YABS (Yet Another Benchmark Script) is a very popular benchmarking tool in the LowEnd community.  Created by @MasonR, it runs a Linux system (VPS or dedicated server) through a series of tests, and neatly summarizes a variety of information:

• Essential system config info, such as uptime, processor type, RAM, disk, distro, kernel version, IP protocol support, and processor options
• Network info such as IP, ASN, and location
• Disk speed
• Network speed
• GeekBench scores

All of this is presented in well-formatted text that is instantly recognizable and easy to read.  It’s become the standard for comparing systems.  Often times, people considering an offer will ask for a YABS, or they might say “OMG, look at this YABS” and post results to highlight either poor or exceptional performance.

My question to our readers is: should we require YABS for LowEndBox / LowEndTalk offers?

Right now, sometimes providers include it but often they don’t.  Which is not to say that’s a bad thing, because lots of people sign up for cheap VPS offers without a YABS, and no one is complaining per se.

But today I was asked to post an offer for a host who in the past has been accused of poor disk performance.  So I told them they’d have to submit a YABS first before consideration.

Then I thought…why don’t we do that for everyone?  More info is better for our readers, right?

What do you think?

raindog308

Raindog308 is a longtime LowEndTalk community administrator, technical writer, and self-described techno polymath. With deep roots in the *nix world, he has a passion for systems both modern and vintage, ranging from Unix, Perl, Python, and Golang to shell scripting and mainframe-era operating systems like MVS. He’s equally comfortable with relational database systems, having spent years working with Oracle, PostgreSQL, and MySQL.

As an avid user of LowEndBox providers, Raindog runs an empire of LEBs, from tiny boxes for VPNs, to mid-sized instances for application hosting, and heavyweight servers for data storage and complex databases. He brings both technical rigor and real-world experience to every piece he writes.

Beyond the command line, Raindog is a lover of German Shepherds, high-quality knives, target shooting, theology, tabletop RPGs, and hiking in deep, quiet forests.

His goal with every article is to help users, from beginners to seasoned sysadmins, get more value, performance, and enjoyment out of their infrastructure.

You can find him daily in the forums at LowEndTalk under the handle @raindog308.