Specifying parameters for tests

You can specify parameters for the tests in the test plan.

Specify parameters by doing one of the following:

Using a variables file. A variables file defines values for variables assigned to parameters in a test plan.
Setting values for test parameters as environment variables.
Identifying values for parameters in the test plan.

When the Cluster Test Tool starts, it uses a variables file if you specified the location of one in SMIT. If it does not locate a variables file, it uses values set in an environment variable. If a value is not specified in an environment variable, it uses the value in the test plan. If the value set in the test plan is not valid, the tool displays an error message.

Using a variables file

The variables file is a text file that defines the values for test parameters. By setting parameter values in a separate variables file, you can use your test plan to test more than one cluster.

The entries in the file have this syntax:

parameter_name = value

For example, to specify a node as node_waltham:

node=node_waltham

To provide more flexibility, you can:

Set the name for a parameter in the test plan.
Assign the name to another value in the variables file.
For example, you could specify the value for node as node1 in the test plan:
NODE_UP,node1, Bring up node1
In the variables file, you can then set the value of node1 to node_waltham:
```
node1=node_waltham
```
The following example shows a sample variables file:
```
node1=node_waltham
node2=node_belmont
node3=node_watertown
node4=node_lexington
```

Using environment variables

If you do not want to use a variables file, you can assign parameter values by setting environment variables for the parameter values. If a variable file is not specified, but there are parameter_name = values in the cluster environment that match the values in the test plan, the Cluster Test Tool will use the values from the cluster environment.

Using the test plan

If you want to run a test plan on only one cluster, you can define test parameters in the test plan. The associated test can be run only on the cluster that includes those cluster attributes specified. For information about the syntax for parameters for tests, see Description of tests.