Open System Testing Architecture

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Running Tests
· Test Runs
· Test Run Procedure
· Monitoring a Test Run

Test Runs

Use Commander to create performance tests then run and monitor the Test run. Running a test enables you to imitate real end user web activity and accurately simulate the test conditions you want by generating the level of load required against target web sites.

You can monitor the progress of a Test run by selecting the Task Groups included and tracking the Scripts and the Virtual Users that are currently running the Test. You can also add Profile-based Task Groups to a Test which can be monitored by selecting the data collection queries defined in the Profile and displaying them in graphs. Performance data can be gathered using SNMP and NT Performance Profiles.

A Profile is a collection of user defined queries which determine the data collection carried out during a test run. Include them in your tests to monitor and record the performance of the target web site and host computers used to run the test in graph format. After the test run is complete you can display the performance data collected to help with the analysis of test results.

Running a test is simple procedure, because the contents and Task Group atributes have already been specified during test creation. Open the test you want to run and click the Start Test button , in the toolbar.

Test Run Procedure

If you haven't already compiled your test, clicking the Start Test button in the toolbar will do so. The compiled test is then distributed to the host computers you have chosen to run the test on and executed according to the Task Group attributes you set.

The target web site(s) is injected with the HTTP/S and load is generated against the web site. Simultaneously the Profiles included in the test are launched and begin monitoring the devices you have specified. You can monitor the data collection recorded by Profiles during a test run and the activity of the scripts and virtual users included in the test. Web server responses are recorded as performance data which can be displayed after the test run is.

You can terminate a test run at any stage using the Start Test button , in the toolbar.

The test execution process is illustrated below:

A test is run from one or more host computers across a network generating load against the target web site(s). Web server responses are recorded as performance data which can be displayed for analysis after the test run is complete.

Tests should only be executed one at a time if you want to achieve consistent and reliable results that can be reproduced at a later date. Also the host machines used to execute a test should be dedicated to this purpose.

Execute a Test
1 In the Repository Window, double-click Tests to open the folder and display the tests contained.
2 Double-click the test you want to run, which launches the Active Test Pane in the Main Window.
Note: This procedure can be carried out no matter what procedures you have been carrying out in the Main Window.
3 Check the test contents and parameters are correct, then click in the toolbar.
Note: When you click to run a test the test is automatically compiled. If you have not already compiled your test you may encounter an error message at this stage. The Compile Errors dialog box appears with a description of the fault(s) to assist you in resolving the problem.
4 Assuming your test has been compiled successfully the Starting Test dialog box appears which displays a status report on the test run.
Note: Click on the Monitoring tab within the Active Test Pane during a tests run and select a Profile or task, to observe the results collected in graph form. On completion, click on the Results tab within the Active Test Pane, to display the results graphs generated.

Monitoring a Test Run

Task Groups and the scripts and Profiles they contain can be monitored during a test run. Open up a test and click on the Monitoring tab in the Active Test Pane then select a Task Group from the list.

When you run a test you can view/monitor:

· A summary of current test activity.
· The script-based Task Groups currently being executed.
· The virtual users running the scripts.
· Data collection Profile-based Task Groups.

Incorporating Profiles into a test also improves the monitoring options available during test execution. Basic monitoring information is supplied by default which monitors which scripts and how many virtual users are running at any given time during test execution.

The progress of the data collection defined by a Profile can be monitored during a test execution. If you incorporate one or more Profiles into your test you can choose to display a graphical representation of the data collection queries defined in the Profiles. HTTP/S Load provides several default categories of data collection, but developing and applying Profiles will help to improve the quality and extend the range of the results produced, thereby assisting in the analysis of the target web site's performance. The results can be displayed in graph format after the test run is complete. Data collected by Profiles can be exported from graphs to spreadsheet or database programs for further analysis and printing.

Monitoring From The Active Test Pane

Use the Active Tests Pane to monitor the execution of your tests by selecting and displaying the graphs and results summaries you want.

Choose the test you want to run from the Repository Window and double-click to open the Active Test Pane. Execute the test then click the  Monitoring tab and select Summary or a task group to monitor the progress of the test run.

The task groups listed refer to the task groups you have defined in the test, which can be a script or sequence of scripts, or a Profile. Selecting a script task group gives the option to select a summary of test activity, or to select specific scripts and then the virtual users running the scripts. When you select a Profile task group the data collection queries defined within it are displayed. Select the queries you want to view from the Available Views list.

Monitor Scripts and Virtual Users
1 In the Repository Window, double-click Tests to open the folder and display the tests contained.
2 Double-click the test you want to run, which launches the Active Test Pane in the Main Window.
3 Check the test contents and parameters are correct, then click in the toolbar.
4 Click the  Monitoring tab in the Active Test Pane.
5 In the Task Group box select either Summary or a script task group from the list.
When you select a task group containing scripts, the options associated with it are displayed in the Available Views list, including the scripts and virtual users included in a script task group.
6 Select a script to monitor from the Available Views list.
The virtual users executing the selected script are displayed in the table below with a summary of test data including the number of virtual users currently executing the script, along with the script name, IP address, start time and any notes connected with each virtual user.

Click , to hide the selection lists to give you more monitoring space and click to display them.
Note: When a test run is complete, items in the Task Group list and the Available Views list are grayed out and cannot be selected.
Monitoring Profiles
1 In the Repository Window, double-click Tests to open the folder and display the tests contained.
2 Double-click the test you want to run, which launches the Active Test Pane in the Main Window.
3 Check the test contents and parameters are correct, then click in the toolbar.
4 Click the  Monitoring tab in the Active Test Pane.
5 In the Task Group box select either Summary or a task group from the list.
When you select a task group containing a Profile, the data collection queries it includes are listed in the Available Views box.
6 Select a data collection query to monitor from the Available Views list.
You can select one or more queries to display the data you want.

Click , to hide the selection lists to give you more monitoring space and click to display them.
Note: When a test run is complete, items in the Task Group list and the Available Views list are grayed out and cannot be selected.
Terminate a Test Run
1 If you do not have the test you are running open, browse to the test in the Repository Window and double-click to open it.
2 Click in the Test Toolbar above the Active Test Pane to stop the test.


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