Testing Debian From Scratch (DFS): A Structured Approach
Testing a Debian From Scratch (DFS) system is critical to ensure stability, functionality, and security. The process involves validating the build environment, verifying installed components, checking system behavior, and simulating real-world usage. Below is a step-by-step guide tailored to DFS systems, combining general Linux testing principles with DFS-specific considerations.
Before testing the DFS system, isolate it from production environments to prevent unintended disruptions. Use one of the following methods:
Ensure the testing environment matches your production setup as closely as possible (e.g., hardware architecture, disk layout, network configuration) to replicate real-world conditions.
The foundation of a DFS system is a correct build process. Verify that all components were compiled and installed properly:
dpkg-buildpackage
or debuild
commands for errors or warnings during the build. Look for missing dependencies, compilation failures, or incorrect file permissions.debsums
to check the integrity of installed .deb
packages against their original builds. Run sudo debsums -c
to list any files that differ from their expected checksums.dpkg -L <package-name>
to list files installed by a package and verify they are in the correct locations (e.g., /usr/bin
, /etc
). For example, check that the bash
binary is installed in /bin
and has the correct permissions (-rwxr-xr-x
).Validate that core system components and customizations work as expected:
dmesg
) for any hardware or driver issues.sudo -l
to verify sudo access for custom users and ensure the root account is locked (if configured).apt
or dpkg
. For example, run sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y vim
to test package installation and sudo apt remove -y vim
to test removal. Check for dependency resolution issues.lsmod
to verify it loads and dmesg
to check for errors. For an application, run its test suite (if available) or manually verify its features.Ensure the DFS system works with hardware and software from your production environment:
lspci -k
to list PCI devices and their drivers, and lsusb
for USB devices.sudo apt install apache2
) and verify it serves pages at http://localhost
.Evaluate the system’s performance to identify bottlenecks:
top
, htop
, or vmstat
to monitor CPU, memory, and disk usage during normal operation. Record baseline metrics for comparison.stress
(for CPU and memory) or iperf
(for network throughput) to simulate high load. For example, run stress --cpu 4 --io 2 --vm 2 --vm-bytes 512M --timeout 60s
to stress the CPU, I/O, and memory for 60 seconds.sysbench
(for CPU and memory benchmarks) or fio
(for disk I/O benchmarks) to quantify differences.Identify and address vulnerabilities in the DFS system:
lintian
to check installed packages for known security issues. Run sudo lintian /var/cache/apt/archives/*.deb
to analyze the latest installed packages.nmap
to scan open ports on the system. Run nmap -sV localhost
to identify services running and ensure only necessary ports (e.g., SSH on port 22) are exposed.sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
to apply updates and sudo unattended-upgrade
to enable automatic security updates.Integrate testing into your build pipeline to catch issues early:
pbuilder
: Create a clean chroot environment for each build to ensure consistency. Run pbuilder create
to build a base chroot and pbuilder build <package.dsc>
to build and test packages in the chroot.By following these steps, you can thoroughly test your Debian From Scratch system and ensure it meets the requirements for stability, functionality, and security. Remember to document test results and fix any issues promptly to maintain a reliable custom system.