinvite=no
context=from-sipp
dtmfmode=rfc2833
qualify=2000
--------------------------------------------

Example of extensions.conf
--------------------------------------------
[general]
static=yes
writeprotect=yes
autofallthrough=yes
clearglobalvars=yes
priorityjumping=yes

[globals]

;forward calls coming from SIPp to the Zaptel trunk.
[from-sipp]
exten => _X.,1,Answer
exten => _X.,2,Dial(Zap/g1/111)
exten => _X.,3,HangUp

;this is for incoming calls coming from the other server
[from-zaptel]
exten => _X.,1,Answer
exten => _X.,2,playback(demo-congrats)
exten => _X.,3,HangUp
--------------------------------------------

Start Asterisk on both servers and confirm that the spans come up on both sides.

Install SIPp
Download SIPp from http://sipp.sourceforge.net/

Untar and compile SIPp
#> tar xvfz sipp.1.0.tar.gz
#> cd sipp
#> make

Launch SIPp
./sipp -r 1 -l 1 -d 5000 -mo 1000009 -s 8989 -p 5061 -sn uac 127.0.0.1

For additional SIPp options and information, type ./sipp

Monitor your system
Open a separate session for each.

For system load: #>vmstat -n 20

For overruns (system misses interrupts): #> ifconfig <if_name>
    And check 'overruns' counters.

For system log: #> tail -f /var/log/messages

For line errors: #> wanpipemon -i <if_name> -c Ta