Software Update: Phoronix Test Suite 2.0

Phoronix Media released version 2.0 of its Linux benchmark suite a few days ago. Phoronix Test Suite allows you to run various benchmarks on Linux, BSD, Mac OS X and Solaris systems, ranging from performance in the games Enemy Territory and Quake 4 to applications like Apache and OpenSSL. With the results achieved, you can further tweak the system until you get the best performance. Also, the developers PTS Desktop Live 2009.3 released: a live linux distribution that contains the Phoronix Test Suite, so you can benchmark a system regardless of the installed operating system. The announcement of both releases looks like this:

Phoronix Test Suite 2.0, PTS Desktop Live 2009.3 Released

Phoronix Media has released version 2.0 (codenamed “Sandtorg”) of the Phoronix Test Suite, which encompasses hundreds of updates to its flagship testing and performance profiling software. Phoronix Media has also released PTS Desktop Live 2009.3 (codenamed “Gernlinden”), which is the first Linux-based desktop operating system designed exclusively for carrying out automated tests using the Phoronix Test Suite from a live environment. Phoromatic, a web-based remote test management system, has also entered closed beta testing.

Phoronix Test Suite 2.0, which is supported on Linux, OpenSolaris, BSD, and Mac OS X operating systems, ships with more than 100 distinct test profiles and 47 test suites, while new test profiles and suites can continue to be added through its unique XML -based testing architecture. The release of Phoronix Test Suite 2.0 also delivers a multitude of new testing options, an improved graphical user interface, reference system comparison support, and many internal improvements.

“Both the internal and external feedback we have received regarding the work that we have invested into the Sandtorg and Gernlinden projects has been extremely positive,” said Michael Larabel, founder of Phoronix Media and the lead architect of the Phoronix Test Suite. “We have been very successful in our quest to deliver an open, standardized platform for which tests can be carried out in a completely automated and repeatable manner with turn-key deployment capabilities. The 2.0 release solidifies our commitment and dedication to this benchmarking platform with the prodigious number of changes that will hugely benefit IHVs, ISVs, QA engineers, and hobbyists.”

PTS Desktop Live is a Linux operating system that runs entirely off of a DVD or USB device, eliminating the need for installing it to a hard drive, and provides a standardized software stack by which computer enthusiasts and professionals are able to conduct hardware testing in a very easy to use way and at the same time isolating any software differences between computer systems. PTS Desktop Live is also being used as a research project to investigate Linux performance tuning and software optimization routines for newer computer hardware. PTS Desktop Live 2009.3 is a beta release with new updates planned for release on a quarterly basis.

“PTS is an invaluable tool for ZaReason. Because PTS has such depth in the number of tests that can be performed, we can use it in a variety of ways. We use it daily to not only benchmark systems, but also do diagnose errors on old systems and do burn-ins on new systems,” said Earl Malmrose, CTO for ZaReason Inc. “For example, when we designed our new Intel Core i7 system, we wanted to know if the triple-channel memory controller provided a measurable improvement over previous systems. We used the PTS memory tests to confirm the performance improvement, so now all of our i7 systems ship with triple-channel memory. No other tool comes close to providing the broad range of testing features that PTS provides.”

Phoromatic is a web-based remote test management system that allows for the automatic scheduling of tests, the remote installation of new tests, and the management of multiple test systems through an intuitive interface. Phoromatic is primarily designed for enterprise customers looking to leverage the Phoronix Test Suite across an array of test systems within their organization.

More information on Phoronix Test Suite 2.0, PTS Desktop Live 2009.3, Phoromatic, and other testing products and services offered by Phoronix Media is available at PTS Desktop Live 2009.3 and Phoronix Test Suite 2.0 are available for immediate download. Additional details regarding these software releases are available at and Professional support for the Phoronix Test Suite and related products is available to corporate customers.