[Tails-dev] performance test: randomsound vs haveged

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Author: adrelanos
Date:  
To: The Tails public development discussion list
Subject: [Tails-dev] performance test: randomsound vs haveged
Hi,

I've done a performance test to answer the following questions:
- Is randomsound faster than haveged or vice versa?
- Do they block each other or result in even more entropy available?

All tests have been done in Virtual Box.

Every 1.0s: cat /proc/sys/kernel/random/entropy_avail
watch -n 1 cat /proc/sys/kernel/random/entropy_avail

no package installed                ~130 and ~180
rng-tools in VM without rng hardware         no effect
ekeyd in VM without entropykey             no effect
randomsound only                 ~130 and ~3800
haveged only                     ~1100 and ~4000
randomsound and haveged             ~1100 and ~4000


(~ is defined as, for exmaple ~1100 could be up to 1199.)

Off topic:

http://en.gentoo-wiki.com/wiki/Generating_better_random_numbers#Dieharder
is an excellent source for information about entropy in general.

I am conducting some entropy quality tests and will share the results soon.

Cheers,
adrelanos