Code Coverage Analysis
- Code Coverage Analysis Server Configuration - v1.2
This document details the hardware configuration designated “Code Coverage Analysis” and outlines its specifications, performance characteristics, recommended usage, comparisons, and maintenance considerations. This server is designed to rapidly and efficiently execute code coverage analysis tools, supporting large codebases and complex testing frameworks. The primary goal is to minimize analysis time and maximize developer productivity.
1. Hardware Specifications
This configuration prioritizes CPU performance, RAM capacity, and fast storage I/O. The goal is to provide a responsive environment for tools like SonarQube, Coverity, JaCoCo, and similar systems. The specific components were chosen for optimal performance and reliability. See Server Hardware Selection Criteria for a deep dive into our component selection process.
| Component | Specification |
|---|---|
| CPU | Dual Intel Xeon Gold 6338 (32 Cores / 64 Threads per CPU, 2.0 GHz Base Frequency, 3.4 GHz Turbo Frequency) |
| CPU Cache | 48 MB L3 Cache per CPU |
| Motherboard | Supermicro X12DPG-QT6 |
| RAM | 256 GB DDR4-3200 ECC Registered DIMMs (8 x 32 GB) – Configured in Octal Channel Mode |
| Storage (OS) | 1 TB NVMe PCIe Gen4 x4 SSD (Samsung 980 Pro) – For Operating System and Tool Installation |
| Storage (Analysis Data) | 4 TB NVMe PCIe Gen4 x4 SSD RAID 0 (2 x 2TB Samsung 980 Pro) – For Code Coverage Databases and Intermediate Analysis Files |
| Storage (Backup/Archive) | 16 TB SATA III 7200 RPM HDD (Seagate IronWolf Pro) – For long-term storage of analysis results |
| Network Interface | Dual 10 Gigabit Ethernet (Intel X710-DA4) – With Link Aggregation Support |
| Power Supply | 1600W Redundant 80+ Platinum Power Supplies |
| Cooling | High-Performance Air Cooling with Redundant Fans – See Server Cooling Systems for details. |
| RAID Controller | Broadcom MegaRAID SAS 9300-8i – Hardware RAID Controller |
| Chassis | 4U Rackmount Chassis – Optimized for airflow and component density |
| Operating System | Ubuntu Server 22.04 LTS (64-bit) – See Supported Operating Systems |
Detailed component selection rationale is available in the Component Rationale Document. The motherboard was chosen for its scalability, support for dual CPUs, and abundant PCIe lanes. The RAM configuration is critical for handling large codebases and extensive test suites. The use of NVMe SSDs in RAID 0 for the analysis data significantly reduces I/O bottlenecks.
2. Performance Characteristics
This configuration was subjected to rigorous benchmarking to assess its performance under typical code coverage analysis workloads. The benchmarks focused on build times, analysis times with varying codebase sizes, and concurrent user support. Results are compared against a baseline configuration (see Section 4). All benchmarks were performed in a controlled environment with consistent network conditions. Refer to Benchmark Methodology for a complete description of the testing procedures.
- **Build Times (Large C++ Project - 5 Million LOC):** Average build time (using CMake and Make) = 18 minutes. This is approximately 30% faster than the baseline configuration.
- **Code Coverage Analysis (JaCoCo - Java Project - 2 Million LOC):** Average analysis time = 45 seconds. The baseline configuration took approximately 75 seconds.
- **Code Coverage Analysis (Coverity - C/C++ Project - 3 Million LOC):** Average analysis time = 12 minutes. The baseline configuration took approximately 20 minutes.
- **SonarQube Indexing (Large Mixed Project - 1 Million LOC):** Average indexing time = 25 minutes.
- **Concurrent Users:** Successfully supports 10 concurrent users running analysis tasks without significant performance degradation. Performance begins to degrade noticeably above 15 concurrent users. This is related to the I/O limitations of the RAID 0 array, detailed in I/O Performance Analysis.
- **I/O Throughput:** Sustained read/write speeds of 6.5 GB/s were observed on the RAID 0 array during peak analysis loads.
- **CPU Utilization:** Average CPU utilization during analysis peaks at 85-95% across both CPUs. This demonstrates that the CPUs are fully utilized and represent the primary performance bottleneck. See CPU Performance Monitoring for detailed CPU metrics.
These benchmarks indicate that the configuration delivers substantial performance improvements over baseline systems, particularly for large and complex projects.
3. Recommended Use Cases
This server configuration is ideally suited for the following use cases:
- **Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) Pipelines:** Integrating code coverage analysis into automated CI/CD pipelines. The fast analysis times minimize pipeline execution time, enabling faster feedback loops for developers. See CI/CD Integration Guidelines.
- **Large-Scale Software Projects:** Analyzing code coverage for projects with millions of lines of code. The high RAM capacity and fast storage are essential for handling these workloads.
- **High-Frequency Code Changes:** Supporting development teams with frequent code commits and releases, requiring frequent code coverage analysis.
- **Security Auditing:** Performing code coverage analysis as part of security audits to identify areas of code that are not adequately tested. Refer to Security Best Practices for Code Coverage.
- **Compliance Requirements:** Meeting regulatory compliance requirements that mandate code coverage analysis.
- **Static Analysis Integration:** Combining with static analysis tools (like SonarQube) for a comprehensive code quality assessment. See Integrating Static and Dynamic Analysis.
- **Research and Development:** Experimenting with different code coverage tools and analysis techniques.
4. Comparison with Similar Configurations
The "Code Coverage Analysis" configuration represents a balance between performance, cost, and scalability. Here's a comparison with other potential configurations:
| Configuration | CPU | RAM | Storage (Analysis) | Estimated Cost | Performance (Relative) | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Baseline Configuration** | Dual Intel Xeon Silver 4210 (10 Cores / 20 Threads per CPU) | 64 GB DDR4-2666 ECC Registered DIMMs | 2 TB NVMe PCIe Gen3 x4 SSD | $8,000 | 1.0x | Small to Medium-Sized Projects |
| **Code Coverage Analysis (This Configuration)** | Dual Intel Xeon Gold 6338 (32 Cores / 64 Threads per CPU) | 256 GB DDR4-3200 ECC Registered DIMMs | 4 TB NVMe PCIe Gen4 x4 SSD RAID 0 | $18,000 | 2.5x - 3x | Large-Scale Projects, CI/CD Pipelines |
| **High-End Configuration** | Dual Intel Xeon Platinum 8380 (40 Cores / 80 Threads per CPU) | 512 GB DDR4-3200 ECC Registered DIMMs | 8 TB NVMe PCIe Gen4 x4 SSD RAID 0 | $30,000+ | 3.5x - 4.5x | Extremely Large Projects, High Concurrency |
The Baseline Configuration is suitable for smaller projects with less demanding analysis requirements. It offers a lower initial cost but suffers from significantly slower analysis times. The High-End Configuration provides even greater performance but comes with a substantial price premium. The "Code Coverage Analysis" configuration represents the sweet spot for most organizations, offering a significant performance boost without breaking the bank. Detailed cost breakdown is available in the Cost Analysis Report. The choice of configuration depends heavily on the specific needs and budget constraints of the organization. Consider the future scalability requirements as described in Scalability Planning.
5. Maintenance Considerations
Maintaining the "Code Coverage Analysis" server requires careful attention to cooling, power, and data integrity.
- **Cooling:** The high CPU power draw necessitates robust cooling. The server is equipped with redundant fans, but it's crucial to monitor fan speeds and temperatures regularly using Server Monitoring Tools. Ensure the server room maintains a consistent temperature below 24°C (75°F). Dust accumulation can significantly reduce cooling efficiency, so regular cleaning is essential.
- **Power Requirements:** The server has a peak power draw of approximately 1200W. Ensure the server rack has sufficient power capacity and that the power supplies are connected to separate power circuits for redundancy. Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) are highly recommended to protect against power outages. See Power Management Best Practices.
- **Storage Maintenance:** While RAID 0 provides performance benefits, it offers no data redundancy. Regular backups of the analysis data to the 16TB SATA HDD are crucial. Implement a robust backup schedule and test the restore process periodically. Monitor SSD health using SMART data. See Data Backup and Recovery Procedures.
- **Software Updates:** Keep the operating system and code coverage analysis tools up-to-date with the latest security patches and bug fixes. Automated patching is recommended. Review Software Update Policy.
- **Log Monitoring:** Regularly review system logs for errors or warnings. Implement a centralized logging solution to facilitate analysis. See Log Management System.
- **Physical Security:** The server should be housed in a secure data center with restricted physical access. See Data Center Security Protocols.
- **Annual Hardware Review:** A yearly hardware review should be conducted to assess component health and plan for potential upgrades or replacements.
Intel-Based Server Configurations
| Configuration | Specifications | Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Core i7-6700K/7700 Server | 64 GB DDR4, NVMe SSD 2 x 512 GB | CPU Benchmark: 8046 |
| Core i7-8700 Server | 64 GB DDR4, NVMe SSD 2x1 TB | CPU Benchmark: 13124 |
| Core i9-9900K Server | 128 GB DDR4, NVMe SSD 2 x 1 TB | CPU Benchmark: 49969 |
| Core i9-13900 Server (64GB) | 64 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i9-13900 Server (128GB) | 128 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i5-13500 Server (64GB) | 64 GB RAM, 2x500 GB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i5-13500 Server (128GB) | 128 GB RAM, 2x500 GB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i5-13500 Workstation | 64 GB DDR5 RAM, 2 NVMe SSD, NVIDIA RTX 4000 |
AMD-Based Server Configurations
| Configuration | Specifications | Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Ryzen 5 3600 Server | 64 GB RAM, 2x480 GB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 17849 |
| Ryzen 7 7700 Server | 64 GB DDR5 RAM, 2x1 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 35224 |
| Ryzen 9 5950X Server | 128 GB RAM, 2x4 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 46045 |
| Ryzen 9 7950X Server | 128 GB DDR5 ECC, 2x2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 63561 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (128GB/1TB) | 128 GB RAM, 1 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (128GB/2TB) | 128 GB RAM, 2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (128GB/4TB) | 128 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (256GB/1TB) | 256 GB RAM, 1 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (256GB/4TB) | 256 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 9454P Server | 256 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe |
Order Your Dedicated Server
Configure and order your ideal server configuration
Need Assistance?
- Telegram: @powervps Servers at a discounted price
⚠️ *Note: All benchmark scores are approximate and may vary based on configuration. Server availability subject to stock.* ⚠️