HP LoadRunner

for the Windows operating systems

Software Version: 9.50

Controller User Guide

Manufacturing Part Number: T7182-90015

Document Release Date: January 2009
Software Release Date: January 2009
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4
Table of Contents

Welcome to This Guide .......................................................................13

How This Guide Is Organized .............................................................14
Who Should Read This Guide .............................................................15
LoadRunner Documentation ..............................................................15
Additional Online Resources...............................................................17

PART I: UNDERSTANDING LOADRUNNER

Chapter 1: Introduction .....................................................................21
Application Load Testing ....................................................................21
The HP LoadRunner Solution .............................................................22
Using HP LoadRunner .........................................................................23
Working with HP LoadRunner............................................................24
HP LoadRunner Vuser Technology .....................................................25
HP LoadRunner Vuser Types ...............................................................26
Chapter 2: The LoadRunner Testing Process......................................29
Step I: Planning the Test .....................................................................31
Step II: Creating the Vuser Scripts.......................................................31
Step III: Creating the Scenario ............................................................31
Step IV: Running the Scenario ............................................................32
Step V: Monitoring the Scenario .........................................................33
Step VI: Analyzing Test Results ...........................................................33
Chapter 3: Load Test Planning............................................................35
About Load Test Planning ...................................................................35
Analyzing the Application ..................................................................36
Defining Testing Objectives ................................................................39
Planning LoadRunner Implementation ..............................................41
Examining Load Testing Objectives....................................................45

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Chapter 4: The Controller at a Glance................................................49

Opening the Controller.......................................................................50
Introducing the Controller .................................................................53
Managing Scenario Files......................................................................55
Running a Scenario .............................................................................58

PART II: DESIGNING A SCENARIO

Chapter 5: Creating Manual Scenarios ...............................................63
About Creating a Scenario...................................................................64
Creating Vuser Groups ........................................................................67
Configuring Vusers in a Vuser Group .................................................76
Configuring Vuser Run-Time Settings ................................................83
Chapter 6: Defining Load Generators ...............................................87
About Defining Load Generators ........................................................88
Adding a Load Generator ....................................................................88
Configuring a Load Generator ............................................................90
Configuring Additional Load Generator Settings ...............................92
Chapter 7: Configuring Terminal Services Settings .........................105
About Terminal Services....................................................................105
Terminal Services Manager ...............................................................106
Troubleshooting Terminal Services...................................................111
Configuring Terminal Sessions Over A Firewall ...............................111
Chapter 8: Configuring WAN Emulation Settings............................113
About WAN Emulation .....................................................................114
Overview of the WAN Emulation Process.........................................114
Configuring WAN Emulation ...........................................................115
Typical Network Emulation Settings.................................................117
Emulated Locations ...........................................................................118
Viewing WAN Emulation Monitors ..................................................119
Excluding Machines from WAN Emulation .....................................119
WAN Emulation Limitations ............................................................122
WAN Emulation Best Practices..........................................................123
Chapter 9: Configuring Scripts .........................................................125
Editing a Vuser Group Script.............................................................125
Editing an Individual Vuser Script ....................................................129
Using Relative Paths for Scripts.........................................................130

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Chapter 10: Creating a Manual Scenario Using the

Percentage Mode..........................................................................133
About Creating a Manual Scenario Using the Percentage Mode ......134
Defining the Total Number of Vusers ...............................................136
Assigning Properties to Scripts ..........................................................137
Configuring Scripts............................................................................140
Converting a Scenario to the Vuser Group Mode.............................146
Chapter 11: Scheduling Scenarios ....................................................147
About Scheduling Scenarios ..............................................................148
Scheduler at a Glance ........................................................................149
Scheduling by Scenario or Group......................................................150
Schedule Run Modes .........................................................................151
Understanding Schedule Actions ......................................................152
Managing Scenario Schedules ...........................................................157
Managing Schedule Actions ..............................................................164
Viewing Scenario Schedules in the Interactive Graph......................169
Managing Schedules From the Interactive Schedule Graph .............175
Viewing the Schedule Progress During a Run ...................................179
Adding Vusers to a Scheduled Scenario During a Run .....................180
Chapter 12: Defining Service Level Agreements ..............................181
About Defining Service Level Agreements ........................................182
Defining an SLA Goal Measured Per Time Interval ..........................183
Defining an SLA Goal Measured Over the Whole Run.....................191
Understanding the Service Level Agreement Pane ...........................193
Chapter 13: Creating a Goal-Oriented Scenario ..............................195
About Planning a Goal-Oriented Scenario........................................196
Understanding the Goal-Oriented Scenario Design Tab ..................198
Defining Scenario Goals ....................................................................200
Assigning Properties to Scripts ..........................................................207
Configuring Scripts............................................................................210
Chapter 14: Using Rendezvous Points .............................................217
About Using Rendezvous Points .......................................................217
Setting the Rendezvous Attributes ....................................................219
Viewing Rendezvous Information.....................................................225

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Chapter 15: Configuring a Scenario .................................................229

About Configuring a Scenario...........................................................229
Setting Timeout Intervals ..................................................................231
Configuring Scenario Run-Time Settings..........................................234
Setting the Run-Time File Location ..................................................236
Specifying Path Translation ..............................................................240
Configuring Miscellaneous Scenario Execution Settings..................240
Chapter 16: Preparing to Run a Scenario .........................................243
About Preparing to Run a Scenario ...................................................243
Specifying a Results Location ............................................................244
Results Directory File Structure .........................................................247
Collating Results................................................................................249
Setting Scenario Summary Information............................................252
Chapter 17: Managing Scenarios Using Quality Center...................253
About Managing Scenarios Using Quality Center ............................253
Connecting to and Disconnecting from Quality Center..................254
Opening Scenarios from a Quality Center Project............................258
Saving Scenarios to a Quality Center Project....................................259
Saving Results to a Quality Center Project........................................261
Adding Vuser Scripts from a Quality Center Project ........................262
Chapter 18: Using Functional Testing Scripts in LoadRunner..........265
About Using Functional Testing Scripts in Loadrunner ...................266
Introducing GUI Vuser Scripts ..........................................................267
Using QuickTest to Create GUI Vuser Scripts for LoadRunner.........269
Using WinRunner to Create GUI Vuser Scripts for LoadRunner......271
Running GUI Vuser Scripts in a LoadRunner Scenario.....................278

P A R T I I I: E X E C U T I N G A S C E N A R I O
Chapter 19: Running a Scenario .......................................................281
About Running a Scenario ................................................................281
Running an Entire Scenario ..............................................................283
Controlling Vuser Groups .................................................................284
Controlling Individual Vusers...........................................................291
Manually Releasing Vusers from a Rendezvous ................................293
Manually Adding Vusers to a Running Scenario ..............................294

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Chapter 20: Viewing Vusers During Execution.................................301

About Viewing Vusers During Execution..........................................301
Monitoring Vuser Status....................................................................302
Viewing the Output Window............................................................305
Viewing the Vuser Script Log ............................................................311
Logging Execution Notes ..................................................................314
Viewing the Agent Summary ............................................................315
Chapter 21: Secure Host Communication ........................................317
Communication Between Hosts .......................................................318
Configuring Host Security Settings ...................................................319
Local Security Configuration ............................................................320
Remote Security Configuration.........................................................322
Host Security Best Practices ..............................................................333
Troubleshooting Secure Host Communication ................................333

PA RT I V : W O RK IN G W I T H F I R E W A L L S
Chapter 22: Working with Firewalls in LoadRunner.........................337
About Using Firewalls in LoadRunner ..............................................337
Example: Over Firewall Deployment ................................................340
Setting Up your System to Use Firewalls: Basic Steps .......................341
Installing Over-Firewall Components...............................................342
Initial Configuration of the Over-Firewall System ...........................343
Running Vusers Over a Firewall ........................................................349
Monitoring Over a Firewall ...............................................................350
Configuring LoadRunner Agents Over the Firewall..........................351
Configuring the Controller for Running over a Firewall..................357
Checking Connectivity .....................................................................359
Chapter 23: Configuring Monitors Over a Firewall ..........................363
About Monitoring over a Firewall .....................................................363
Configuring Server Monitor Properties.............................................364
Configuring the Network Delay Monitor over a Firewall.................371

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P A R T V : W O RK IN G W I T H D I A G N O S T IC S
Chapter 24: LoadRunner Diagnostics Modules ................................375
About LoadRunner Diagnostics Modules..........................................376
LoadRunner ERP/CRM Diagnostics Types ........................................377
ERP/CRM Diagnostics Module Architecture .....................................378
Working with LoadRunner ERP/CRM Diagnostics ...........................380
Connecting to a Remote Server.........................................................381
Enabling LoadRunner Diagnostics ....................................................385
Viewing Diagnostics Results..............................................................388
Chapter 25: Configuring Siebel Diagnostics.....................................389
Configuring Siebel Diagnostics on the Application and
Web Servers ...................................................................................390
Configuring Diagnostics where the Web Server is Inside a DMZ.....392
Copying Files from the Siebel Application Server to the Mediator ..393
Setting Up the Siebel Diagnostics Module ........................................394
Chapter 26: Configuring Siebel DB Diagnostics...............................399
Preparing the Script ...........................................................................399
Synchronizing Clocks........................................................................400
Enabling Server Logging on the Siebel Server...................................401
Setting Up the Siebel DB Diagnostics Module ..................................402
Chapter 27: Configuring Oracle 11i Diagnostics..............................407
Enabling Server Logging On the Oracle Server .................................407
Selecting the Oracle NCA Application Version.................................409
Setting Up the Oracle 11i Diagnostics Module .................................410
Chapter 28: Configuring SAP Diagnostics ........................................415
SAP Diagnostics Supported Environments .......................................415
SAP Diagnostics Overview.................................................................416
Setting Up the SAP Diagnostics Module ...........................................417
Chapter 29: Configuring J2EE/.NET Diagnostics ..............................421
Specifying the Diagnostics Server Details in the Launcher ..............421
Configuring LoadRunner Scenarios to use HP Diagnostics ..............423
Viewing Diagnostics Data in LoadRunner ........................................426
Analyzing Offline Diagnostics Data ..................................................427

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PART VI: MONITORING A SCENARIO

Chapter 30: Online Monitoring ........................................................431
About Online Monitoring .................................................................432
Setting Up the Monitoring Environment .........................................432
Monitor Types ...................................................................................434
Choosing Monitors and Measurements in the Controller ...............437
Starting the Monitors in the Controller............................................452
Opening Online Monitor Graphs in the Controller.........................454
Customizing the Online Monitor Display View ...............................455
Setting Monitor Options ...................................................................456
Chapter 31: Configuring Online Graphs...........................................461
About Online Monitor Graphs..........................................................462
Configuring Graph Properties...........................................................463
Configuring Graph Measurements ...................................................467
Merging Graphs.................................................................................473
Exporting Online Monitor Graphs ...................................................474
Viewing Data Offline.........................................................................475
Available Graphs Tree........................................................................475

PART VII: APPENDIXES

Appendix A: Interpreting LoadRunner Online Graphs.....................479
Appendix B: Performing Path Translation........................................483
Understanding Path Translation .......................................................484
Adding Entries to the Path Translation Table...................................485
Editing the Path Translation Table ...................................................487
Path Translation Examples................................................................488
Appendix C: Working in Expert Mode..............................................489
Entering Expert Mode .......................................................................489
Options - General Settings ................................................................490
Options - Debug Information Settings..............................................492
Options - Output Settings .................................................................494
Options - Monitor Settings................................................................496
Load Generator Information - UNIX Environment Settings ............497
Load Generator Information - Connection Log Settings..................498

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Appendix D: Troubleshooting the Controller ..................................501

About Troubleshooting .....................................................................502
LoadRunner Communications..........................................................503
Failure to Communicate with a Load Generator ..............................504
Failure to Connect to the AUT Database ..........................................507
Failure to Access Files ........................................................................507
Failed Vusers or Transactions ............................................................509
Increasing the Number of Vusers on a Windows Machine ..............513
Troubleshooting Firewalls .................................................................514
Working with the LoadRunner Agent...............................................522
Appendix E: Configuring Multiple IP Addresses...............................525
About Multiple IP Addresses .............................................................526
Adding IP Addresses to a Load Generator .........................................527
Using the IP Wizard ..........................................................................528
Configuring Multiple IP Addresses on UNIX....................................532
Updating the Routing Table..............................................................534
Enabling Multiple IP Addressing from the Controller......................535
Appendix F: Controller Command Line Arguments .........................537
About Controller Command Line Arguments ..................................537
Invoking the Controller from the Command Line ..........................538
Quality Center Arguments ................................................................539
Run-Time Arguments ........................................................................540
Appendix G: Working with Digital Certificates ................................541
Using Digital Certificates with Firewalls ...........................................541
Creating and Using Digital Certificates ............................................542

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Welcome to This Guide

Welcome to the HP LoadRunner Controller User Guide. This guide presents an

overview of the HP LoadRunner testing process, and describes how to create
and run HP LoadRunner scenarios using HP LoadRunner Controller in a
Windows environment.

HP LoadRunner is HP’s tool for application performance testing.

LoadRunner stresses your entire application to isolate and identify potential
client, network, and server bottlenecks.

LoadRunner enables you to test your system under controlled and peak load
conditions. To generate load, LoadRunner runs thousands of Virtual Users,
or Vusers, that are distributed over a network. The Vusers can run on UNIX
and Windows-based platforms. Using a minimum of hardware resources,
these Vusers provide consistent, repeatable, and measurable load to exercise
your application just as real users would. LoadRunner’s in–depth reports and
graphs provide the information that you need to evaluate the performance
of your application.

This chapter includes:

➤ How This Guide Is Organized on page 14
➤ Who Should Read This Guide on page 15
➤ LoadRunner Documentation on page 15
➤ Additional Online Resources on page 17

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Welcome to This Guide

How This Guide Is Organized

This guide contains the following parts:

Part I Understanding LoadRunner

Introduces HP LoadRunner Controller, and describes how you use it for load
testing.

Part II Designing a Scenario

Explains how to create a scenario for load testing.

Part III Executing a Scenario

Explains how to run a scenario, and how to view the system’s performance
during the scenario.

Part IV Working with Firewalls

Explains how to use HP LoadRunner Controller in an environment that
includes firewalls.

Part V Working with Diagnostics

Explains how to use LoadRunner’s Diagnostics modules to identify and
pinpoint performance problems in Siebel, Oracle, SAP, J2EE, and .NET
environments.

Part VI Monitoring a Scenario

Explains how to monitor scenario execution using the LoadRunner online
monitors.

Part VII Appendixes

Contains additional information about using LoadRunner.

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 Welcome to This Guide

Who Should Read This Guide

This guide is for the following users of HP LoadRunner:

➤ Performance Engineers
➤ Project Manager
This document assumes that you are moderately knowledgeable about
enterprise application development and highly skilled in enterprise system
and database administration.

LoadRunner Documentation
LoadRunner includes a complete set of documentation describing how to
use the product. The documentation is available from the help menu and in
PDF format. PDFs can be read and printed using Adobe Reader, which can be
downloaded from the Adobe Web site (http://www.adobe.com). Printed
documentation is also available on demand.

Accessing the Documentation

You can access the documentation as follows:

➤ From the Start menu, click Start > LoadRunner > Documentation and
select the relevant document.
➤ From the Help menu, click Documentation Library to open the merged
help.

Getting Started Documentation

➤ Readme. Provides last-minute news and information about LoadRunner.
You access the Readme from the Start menu.
➤ HP LoadRunner Quick Start provides a short, step-by-step overview and
introduction to using LoadRunner. To access the Quick Start from the
Start menu, click Start > LoadRunner > Quick Start.

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Welcome to This Guide

➤ HP LoadRunner Tutorial. Self-paced printable guide, designed to lead you

through the process of load testing and familiarize you with the
LoadRunner testing environment. To access the tutorial from the Start
menu, click Start > LoadRunner > Tutorial.

LoadRunner Guides
➤ HP Virtual User Generator User Guide. Describes how to create scripts
using VuGen. The printed version consists of two volumes, Volume I -
Using VuGen and Volume II - Protocols, while the online version is a single
volume. When necessary, supplement this user guide with the online HP
LoadRunner Online Function Reference.
➤ HP LoadRunner Controller User Guide. Describes how to create and run
LoadRunner scenarios using the LoadRunner Controller in a Windows
environment.
➤ HP LoadRunner Monitor Reference. Describes how to set up the server
monitor environment and configure LoadRunner monitors for
monitoring data generated during a scenario.
➤ HP LoadRunner Analysis User Guide. Describes how to use the
LoadRunner Analysis graphs and reports after running a scenario to
analyze system performance.
➤ HP LoadRunner Installation Guide. Explains how to install LoadRunner
and additional LoadRunner components, including LoadRunner
samples.

LoadRunner References
➤ LoadRunner Function Reference. Gives you online access to all of
LoadRunner’s functions that you can use when creating Vuser scripts,
including examples of how to use the functions.
➤ Analysis API Reference. This Analysis API set can be used for unattended
creating of an Analysis session or for custom extraction of data from the
results of a test run under the Controller. You can access this reference
from the Analysis Help menu.

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 Welcome to This Guide

➤ LoadRunner Controller Automation COM and Monitor Automation

Reference. An interface with which you can write programs to run the
LoadRunner Controller and perform most of the actions available in the
Controller user interface. You access this reference (automation.chm)
from the <LoadRunner Installation>/bin directory.
➤ Error Codes and Troubleshooting. Provides clear explanations and
troubleshooting tips for Controller connectivity and Web protocol errors.
It also provides general troubleshooting tips for Winsock, SAPGUI, and
Citrix protocols.

Additional Online Resources

Troubleshooting & Knowledge Base accesses the Troubleshooting page on
the HP Software Support Web site where you can search the Self-solve
knowledge base. Choose Help > Troubleshooting & Knowledge Base. The
URL for this Web site is http://h20230.www2.hp.com/troubleshooting.jsp.

HP Software Support accesses the HP Software Support Web site. This site
enables you to browse the Self-solve knowledge base. You can also post to
and search user discussion forums, submit support requests, download
patches and updated documentation, and more. Choose Help > HP Software
Support. The URL for this Web site is www.hp.com/go/hpsoftwaresupport.

Most of the support areas require that you register as an HP Passport user
and sign in. Many also require a support contract.

To find more information about access levels, go to:

http://h20230.www2.hp.com/new_access_levels.jsp

To register for an HP Passport user ID, go to:

http://h20229.www2.hp.com/passport-registration.html

HP Software Web site accesses the HP Software Web site. This site provides
you with the most up-to-date information on HP Software products. This
includes new software releases, seminars and trade shows, customer support,
and more. Choose Help > HP Software Web site. The URL for this Web site
is www.hp.com/go/software.

17
Welcome to This Guide

18
 Part I
Understanding LoadRunner
20
1
Introduction

HP LoadRunner load tests your application by emulating an environment in

which multiple users work concurrently. While the application is under
load, LoadRunner accurately measures, monitors, and analyzes a system’s
performance and functionality.

This chapter includes:

➤ Application Load Testing on page 21
➤ The HP LoadRunner Solution on page 22
➤ Using HP LoadRunner on page 23
➤ Working with HP LoadRunner on page 24
➤ HP LoadRunner Vuser Technology on page 25
➤ HP LoadRunner Vuser Types on page 26

Application Load Testing

Modern system architectures are complex. While they provide an
unprecedented degree of power and flexibility, these systems are difficult to
test. Whereas single-user testing focuses primarily on functionality and the
user interface of a system component, application testing focuses on
performance and reliability of an entire system.

For example, a typical application testing scenario might depict 1000 users
that log in simultaneously to a system on Monday morning. What is the
response time of the system? Does the system crash? To be able to answer
these questions—and more—a complete application performance testing
solution must:

21
Chapter 1 • Introduction

➤ test a system that combines a variety of software applications and hardware

platforms
➤ determine the suitability of a server for any given application
➤ test the server before the necessary client software has been developed
➤ emulate an environment where multiple clients interact with a single server
application
➤ test an application under the load of tens, hundreds, or even thousands of
potential users

Manual Testing Limitations

Traditional or manual testing methods offer only a partial solution to load
testing. For example, you can test an entire system manually by
constructing an environment where many users work simultaneously on
the system. Each user works at a single machine and submits input to the
system. However, this manual testing method has the following drawbacks:

➤ It is expensive, requiring large amounts of both personnel and machinery.

➤ It is complicated, especially coordinating and synchronizing multiple
testers.
➤ It involves a high degree of organization, especially to record and analyze
results meaningfully.
➤ The repeatability of the manual tests is limited.

The HP LoadRunner Solution

LoadRunner addresses the drawbacks of manual performance testing:

➤ LoadRunner reduces personnel requirements by replacing human users with

virtual users or Vusers. These Vusers emulate the behavior of real users—
operating real applications.
➤ Because numerous Vusers can run on a single computer, LoadRunner
reduces the amount of hardware required for testing.
➤ The HP LoadRunner Controller allows you to easily and effectively control
all the Vusers—from a single point of control.

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 Chapter 1 • Introduction

➤ LoadRunner monitors the application performance online, enabling you to

fine-tune your system during test execution.
➤ LoadRunner automatically records the performance of the application
during a test. You can choose from a wide variety of graphs and reports to
view the performance data.
➤ LoadRunner checks where performance delays occur: network or client
delays, CPU performance, I/O delays, database locking, or other issues at the
database server. LoadRunner monitors the network and server resources to
help you improve performance.
➤ Because LoadRunner tests are fully automated, you can easily repeat them as
often as you need.

Using HP LoadRunner
➤ Scenario. Using HP LoadRunner, you divide your application performance
testing requirements into scenarios. A scenario defines the events that occur
during each testing session. Thus, for example, a scenario defines and
controls the number of users to emulate, the actions that they perform, and
the machines on which they run their emulations.
➤ Vusers. In the scenario, LoadRunner replaces human users with virtual users
or Vusers. When you run a scenario, Vusers emulate the actions of human
users working with your application. While a workstation accommodates
only a single human user, many Vusers can run concurrently on a single
workstation. In fact, a scenario can contain tens, hundreds, or even
thousands of Vusers.
➤ Vuser Scripts. The actions that a Vuser performs during the scenario are
described in a Vuser script. When you run a scenario, each Vuser executes a
Vuser script. The Vuser scripts include functions that measure and record
the performance of your application’s components.

23
Chapter 1 • Introduction

➤ Transactions. To measure the performance of the server, you define

transactions. A transaction represents an action or a set of actions that you
are interested in measuring. You define transactions within your Vuser script
by enclosing the appropriate sections of the script with start and end
transaction statements. For example, you can define a transaction that
measures the time it takes for the server to process a request to view the
balance of an account and for the information to be displayed at the ATM.
➤ Rendezvous points. You insert rendezvous points into Vuser scripts to
emulate heavy user load on the server. Rendezvous points instruct Vusers to
wait during test execution for multiple Vusers to arrive at a certain point, so
that they may simultaneously perform a task. For example, to emulate peak
load on the bank server, you can insert a rendezvous point instructing 100
Vusers to deposit cash into their accounts at the same time.
➤ Controller. You use the HP LoadRunner Controller to manage and maintain
your scenarios. Using the Controller, you control all the Vusers in a scenario
from a single workstation.
➤ Load Generator. When you execute a scenario, the Controller distributes
each Vuser in the scenario to a load generator. The load generator is the
machine that executes the Vuser script, enabling the Vuser to emulate the
actions of a human user.
➤ Performance analysis. Vuser scripts include functions that measure and
record system performance during load-testing sessions. During a scenario
run, you can monitor the network and server resources. Following a scenario
run, you can view performance analysis data in reports and graphs.

Working with HP LoadRunner

Suppose you want to test an online banking Web server that is accessed by
many Internet users. The Web site provides a full range of banking services
to the customers—such as the ability to transfer funds and check account
balances. To test this server, you create a scenario. The scenario defines the
actions that are performed on the server during the load test.

During the scenario that loads and monitors the bank server, you want to:

➤ emulate conditions of controlled load on the server

24
 Chapter 1 • Introduction

➤ emulate conditions of maximum load on the server

➤ measure server performance under load
➤ check where performance delays occur: network or client delays, CPU
performance, I/O delays, database locking, or other issues at the server
➤ monitor the network and server resources under load

HP LoadRunner Vuser Technology

On each Windows load generator, you install the Remote Agent Dispatcher
(Process) and a LoadRunner Agent.

➤ Remote Agent Dispatcher. The Remote Agent Dispatcher (Process) enables

the Controller to start applications on the load generator.
➤ Agent. The LoadRunner Agent enables the Controller and the load
generator to communicate with each other. When you run a scenario, the
Controller instructs the Remote Agent Dispatcher (Process) to launch the
LoadRunner agent. The agent receives instructions from the Controller to
initialize, run, pause, and stop Vusers. At the same time, the agent also
relays data on the status of the Vusers back to the Controller.

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Chapter 1 • Introduction

HP LoadRunner Vuser Types

LoadRunner supports various types of Vusers using the most common
protocols. Each type is designed to handle different aspects of today’s system
architectures. You can use the Vuser types in any combination in a scenario
in order to create a comprehensive application test.

Vuser types are divided into several categories, indicating their use within
common business environments. For example:

➤ Application Deployment Solution Vusers support the Citrix or Remote

Desktop Protocol (RDP) protocols.
➤ Client/Server Vusers support database and socket communication protocols.
➤ Distributed Components Vusers support COM/DCOM and Microsoft .NET
protocols.
➤ E-business Vusers support AJAX, AMF, HTTP/HTML, and Web Services
protocols.
➤ ERP/CRM Vusers provide testing for Oracle NCA, SAP, and Siebel systems.
➤ Java Vusers support the Jacada, CORBA, RMI, and JMS protocols.

For a complete list of the available protocols, refer to the HP Virtual User
Generator User Guide.

GUI Vusers
LoadRunner can integrate functional testing scripts in the form of GUI Vuser
scripts into a load testing scenario. These GUI Vuser scripts are created using
HP Functional Testing software - QuickTest Professional or WinRunner.

You can run only a single GUI Vuser on a Windows-based load generator.
Use Citrix to run multiple GUI Vusers. For additional information on
Windows-based GUI Vusers, see Chapter 18, “Using Functional Testing
Scripts in LoadRunner.”

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 Chapter 1 • Introduction

Vuser Technology
Vusers (except for GUI Vusers) generate load on a server by submitting input
directly to the server. Vusers do not operate client applications—they access
the server using LoadRunner API functions. These API functions emulate the
input from an actual application.

Because Vusers are not reliant on client software, you can use Vusers to test
server performance even before the client software has been developed.
Further, since Vusers do not have a user interface, the amount of system
resources required is minimal. This allows you to run large numbers of
Vusers on a single workstation.

The following example illustrates the use of Vusers: Suppose that you have a
Web-based database server that maintains your customer information. The
information is accessed by numerous customer service personnel who are
located throughout the country. The server receives the queries, processes
the requests, and returns responses via the Web to field personnel.

You want to test the response times of the entire system when numerous
service personnel simultaneously access the server. Using LoadRunner, you
could create several hundred Vusers, each Vuser accessing the server
database. The Vusers enable you to emulate and measure the performance of
your database and Web servers under the load of many users.

You develop a Vuser script to define the actions of a Vuser. A Vuser script
includes functions that control the script execution, specify the input that
the Vuser submits to the server, and measure the server performance.

You develop Vuser scripts either by recording with HP Virtual User

Generator (VuGen) or by using LoadRunner’s Vuser script templates.

27
Chapter 1 • Introduction

For the database server example above, you could create a Vuser script that
performs the following actions:

➤ Logs in to the Web application

➤ Connects to the database server
➤ Submits an SQL query
➤ Retrieves and processes the server response
➤ Disconnects from the server and the Web

You can create Vuser scripts on a Windows-based platform, or program them

on a UNIX platform. For a list of the supported UNIX platforms, see the HP
LoadRunner Readme file. For more information about Vusers, see the HP
Virtual User Generator User Guide.

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2
The LoadRunner Testing Process

You can easily create and run load test scenarios by following the
LoadRunner testing process below.

This chapter gives you an overview of LoadRunner’s six–step process for

testing your Web-based application under load.

29
Chapter 2 • The LoadRunner Testing Process

The following illustration outlines the testing process:

30
 Chapter 2 • The LoadRunner Testing Process

Step I: Planning the Test

Successful load testing requires that you develop a thorough test plan. A
clearly defined test plan will ensure that the LoadRunner scenarios that you
develop will accomplish your load testing objectives. For more information,
see Chapter 3, “Load Test Planning.”

Step II: Creating the Vuser Scripts

Vusers emulate human users interacting with your Web-based application. A
Vuser script contains the actions that each Vuser performs during scenario
execution.

In each Vuser script, you determine the tasks that will be:

➤ performed by each Vuser

➤ performed simultaneously by multiple Vusers
➤ measured as transactions

For more information on creating Vuser scripts, see the HP Virtual User
Generator User Guide.

Step III: Creating the Scenario

A scenario describes the events that occur during a testing session. A
scenario includes a list of machines on which Vusers run, a list of scripts that
the Vusers run, and a specified number of Vusers or Vuser groups that run
during the scenario. You create scenarios using the Controller. For an
introduction to the Controller, see Chapter 4, “The Controller at a Glance.”

Creating a Manual Scenario

You create a scenario by defining Vuser groups to which you assign a
quantity of individual Vusers, Vuser scripts, and load generators to run the
scripts. For more information, see Chapter 5, “Creating Manual Scenarios.”

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Chapter 2 • The LoadRunner Testing Process

You can also create a scenario using the Percentage Mode, in which you
define the total number of Vusers to be used in the scenario, and the load
generators and percentage of the total number of Vusers to be assigned to
each Vuser script. For more information, see Chapter 10, “Creating a
Manual Scenario Using the Percentage Mode.”

Creating a Goal-Oriented Scenario

For Web tests, you can create a goal-oriented scenario, in which you define
the goals you want your test to achieve. LoadRunner automatically builds a
scenario for you, based on these goals. For more information, see
Chapter 13, “Creating a Goal-Oriented Scenario.”

Step IV: Running the Scenario

You emulate user load on the server by instructing multiple Vusers to
perform tasks simultaneously. You can set the level of load by increasing and
decreasing the number of Vusers that perform tasks at the same time. For
more information, see Chapter 14, “Using Rendezvous Points.”

Before you run a scenario, you set the scenario configuration and
scheduling. This determines how all the load generators and Vusers behave
when you run the scenario. For more information, see Chapter 15,
“Configuring a Scenario” and Chapter 11, “Scheduling Scenarios.”

You can run the entire scenario, groups of Vusers (Vuser groups), or
individual Vusers. While a scenario runs, LoadRunner measures and records
the transactions that you defined in each Vuser script. You can also monitor
your system’s performance online. For more information, see Part III,
“Executing a Scenario.”

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 Chapter 2 • The LoadRunner Testing Process

Step V: Monitoring the Scenario

You can monitor scenario execution using the LoadRunner online run-time,
transaction, system resource, Web resource, Web server resource, Web
application server resource, database server resource, network delay,
streaming media resource, firewall server resource, ERP/CRM server resource,
Java performance, J2EE & .NET Diagnostics, application deployment,
middleware performance, application component, and infrastructure
resources monitors. For more information, see Part VI, “Monitoring a
Scenario.”

Step VI: Analyzing Test Results

During scenario execution, LoadRunner records the performance of the
application under different loads. You use LoadRunner’s graphs and reports
to analyze the application’s performance. For more information about
LoadRunner’s reports and graphs, see the HP LoadRunner Analysis User Guide.

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Chapter 2 • The LoadRunner Testing Process

34
3
Load Test Planning

Developing a comprehensive test plan is a key to successful load testing. A

clearly defined test plan ensures that the LoadRunner scenarios you develop
will accomplish your load testing objectives. This chapter introduces the
load test planning process.

This chapter includes:

➤ About Load Test Planning on page 35
➤ Analyzing the Application on page 36
➤ Defining Testing Objectives on page 39
➤ Planning LoadRunner Implementation on page 41
➤ Examining Load Testing Objectives on page 45

About Load Test Planning

As in any type of system testing, a well-defined test plan is the first essential
step to successful testing. Planning your load testing helps you to:

➤ build test scenarios that accurately emulate your working environment.

Load testing means testing your application under typical working
conditions, and checking for system performance, reliability, capacity, and
so forth.

➤ understand which resources are required for testing.

Application testing requires hardware, software, and human resources.
Before you begin testing, you should know which resources are available
and decide how to use them effectively.

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Chapter 3 • Load Test Planning

➤ define success criteria in measurable terms.

Focused testing goals and test criteria ensure successful testing. For example,
it’s not enough to define vague objectives like “Check server response time
under heavy load.” A more focused success criterion would be “Check that
50 customers can check their account balance simultaneously, and that the
server response time will not exceed one minute.”

Load test planning is a three-step process:

Analyzing the Application

The first step to load test planning is analyzing your application. You should
become thoroughly familiar with the hardware and software components,
the system configuration, and the typical usage model. This analysis ensures
that the testing environment you create using LoadRunner will accurately
reflect the environment and configuration of the application under test.

Identifying System Components

Draw a schematic diagram to illustrate the structure of the application. If
possible, extract a schematic diagram from existing documentation. If the
application under test is part of a larger network system, you should identify
the component of the system to be tested. Make sure the diagram includes
all system components, such as client machines, network, middleware, and
servers.

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 Chapter 3 • Load Test Planning

The following diagram illustrates an online banking system that is accessed

by many Web users. The Web users each connect to the same database to
transfer funds and check balances. The customers connect to the database
server through the Web, using multiple browsers.

Describing the System Configuration

Enhance the schematic diagram with more specific details. Describe the
configuration of each system component. You should be able to answer the
following questions:

➤ How many users are anticipated to connect to the system?

➤ What is the application client’s machine configuration (hardware, memory,
operating system, software, development tool, and so forth)?
➤ What types of database and Web servers are used (hardware, database type,
operating system, file server, and so forth)?
➤ How does the server communicate with the application client?
➤ What is the middleware configuration and application server between the
front-end client and back-end server?
➤ What other network components may affect response time (modems and so
forth)?
➤ What is the throughput of the communications devices? How many
concurrent users can each device handle?

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Chapter 3 • Load Test Planning

For example, the schematic diagram above specified that there are multiple
application clients accessing the system.

Front-End Client Configuration

Anticipated number of application 50 concurrent application clients

clients

Hardware / Memory Pentium IV/ 1GB

Operating system & version Windows 2003

Client browser Internet Explorer 6.0 SP1

Analyzing the Usage Model

Define how the system is typically used, and decide which functions are
important to test. Consider who uses the system, the number of each type of
user, and each user’s common tasks. In addition, consider any background
load that might affect the system response time.

For example, suppose 200 employees log on to the accounting system every
morning, and the same office network has a constant background load of 50
users performing various word processing and printing tasks. You could
create a LoadRunner scenario with 200 virtual users signing in to the
accounting database, and check the server response time.

To check how background load affects the response time, you could run
your scenario on a network where you also simulate the load of employees
performing word processing and printing activities.

Task Distribution
In addition to defining the common user tasks, examine the distribution of
these tasks. For example, suppose the bank uses a central database to serve
clients across many states and time zones. The 250 application clients are
located in two different time zones, all connecting to the same Web server.
There are 150 in Chicago and 100 in Detroit. Each begins their business day
at 9:00 AM, but since they are in different time zones, there should never be
more than 150 users signing in at any given time. You can analyze task
distribution to determine when there is peak database activity, and which
activities typically occur during peak load time.

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 Chapter 3 • Load Test Planning

Defining Testing Objectives

Before you begin testing, you should define exactly what you want to
accomplish.

Following are common application testing objectives that LoadRunner helps

you test, as described in Robert W. Buchanan, Jr’s The Art of Testing Network
Systems (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1996).

Objective Answers the Question

Measuring end-user response How long does it take to complete a business

time process?

Defining optimal hardware Which hardware configuration provides the

configuration best performance?

Checking reliability How hard or long can the system work without
errors or failures?

Checking hardware or software How does the upgrade affect performance or

upgrades reliability?

Evaluating new products Which server hardware or software should you

choose?

Measuring system capacity How much load can the system handle
without significant performance degradation?

Identifying bottlenecks Which element is slowing down response

time?

A more detailed description of each objective appears at the end of this

chapter.

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Chapter 3 • Load Test Planning

Stating Objectives in Measurable Terms

Once you decide on your general load testing objectives, you should
identify more focused goals by stating your objectives in measurable terms.
To provide a baseline for evaluation, determine exactly what constitutes
acceptable and unacceptable test results.

For example:

➤ General Objective. Product Evaluation: choose hardware for the Web server.
➤ Focused Objective. Product Evaluation: run the same group of 300 virtual
users on two different servers, HP and NEC. When all 300 users
simultaneously browse the pages of your Web application, determine which
hardware gives a better response time.

Deciding When to Test

Load testing is necessary throughout the product life cycle. The following
table illustrates what types of tests are relevant for each phase of the product
life cycle:

Planning
Development Deployment Production Evolution
and Design

Evaluate new Measure Check Measure Check HW or

products response time reliability response SW upgrades
time

Measure Check optimal Measure Identify Measure

response hardware response time bottlenecks system
time configuration capacity

Check HW or Measure
SW upgrades system
capacity

Check
reliability

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 Chapter 3 • Load Test Planning

Planning LoadRunner Implementation

The next step is to decide how to use LoadRunner to achieve your testing
goals.

Defining the Scope of Performance Measurements

You can use LoadRunner to measure response time at different points in the
application. Determine where to run the Vusers and which Vusers to run
according to the test objectives:

➤ Measuring end-to-end response time. You can measure the response time
that a typical user experiences by running a GUI Vuser at the front end. GUI
Vusers emulate real users by submitting input to and receiving output from
the client application.
You can run GUI Vusers at the front end to measure the response time across
the entire network, including a terminal emulator or GUI front end,
network, and server.

41
Chapter 3 • Load Test Planning

➤ Measuring network and server response times. You can measure network
and server response time, excluding response time of the GUI front end, by
running Vusers (not GUI) on the client machine. Vusers emulate client calls
to the server without the user interface. When you run many Vusers from
the client machine, you can measure how the load affects network and
server response time.

➤ Measuring GUI response time. You can determine how the client
application interface affects response time by subtracting the previous two
measurements:
GUI response time = end-to-end - network and server

➤ Measuring server response time. You can measure the time it takes for the
server to respond to a request without going across the network. When you
run Vusers on a machine directly connected to the server, you can measure
server performance.

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 Chapter 3 • Load Test Planning

➤ Measuring middleware-to-server response time. You can measure response

time from the server to middleware if you have access to the middleware
and its API. You can create Vusers with the middleware API and measure the
middleware-server performance.

Defining Vuser Activities

Create Vuser scripts based on your analysis of Vuser types, their typical tasks,
and your test objectives. Since Vusers emulate the actions of a typical end-
user, the Vuser scripts should include the typical end-user tasks. For
example, to emulate an online banking client, you should create a Vuser
script that performs typical banking tasks. You would browse the pages that
you normally visit to transfer funds or check balances.

You decide which tasks to measure based on your test objectives and define
transactions for these tasks. Transactions measure the time that it takes for
the server to respond to tasks submitted by Vusers (end-to-end time). For
example, to check the response time of a bank Web server supplying an
account balance, define a transaction for this task in the Vuser script.

In addition, you can emulate peak activity by using rendezvous points in

your script. Rendezvous points instruct multiple Vusers to perform tasks at
exactly the same time. For example, you can define a rendezvous to emulate
70 users simultaneously updating account information.

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Chapter 3 • Load Test Planning

Selecting Vusers
Before you decide on the hardware configuration to use for testing,
determine the number and type of Vusers required. To decide how many
Vusers and which types to run, look at the typical usage model, combined
with the testing objectives. Some general guidelines are:

➤ Use one or a few GUI users to emulate each type of typical user connection.
➤ Run multiple Vusers to generate the rest of the load for each user type.

For example, suppose that you have five kinds of users, each performing a
different business process:

Usage Model GUI Other

100 customer service users in New York 2 98

(LAN connection)

30 customers in Europe 2 28
(dial-in ISDN connection)

5 background batch processes _ 5

150 customers _ _
(terminal connection)

6 managers 2 4

Choosing Testing Hardware/Software

The hardware and software should be powerful and fast enough to emulate
the required number of virtual users. Refer to the HP LoadRunner Installation
Guide for specific hardware requirements.

To decide on the number of machines and correct configuration, consider

the following:

➤ It is advisable to run HP LoadRunner Controller on a separate machine.

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 Chapter 3 • Load Test Planning

➤ Each GUI Vuser requires a separate Windows-based machine; several GUI

Vusers can run on a single UNIX machine.
➤ Configuration of the test machine for GUI Vusers should be as similar as
possible to the actual user’s machine.

Note: The results file requires a few MB of disk space for a long scenario run
with many transactions. The load generators also require a few MB of disk
space for temporary files if there is no NFS. See Chapter 15, “Configuring a
Scenario” for more information about run-time file storage.

Examining Load Testing Objectives

Your test plan should be based on a clearly defined testing objective. This
section presents an overview of common testing objectives:

➤ Measuring End-User Response Time

➤ Defining Optimal Hardware Configuration
➤ Checking Reliability
➤ Checking Hardware or Software Upgrades
➤ Evaluating New Products
➤ Identifying Bottlenecks
➤ Measuring System Capacity

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Chapter 3 • Load Test Planning

Measuring End-User Response Time

Check how long it takes for the user to perform a business process and
receive a response from the server. For example, suppose that you want to
verify that while your system operates under normal load conditions, the
end users receive responses to all requests within 20 seconds. The following
graph presents a sample load vs. response time measurement for a banking
application:

80
Check account
Response
60 information
Time
(seconds)
40
Login
20
0
0 10 20 30 40 50
Number of Users

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 Chapter 3 • Load Test Planning

Defining Optimal Hardware Configuration

Check how various system configurations (memory, CPU speed, cache,
adaptors, modems) affect performance. Once you understand the system
architecture and have tested the application response time, you can measure
the application response for different system configurations to determine
which settings provide the desired performance levels.

For example, you could set up three different server configurations and run
the same tests on each configuration to measure performance variations.

Checking Reliability
Determine the level of system stability under heavy or continuous work
loads. You can use LoadRunner to create stress on the system: force the
system to handle extended activity in a compressed time period to simulate
the kind of activity a system would normally experience over a period of
weeks or months.

Checking Hardware or Software Upgrades

Perform regression testing to compare a new release of hardware or software
to an older release. You can check how an upgrade affects response time
(benchmark) and reliability. Application regression testing does not check
new features of an upgrade; rather it checks that the new release is as
efficient and reliable as the older release.

Evaluating New Products

You can run tests to evaluate individual products and subsystems during the
planning and design stage of a product’s life cycle. For example, you can
choose the hardware for the server machine or the database package based
on evaluation tests.

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Chapter 3 • Load Test Planning

Identifying Bottlenecks
You can run tests that identify bottlenecks on the system and determine
which element is causing performance degradation, for example, file
locking, resource contention, and network overload. Use LoadRunner in
conjunction with the new network and machine monitoring tools to create
load and measure performance at different points in the system. For more
information, see Part VI, “Monitoring a Scenario.”

?
? ?
?
ISDN WAN

Modem Router

Application Server Database

Clients Server

Measuring System Capacity

Measure system capacity, and determine how much excess capacity the
system can handle without performance degradation. To check capacity,
you can compare performance versus load on the existing system, and
determine where significant response-time degradation begins to occur. This
is often called the “knee” of the response time curve.

Once you determine the current capacity, you can decide if resources need
to be increased to support additional users.

48
4
The Controller at a Glance

This chapter introduces the Controller window and explains how to

perform basic scenario operations.

This chapter includes:

➤ Opening the Controller on page 50
➤ Introducing the Controller on page 53
➤ Managing Scenario Files on page 55
➤ Running a Scenario on page 58

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Chapter 4 • The Controller at a Glance

Opening the Controller

Set up the LoadRunner environment according to the instructions in the HP
LoadRunner Installation Guide.

To open the Controller:

You can open the Controller by choosing either of the following:

➤ Start > Programs > LoadRunner > Applications > Controller.

➤ Start > Programs > LoadRunner > LoadRunner. The HP LoadRunner
launcher window opens. On the Load Testing tab, click Run Load Tests.

By default, the Controller opens with the New Scenario dialog box.

Note: To open the New Scenario dialog box on startup, ensure that the
Show at Startup option in the New Scenario dialog box is selected. You can
also select this option in the View menu (View > Show New Scenario
dialog).

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 Chapter 4 • The Controller at a Glance

If the New Scenario dialog box does not open on startup, you can open it by
seelcting File > New or by clicking the New button on the Controller
toolbar.

You can create one of the following types of scenarios:

➤ Manual Scenario. You create the scenario yourself by defining the number of
Vuser groups you want to run, and building a schedule for LoadRunner to
run these groups. You can also create a manual scenario by defining the
total number of Vusers to be used in the scenario, or assigning a percentage
of the total number of Vusers to each script.
➤ Goal-Oriented Scenario. You define the goals you want your test to achieve,
and LoadRunner automatically builds a scenario for you, based on these
goals.

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Chapter 4 • The Controller at a Glance

For instructions on creating a manual scenario, see Chapter 5, “Creating

Manual Scenarios.” For instructions on creating a manual scenario using the
Percentage Mode, see Chapter 10, “Creating a Manual Scenario Using the
Percentage Mode.”

For instructions on creating a goal-oriented scenario, see Chapter 13,

“Creating a Goal-Oriented Scenario.”

To select scripts to use in your scenario:

1 Select a script from the Available Scripts list. By default, the list displays the
50 most recently used scripts.

Note: You can change the maximum number of scripts displayed in the
Available Scripts list by modifying the following registry key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Mercury Interactive\RecentScripts\
max_num_of_scripts

You can also click the Browse button to locate the script you want to use. To
view the directory path of a script listed in the Available Scripts list, right-
click the script and select Show Paths.
To select a script saved in the Quality Center database, click Quality Center.
To record a new script using VuGen, click Record.

Note: To select a VB Vuser script, browse to locate the .usr file.

2 Click Add to copy the script you selected to the Scripts in Scenario list.
3 Click Remove to remove a script from the Scripts in Scenario list.
4 To bypass this dialog box the next time you create a new scenario, clear the
Show at startup check box. You will be able to add scripts later on, while
building your scenario.
5 Click OK to close the dialog box.

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 Chapter 4 • The Controller at a Glance

Introducing the Controller

The Controller window contains the following elements:

➤ Title bar. Displays the name of the scenario on which you are currently
working.
➤ Status Bar. Displays tool tips for the Controller menu items, as well as the
following, if they are enabled: Quality Center Connection, IP Spoofer, Auto
Collate Results, and Auto Load Analysis.

The Controller window has the following views:

➤ Design view. This view displays a list of all the Vuser groups/scripts in a
scenario, the load generators, and the number of Vusers assigned to each
group/script. This view also displays basic information about the scenario
schedule (manual scenario) or goal (goal-oriented scenario).

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Chapter 4 • The Controller at a Glance

➤ Run view. Displays information on the running Vusers and Vuser groups, as
well as online monitor graphs.

In addition, if you select View > Show Output, the Controller opens the
Output window which displays error, warning, notification, debug, and
batch messages generated during scenario execution.

Choosing Commands from the Toolbar

You can run many LoadRunner commands by clicking a button on the
toolbar in the Controller. There are some variations in the buttons the
toolbar displays, depending on whether you are in Design view or Run view,
and depending on whether you are creating a manual scenario or a goal-
oriented scenario.

In the Design view, the following buttons appear:

Toolbar Button Enables You To

Create a new scenario

Open an existing scenario

Save a scenario

View load generators

Open Vugen

Open Analysis

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 Chapter 4 • The Controller at a Glance

In the Run view, the following additional buttons appear:

Toolbar Button Enables You To

Edit scenario goal

(Goal-oriented scenarios only)

Initialize Vusers

Run Vusers

Gradually stop running Vusers

Stop running Vusers

Analyze the results of the scenario

Managing Scenario Files

A scenario describes the events that occur during each load testing session.
You create a scenario using the Design view of Controller.

After you create the scenario, LoadRunner saves the information in a

scenario file (.lrs). You use the commands in the File menu to create, open,
save, and close scenario files. Some of these commands are available from
the toolbar.

Creating a New Scenario

The New command creates a completely new scenario. The New command
clears all the information displayed in the Controller windows. To create a
new scenario, select File > New, or click the New button on the Controller
toolbar.

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Chapter 4 • The Controller at a Glance

Opening an Existing Scenario

The Open command opens any existing scenario.

To open an existing scenario:

1 Select File > Open, or click the Open button. The Open Scenario dialog box
opens.

2 Click a file in the File Name list or type a file name in the File Name box.
3 Click Open. The File Open dialog box closes and the scenario appears in the
Controller.

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 Chapter 4 • The Controller at a Glance

Saving a Scenario
The Save command saves the current scenario.

To save a scenario:
1 Select File > Save, or click the Save button. The Save Scenario dialog box
opens the first time you save a scenario.

2 Type a scenario name in the File Name text box. By default, scenario files
have the extension .lrs.
3 Click Save. The scenario is saved in the location you specified.

Closing a Scenario
Closing a scenario closes all the Controller windows. To close the scenario,
select File > Close. If you made changes to the scenario, a Save Changes
message appears. Click Yes to save the changes you made. All open windows
and icons in the Controller close.

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Chapter 4 • The Controller at a Glance

Running a Scenario
Once you have designed your scenario, you are ready to run it. You can
control the Vusers and Vuser groups and monitor their performance online
using the Run view of the Controller.

Scenario
Groups
pane

Scenario
Status
window

Online
Monitors
graph

Design tab Run tab

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 Chapter 4 • The Controller at a Glance

During scenario execution, you use the Scenario Groups pane in the Run
view to monitor the actions of all the Vusers and Vuser groups in the
scenario. The Status field of each Vuser group displays the current state of
each Vuser in the group.

You can also manipulate individual Vusers within the Vuser groups you
have defined by selecting a group and clicking the Vusers button. The Vusers
dialog box appears, with a list of the ID, Status, Script, Load Generator, and
Elapsed Time (since the beginning of the scenario) for each of the Vusers in
the group.

In addition, you can view a synopsis of the running scenario in the box in
the upper-right corner of the Run view.

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Chapter 4 • The Controller at a Glance

You can detach the Scenario Status window from the Run view, thereby
enlarging the Scenario Groups pane.

While the scenario runs, the Vusers and load generators send error,
notification, warning, debug, and batch messages to the Controller. You can
view these messages in the Output window (View > Show Output).

For more information on the Output window, see “Viewing the Output
Window” on page 305.

You use the online monitors and online monitor graphs to monitor Vuser
status, transactions, system resources, database server resources, Web server
resources, Web application server resources, network delay, streaming media
resources, firewall server resources, ERP/CRM server resources, Java
performance, J2EE & .NET diagnostics, application deployment resources,
middleware performance, application component resources, and
infrastructure resources while running a scenario. For more information on
online monitors, see Chapter 30, “Online Monitoring.”

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 Part II
Designing a Scenario
62
5
Creating Manual Scenarios

You can build a manual scenario by creating groups and specifying the
scripts, the load generators, and the number of Vusers included in each
group. You can also build a manual scenario using the Percentage Mode,
which allows you to define the total number of Vusers to be used in the
scenario, and assign load generators and a percentage of the total number of
Vusers to each script.

This chapter describes how to create a manual scenario using the Vuser
Group Mode. For information on creating a manual scenario using the
Percentage Mode, see Chapter 10, “Creating a Manual Scenario Using the
Percentage Mode.”

This chapter includes:

➤ About Creating a Scenario on page 64
➤ Creating Vuser Groups on page 67
➤ Configuring Vusers in a Vuser Group on page 76
➤ Configuring Vuser Run-Time Settings on page 83

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About Creating a Scenario

To test your system with LoadRunner, you must create a scenario—a file
with information about the test session. The scenario is the means by which
you emulate a real-life user. The scenario contains information about how to
emulate real users: the groups of virtual users (Vusers), the test scripts the
Vusers will run, and the load generators upon which to run the scripts.

If you chose to create a regular manual scenario, each script you selected in
the New Scenario dialog box is assigned to a Vuser group. To each Vuser
group you then assign a number of virtual users. You can instruct all Vusers
in a group to run the same script on the same load generator, or you can
assign different scripts and load generators to the various Vusers in a group.

Once you create your Vuser groups, you select or build a schedule for your
scenario. See Chapter 11, “Scheduling Scenarios” for more information on
creating a scenario schedule.

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Understanding the New Scenario Dialog Box

The New Scenario dialog box enables you to select scripts for a new scenario.

Selecting the Scenario Type

Select one of the following scenario options:

➤ Manual Scenario. Select this method if you want to build a manual scenario.
You build a manual scenario by creating groups and specifying the script,
the load generator, and the number of Vusers included in each group.
➤ Use the Percentage Mode to distribute the Vusers among the scripts.
Select this option if you want to build a manual scenario by specifying a
number of Vusers to be distributed among the selected Vuser scripts.
➤ Goal Oriented Scenario. Select this method to have LoadRunner build a
scenario for you. In a goal-oriented scenario, you define the goals you want
your test to achieve, and LoadRunner automatically builds a scenario for
you, based on these goals.

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Choosing a Script
Select a script from the Available Scripts list. Scripts that have been selected
appear in the Scripts in Scenario pane.

➤ Available Scripts. Displays, by default, a list of the fifty most recently used
scripts.

Note: You can change the maximum number of scripts displayed in the
Available Scripts list by modifying the following registry key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Mercury Interactive\RecentScripts\
max_num_of_scripts

➤ Add. Adds a script to the scenario.

➤ Remove. Removes a script from the scenario.
➤ Browse. Select scripts from a different directory. To select a VB Vuser script,
browse to locate the .usr file.
➤ Record. Opens the Virtual User Generator so that you can begin recording a
script. For more information on recording scripts, see the HP Virtual User
Generator User Guide.
➤ Quality Center. Opens the Connection to Quality Center dialog box, so that
you can open a connection to a Quality Center project.
➤ Scripts in Scenario. Displays the scripts to be used in the scenario.
➤ Show at startup. When selected, LoadRunner displays the New Scenario
dialog box each time you open the Controller.

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Creating Vuser Groups

A scenario consists of groups of Vusers that emulate human users interacting
with your application. When you run a scenario, the Vusers generate load
on the server, and LoadRunner monitors the server and transaction
performance.

Vuser groups are used to organize the Vusers in a scenario into manageable
groups. You create Vuser groups that contain Vusers with shared or similar
characteristics. For example, you can create a Vuser group for all Vusers that
run the same Vuser script.

Understanding the Design Tab - Manual Scenario Mode

When you create a manual scenario, the Controller’s Design tab displays the
Scenario Groups, Service Level Agreement, and Scenario Schedule panes.

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The Scenario Groups pane lists all enabled and disabled Vuser Groups, their
paths, the number of Vusers assigned to each group, and the load
generators.

The Scenario Schedule pane displays information regarding the schedule

profile: its name, the schedule mode, the scenario run mode, the total
number of Vusers to be used in the scenario, and the load behavior. The
Interactive Schedule graph displays a graph of the scenario schedule you
defined. For more information on creating a scenario schedule, see
Chapter 11, “Scheduling Scenarios.”

The Service Level Agreement pane lists all the service level agreements
(SLAs) defined for the scenario. For more information in SLAs, see
Chapter 12, “Defining Service Level Agreements.”

You can perform the following actions on a Vuser group or scenario:

➤ Define the group name, Vuser quantity, load generators, and scripts for the
Vuser group
➤ Add one or more load generators to the Vuser group and configure the load
generators
➤ Add and configure one or more scripts to the Vuser group
➤ Enable or disable a Vuser group for the scenario
➤ Remove a Vuser group from the scenario
➤ Schedule the Vuser group/scenario
➤ Define service level agreements for the scenario
➤ Run the scenario
➤ Stop the scenario
➤ Reset the scenario
➤ Configure scenario result settings

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Adding a Vuser Group

Vuser groups can be created and added to a scenario using the Add Group
dialog box.

To create Vuser Groups:

1 On the Scenario Groups pane toolbar, click the Add Group button. The Add
Group dialog box opens:

2 In the Group Name box, enter a name for the Vuser group.
3 From the Vuser Quantity box, select the number of Vusers that you want to
create in the group.

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4 Select a load generator from the Load Generator Name list. To use a load
generator that does not appear, select Add from the Load Generator Name
list. The Add New Load Generator dialog box opens:

Type the name of the load generator in the Name box. In the Platform box,
select the type of platform on which the load generator is running.
By default, LoadRunner stores temporary files on the load generator during
scenario execution, in a temporary directory specified by the load
generator’s TEMP or TMP environment variables. To override this default for
a specific load generator, type a location in the Temporary Directory box.
To allow the load generator to take part in the scenario, check Enable load
generator to take part in the scenario.
Click More to expand the dialog box and show the Add Load Generator
tabs. For information on configuring settings for each load generator, see
“Configuring Additional Load Generator Settings” on page 92.
Click OK to close the Add New Load Generator dialog box.
5 Select a script from the script list.
To use a script that does not appear, click Browse. Browse to select the path
and file name of the new script.

Note: If a script uses Unique file parameterization, running more than one
Vuser group with that script in the same scenario may cause unexpected
scenario results. For more information about Unique file parameterization,
see the HP Virtual User Generator User Guide.

6 Click OK to close the Add Group dialog box. The new group’s properties
appear in the Scenario Groups pane.

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Understanding the Add Group Dialog Box

Use the Add Group dialog box to insert a new group into the scenario.

➤ Group Name. Enter the name of the new group you want to add. The name
is limited to a maximum of 55 characters.
➤ Vuser Quantity. Select the number of Vusers you want to add to the group.
➤ Load Generator Name. Select the name of the load generator for the new
group. Choose a previously existing load generator from the list or create a
new load generator by choosing Add. The Add New Load Generator dialog
box opens.
➤ Select Script. Displays the available scripts in the current directory. The list
contains all scripts that you previously added to the scenario.
➤ Script Name. Select the script you want the Vuser group you are creating
to use. The script appears in the Script Name column.
➤ Script Path. Displays the script directory's path.
➤ Browse. Select the path and file name of a script from a different
directory. To use a VB Vuser script, select the .usr file.
Note: When you specify the location of a script, you can specify a
location that is relative to the current scenario directory. For details, see
“Using Relative Paths for Scripts” on page 130.

➤ Record. Opens the Virtual User Generator so that you can begin
recording a script. For more information on recording scripts, see the HP
Virtual User Generator User Guide.
Note: While a scenario is running, you can add Vuser groups to the
scenario and enable them. However, if you add a Vuser group after all the
Vusers in the scenario have started running, the new group will not run
in the scenario.

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Deleting a Vuser Group

To delete a Vuser group, on the Scenario Groups pane toolbar, click the
Remove Group button, or right-click the Vuser group and select Remove
Group.

Disabling a Vuser Group

By default, all the Vuser groups displayed in the Scenario Groups pane are
enabled to run in the scenario. To disable a Vuser group, clear the check box
to the left of the Vuser group name. The color of the group changes to gray,
indicating that the group will not take part in the scenario. To enable the
Vuser group, select the check box again.

Modifying a Vuser Group

You can modify the script and load generator for a Vuser group directly from
the Scenario Groups pane of the Controller, or by using the Group
Information dialog box.

To modify a Vuser Group directly from the Scenario Groups pane:

1 Select the group name, script path, or load generator you want to modify,
and edit its properties.
2 To modify a Vuser group script’s run-time settings, on the Scenario Groups
pane toolbar, click the Run-Time Settings button. For more information
about run-time settings, see “Configuring Scripts” on page 125.
3 To edit a Vuser group’s script, on the Scenario Groups pane toolbar, click the
View Script button. LoadRunner’s script generation tool, VuGen, opens. For
more information on editing scripts, see the HP Virtual User Generator User
Guide.

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To modify a Vuser Group using the Group Information dialog box:

1 On the Scenario Groups pane toolbar, click the Details button, or right-click
the property you want to modify and select Details. The Group Information
dialog box opens.

2 In the Group Name box, enter the Vuser group name.

3 Select a load generator from the Load Generator Name list.
To use a load generator that does not appear, select <Add...> from the Load
Generator Name list and add a new load generator using the Add New Load
Generator dialog box.
4 To modify the run-time settings you specified while recording a script using
VuGen, click Run-Time Settings. For more information about run-time
settings, see “Configuring Scripts” on page 125.
5 To edit a Vuser group’s script, click View Script. LoadRunner’s script
generation tool, VuGen, opens. For more information on editing scripts, see
“Configuring Scripts” on page 125.
6 Click OK to close the Group Information dialog box.

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Understanding the Group Information Dialog Box

Use the Group Information dialog box to display details about a Vuser
group, and modify the settings of a group.

➤ Group Name. Displays the current group name. To modify the name, type a
new name in the Group Name box.
➤ Load Generator Name. Displays the name of the selected Vuser’s load
generator. To specify a different load generator, select one from the Load
Generator Name list. Select Add from the Load Generator Name list to
specify a new load generator.
➤ Vuser Quantity. Displays the number of Vusers in the group.
➤ Script. Displays details of the selected script.
➤ Name. Displays the name of the script.
➤ Path. Displays the script directory’s path.
➤ Type. Displays the type of script.
➤ View Script. Opens the Virtual User Generator, so that you can edit the
script. For more information on editing scripts, see the HP Virtual User
Generator User Guide.
➤ Run-Time Settings. Opens the Run-Time Settings dialog box, enabling
you to edit the script run-time settings you previously set using VuGen. If
you did not set run-time settings for a script in VuGen, the default
VuGen settings are displayed for all but the Log and Think Time tabs,
which display the default Controller settings. For information on the
run-time settings, see the HP Virtual User Generator User Guide.
➤ Refresh. Click this button and select Script to update the script details in the
scenario, if you make any changes to a script while the Controller is
running. Select Run-Time Settings to restore the initial run-time settings, if
you modify the run-time settings from the Controller.

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➤ More/Less. Reveals/hides the following:

➤ Command Line. Type any command line options to use when running
the script—for example: -x value -y value. For information about passing
command line argument values to a script, see the HP Virtual User
Generator User Guide.
➤ Rendezvous. Displays the rendezvous points defined for the selected
script.
➤ Vusers. Displays all Vusers associated with the selected script.
➤ Files. Displays all files used by the script. To exclude a file from the list,
clear the check box adjacent to it.
➤ Add. Click this button and select Add File or Add Directory. Browse to the
file or directory that you want to add to this list and click Open. The
selected files/directories are added to the files list.

Note: To run Visual C++ Vusers on a remote load generator, you must add
the .dll of the Vuser to the files used by script list.

Sorting Vuser Groups in the Scenario Groups Pane

Once you have created your Vuser groups, you can sort them by group
name, script name, quantity of Vusers assigned to the group, or load
generator name.

To sort Vuser groups:

➤ Select the column by which you want to sort the groups. Click the column
header.
➤ Alternatively, you can right-click anywhere within the column you want to
sort, and select Sort Groups. Choose to sort by name, path, quantity, or load
generator.
➤ To instruct the Controller to automatically sort a new Vuser group entry,
right-click the entry and select Auto Sort.

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Configuring Vusers in a Vuser Group

You can define properties for individual Vusers within the Vuser groups you
have defined, using the Vusers dialog box. To each Vuser you can assign a
different script and/or load generator.

To define properties for individual Vusers:

1 Select the Vuser group whose Vusers you want to modify, and, on the
Scenario Groups pane toolbar, click the Virtual Users button. The Vusers
dialog box opens.

2 To change the script for an individual Vuser, select a different script in the
Script column. Alternatively, you can click the Details button, and select a
different script from the script list in the Vuser Information dialog box.
3 To change the load generator on which a Vuser runs, select a different load
generator in the Load Generator column. Alternatively, you can click the
Details button, and select a different load generator from the Load
Generator Name list in the Vuser Information dialog box.
To use a load generator that does not appear, in the Load Generator Name
list select <Add..> and add a new load generator using the Add New Load
Generator dialog box.

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Understanding the Vusers Dialog Box

The Vusers dialog box displays the status of the Vusers in the group.

Choose the scenario group from the list at the top of the dialog box.

➤ Show the Selected Vusers. Opens a Run-Time Viewer for each selected Vuser.
➤ Hide the Selected Vusers. Closes the Run-Time Viewers that were opened.
➤ Open Vuser Log. Displays a log containing run-time information about the
Vuser that is refreshed, by default, every 1000 milliseconds.
➤ Close Vuser Log. Closes the Vuser log.
➤ ID. Displays the Vuser’s ID number.
➤ Status. Displays the Vuser’s status. The possible statuses are:

Status Description

Down The Vuser is down.

Pending The Vuser is ready to be initialized and is waiting for an

available load generator, or is transferring files to the load
generator. The Vuser will run when the conditions set in its
scheduling attributes are met.

Initializing The Vuser is being initialized on the remote machine.

Ready The Vuser already performed the init section of the script
and is ready to run.

Running The Vuser is running. The Vuser script is being executed on

a load generator.

Rendezvous The Vuser has arrived at the rendezvous and is waiting to be

released by LoadRunner.

Done.Passed The Vuser has finished running. The script passed.

Done.Failed The Vuser has finished running. The script failed.

Error A problem occurred with the Vuser. Check the Status field
on the Vuser dialog box or the output window for a
complete explanation of the error.

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Status Description

Gradual Exiting The Vuser is completing the iteration or action it is running

(as defined in Tools > Options > Run-Time Settings) before
exiting.

Exiting The Vuser has finished running or has been stopped, and is
now exiting.

Stopped The Vuser stopped when the Stop command was invoked.

➤ Script. Displays the script run by the Vuser.

➤ Load Generator. Displays the load generator on which the Vuser is running.
➤ Elapsed Time. Displays the amount of time that has elapsed in the scenario
since the Vuser began running.
➤ Run. Instructs the Controller to begin running the Vuser.
➤ Gradual Stop. Instructs the Controller to complete the current iteration or
action before stopping the Vuser. This option is only available when the
Vuser is in the RUN state, if you selected the Wait for the current iteration to
end before exiting or Wait for the current action to end before exiting
options in the Run-Time Settings tab of the Options dialog box.
➤ Stop. Instructs the Controller to stop running the Vuser immediately.
➤ Reset. Resets the status of the Vuser to Down.
➤ Details. Opens the Vuser Information dialog box.
➤ Add Vusers. Opens the Add Vusers dialog box so that you can add one or
more Vusers.

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The following additional right-click options are available:

➤ Reset IDs. Resets the IDs of the Vusers in the group.

➤ Run-Time Settings. Opens the Run-Time Settings dialog box, enabling you
to edit the script run-time settings you previously set using VuGen. If you
did not set run-time settings for a script in VuGen, the default VuGen
settings are displayed for all but the Log and Think Time tabs, which display
the default Controller settings. For information on the run-time settings, see
the WinRunner User Guide.
Changing the run-time settings for one Vuser changes the run-time settings
for all of the Vusers in the group.
➤ View Script. Opens the Virtual User Generator so that you can edit the
script. For more information on editing scripts, see the HP Virtual User
Generator User Guide.
➤ Initialize Vusers. Distributes the Vuser to its designated load generator so
that it is ready to execute its script. If a Vuser fails to initialize, its status
changes to Error.
➤ Pause Vusers. Temporarily pauses the Vuser’s execution of its script.

Note: Pausing a Vuser group will affect its transaction response time.

➤ Show Vuser. Opens the Run-Time Viewer and displays the Vuser executing
its script.
➤ Hide Vuser. Closes the Run-Time Viewer showing the Vuser executing its
assigned script.
➤ Show Vuser Log. Displays a log containing run-time information about the
Vuser that is refreshed, by default, every 1000 milliseconds.
➤ Hide Vuser Log. Closes the Vuser script log.

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➤ Filter Vusers. Filters the Vusers displayed in the Vusers dialog box by status.
You can also select the filter option you want to use from the filter selector
at the top of the Vusers dialog box.
➤ Sort Vusers. Sorts the Vusers in the group by ID, Status, Script, Load
Generator, or Elapsed Time.

Understanding the Vuser Information Dialog Box

The Vuser Information dialog box displays details about a specific Vuser in a
group, and lets you modify the load generator and script settings for the
Vuser.

➤ Group Name. Displays the name of the group to which the selected Vuser
belongs.
➤ Vuser Name. Displays the name of the selected Vuser.
➤ Load Generator Name. Displays the name of the selected Vuser’s load
generator. To specify a different load generator, select one from the Load
Generator Name list. Select Add to specify a new load generator.
➤ Select Script. Displays the available scripts in the current directory.
➤ Script Name. Select the script you want the Vuser you selected to use. The
script appears in the Script Name column.
➤ Script Path. Displays the script directory’s path.
➤ Browse. Select a script from a different directory. To select a VB Vuser
script, browse to locate the .usr file.
➤ Record. Opens VuGen so that you can begin recording a script. For more
information on recording scripts, see the HP Virtual User Generator User
Guide.
➤ Run-Time Settings. Opens the Run-Time Settings dialog box, enabling
you to edit the script run-time settings you previously set using VuGen. If
you did not set run-time settings for a script in VuGen, the default
VuGen settings are displayed for all but the Log and Think Time tabs,
which display the default Controller settings. For information on the
run-time settings, see the HP Virtual User Generator User Guide.
➤ Parameter List. Opens the Parameter List in VuGen. For information
about the Parameter List, see the HP Virtual User Generator User Guide.

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Adding Vusers to a Vuser Group

You add Vusers to a Vuser group and define their properties using the Add
Vusers dialog box.

Note: You can activate additional Vusers while the scenario is running,
using the Run/Stop Vusers dialog box. For more information, see “Manually
Adding Vusers to a Running Scenario” on page 294.

To add Vusers to a Vuser group:

1 In the Vusers dialog box, click the Add Vusers button. The Add Vusers dialog
box opens.

2 From the Group Name box, select the name of the Vuser group.
3 From the Quantity to add box, select the number of Vusers that you want to
add to the group.

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4 Select a load generator from the Load Generator Name list.

To use a load generator that does not appear, select Add from the Load
Generator Name list and add a new load generator using the Add New Load
Generator dialog box.
5 Select a script from the script list.
To use a script that does not appear, click the Browse button. Browse to
select the path and file name of the new script.
6 Click OK to close the Add Vusers dialog box. The new Vuser’s properties
appear in the Vusers dialog box.

Understanding the Add Vusers Dialog Box

Adds a new Vuser to the Vuser group.

➤ Group Name. Enter the name of the group to which you want to add a
Vuser.
➤ Load Generator Name. Select the name of the load generator for the new
Vuser. Choose a previously existing load generator from the list or create a
new load generator by choosing Add. The Add New Load Generator dialog
box opens.
➤ Quantity to add. Select the number of Vusers you want to add to the group.
➤ Select Script. Displays the available scripts in the current directory.
➤ Script Name. Select the script you want the Vuser you are creating to use.
The script appears in the Script Name column.
➤ Script Path. Displays the script directory’s path.
➤ Browse. Select a script from a different directory. To use a VB Vuser script,
select the .usr file.
Note: When you specify the location of a script, you can specify a
location that is relative to the current scenario directory. For details, see
“Using Relative Paths for Scripts” on page 130.

➤ Record. Opens VuGen so that you can begin recording a script. For more
information on recording scripts, see the HP Virtual User Generator User
Guide.

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➤ Run-Time Settings. Opens the Run-Time Settings dialog box, enabling

you to edit the script run-time settings you previously set using VuGen. If
you did not set run-time settings for a script in VuGen, the default
VuGen settings are displayed for all but the Log and Think Time tabs,
which display the default Controller settings. For information on the
run-time settings, see the HP Virtual User Generator User Guide.
Note: Modifying the run-time settings for the new Vuser will modify the
run-time settings for all the Vusers in the group. For more information
about run-time settings, see “Using Relative Paths for Scripts” on
page 130.

➤ Parameter List. Opens the Parameter List in VuGen. For information

about the Parameter List, see the HP Virtual User Generator User Guide.

Configuring Vuser Run-Time Settings

You set the script’s run-time settings to customize the way the Controller
executes a Vuser script.

To view the run-time settings in the Controller:

In the Controller’s Design tab, highlight a group or groups in the Scenario
Groups pane, and click Run-Time Settings.

The Run-Time Settings dialog box displays the settings you previously set
using VuGen. If you did not set run-time settings for a script in VuGen, the
default VuGen settings are displayed for all but the Log and Think Time
tabs, which display the default Controller settings.

Note: Several protocols, such as Web and Java, have specific settings.

For information on each specific run-time setting, see the HP Virtual User
Generator User Guide.

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Modifying the run-time settings for the new Vuser will modify the run-time
settings for all the Vusers in the group. If a group contains more than one
Vuser type, then you can modify the shared run-time settings, as described
in “Modifying Run-Time Settings for Multiple Scripts” below.

Note: If you modify the run-time settings from the Controller, LoadRunner
runs the script using the modified settings. To restore the initial settings,
click the Refresh button and select Run-Time Settings.

Modifying Run-Time Settings for Multiple Scripts

When you choose to modify script run-time settings, and you have selected
multiple scripts, or a group with multiple scripts, the Controller displays the
option of modifying the shared run-time settings:

Note: If one of the selected scripts does not support shared run-time
settings, then you will only have the option of modifying each script’s
individual run-time settings. Shared RTS mode will be disabled for GUI or
Astra LoadTest Vusers.

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Select a method for modifying run-time settings of multiple scripts:

➤ Shared RTS. Opens one window containing all of the run-time settings in
blank mode. In this mode, you set only the options that you would like to
modify for all selected scripts. All other run-time settings remain
unchanged.
➤ Individual RTS. Opens a separate window for each selected script. In this
mode, you modify each script’s settings individually.

Modifying Shared Run-Time Settings

Any settings that you change in shared mode will be applied to all selected
scripts. Any other settings remain unchanged. For example, if a dialog has
check boxes, they appear in disabled mode, meaning that they are neither
selected nor cleared. If you select or clear a check box, then the change will
apply to all selected scripts.

Some run-time settings cannot be modified in shared mode. These settings

will not appear. To modify them, open the run-time settings for each
individual script.

All Run-Time Setting buttons will be disabled, for example the Change and
Advanced buttons in the Browser Emulation node.

The following nodes will not appear in shared mode:

➤ the Java Environment Settings:Classpath node

➤ the Internet Protocol:ContentCheck node
➤ the Run Logic node - for protocols which support the Run Logic node, the
Iterations box will appear in the Pacing node
➤ the nodes with tables in the format Property, Value for the protocols: Citrix
ICA, Oracle NCA, and WAP, for example, the Oracle NCA:Client Emulation
node

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6
Defining Load Generators

This chapter describes how to add a load generator to your scenario and
how to set properties specific to each load generator.

This chapter includes:

➤ About Defining Load Generators on page 88
➤ Adding a Load Generator on page 88
➤ Configuring a Load Generator on page 90
➤ Configuring Additional Load Generator Settings on page 92

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About Defining Load Generators

You can set a load generator’s attributes while adding it to the load generator
list, or modify the attributes of an existing load generator at any time, using
the Load Generators dialog box.

To configure global settings for all load generators participating in the

scenario, use LoadRunner’s Options dialog box. For more information, see
Chapter 15, “Configuring a Scenario.” To set properties specific for each
load generator, use the Load Generators dialog box as described below.

You can also indicate which load generators will run Vusers in the scenario.
For example, if a load generator is unavailable for a particular scenario run,
you can exclude it temporarily instead of removing it entirely from your list
of load generators.

You select which load generators will take part in the scenario by using the
Enable and Disable commands. Disabling a load generator temporarily
removes it from the list. Enabling a load generator reinstates it. Disabling
load generators is particularly useful if you want to isolate a specific
machine to test its performance.

Adding a Load Generator

You can add load generators to your scenario, or modify information for
existing load generators.

To add a load generator, or modify load generator information:

1 Click the Load Generators button, or select Scenario > Load Generators.
The Load Generators dialog box opens.

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2 Click Add in the Load Generators dialog box. The Add New Load Generator
dialog box opens.

3 In the Name box, enter the name of the load generator.

4 In the Platform box, select the type of platform on which the load generator
is running.
5 In the Temporary directory box, type a location on the load generator,
where the Controller can store temporary files, or leave it empty to accept
the default location. By default, LoadRunner stores temporary files on the
load generator during scenario execution, in a temporary directory specified
by the load generator’s TEMP or TMP environment variables.
6 To allow the load generator to take part in the scenario, check Enable load
generator to take part in the scenario.
7 Click More to expand the dialog box and show the Add New Load
Generator tabs. For information on configuring these settings, see
“Configuring Additional Load Generator Settings” on page 92.
8 Click OK to close the Add New Load Generator dialog box. The load
generator name you entered appears in the Load Generators list; its status is
set to Down.

Understanding the Add New Load Generator Dialog Box

You can add load generators to your scenario using the Add New Load
Generator dialog box.

➤ Name. Type the name of the load generator you want to add in the Name
box.
➤ Platform. Select the type of platform on which the load generator is
running.

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➤ Temporary directory. Type a location, on the load generator, where the

Controller can store temporary files. By default, LoadRunner stores
temporary files on the load generator during scenario execution, in a
temporary directory specified by the load generator’s TEMP or TMP
environment variables.
➤ Enable load generator to take part in the scenario. Select to include the load
generator in the scenario.
➤ More/Less. Reveals/hides Status, Run-Time File Storage, UNIX Environment,
Run-Time Quota, Vuser Status, Vuser Limits, Terminal Services, Security, and
Connection Log (Expert Mode) tabs.

Configuring a Load Generator

You can view information about load generators connected to the scenario,
and configure them using the Load Generators dialog box.

To configure a load generator:

1 Click the Load Generators button, or select Scenario > Load Generators.
The Load Generators dialog box opens. The Name of the load generator, its
Status, Platform, and Details are displayed.

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2 Click Connect to change the Status of the load generator from Down to
Ready. When the load generator is connected, the button automatically
changes to Disconnect. To change the Status of the load generator from
Ready to Down, click Disconnect.
3 To disable a load generator, select the load generator and click Disable. The
load generator name changes from blue to gray, and the load generator is
disabled. To enable a load generator, select the load generator and click
Enable. The load generator name changes from gray to blue, and the load
generator is enabled.
4 To view details of a load generator, select the load generator and click
Details. The Load Generator Information dialog box opens with information
about the load generator you selected.
5 To remove a load generator, select it from the list and click Delete.

Understanding the Load Generators Dialog Box

The Load Generators dialog box displays information about the load
generators connected to the scenario.

➤ Name. Lists the name of the load generator.

➤ Status. Displays the status of the load generator. The following table
describes the possible statuses of the load generator.

Status Description

Ready The load generator is connected

Connecting The load generator is in the process of connecting

Active The load generator is running Vusers

Down The load generator is not connected

Failed A connection with the load generator could not be

established

➤ Platform. Displays the type of platform on which the load generator is

running.
➤ Details. In the event that the connection fails, displays details about why it
failed.

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➤ Connect. Instructs the Controller to connect the load generator for the
scenario. When the load generator is connected, the button automatically
changes to Disconnect.
➤ Add. Opens the Add Load Generator dialog box.
➤ Delete. Deletes the load generator. The load generator can be deleted only
when it is disconnected.
➤ Reset. Attempts to reset a failed connection.
➤ Details. Opens the Load Generator Information dialog box.
➤ Disable/Enable. Instructs the Controller to disable or enable the load
generator. When a load generator is disabled, its Name, Status, Platform, and
Details appear in gray.

Note: The Controller monitors a Windows load generator’s CPU usage and
automatically stops loading Vusers on a load generator when it becomes
overloaded. You can monitor the status of a machine’s CPU usage using the
icons in the Load Generator dialog box. When the CPU usage of a load
generator becomes problematic, the icon to the left of the load generator
name contains a yellow bar. When the machine becomes overloaded, the
icon contains a red bar.

Configuring Additional Load Generator Settings

You can configure additional settings for individual load generators, using
the tabs in the Add New Load Generator or Load Generator Information
dialog boxes. You can configure Status, Run-Time File Storage, UNIX
Environment, Run-Time Quota, Vuser Limits, Vuser Status, Terminal
Services, and Security settings. You can also configure the Connection Log
settings while working in Expert mode. For information on the Connection
Log tab, see Appendix C, “Working in Expert Mode.”

You can configure global settings for all load generators participating in the
scenario, using the Options dialog box. For more information, see
Chapter 15, “Configuring a Scenario.”

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To configure load generator settings:

1 Click the Load Generators button , or select Scenario > Load Generators to
open the Load Generators dialog box.
2 Select a load generator in the list and click the Details button. The Load
Generator Information dialog box opens.
You can also configure the settings from the Add New Load Generator dialog
box. Click More to display the settings tabs.
3 Select a tab, and configure the load generator settings.
The settings apply to the load generator specified in the Name box. To
configure a load generator other than the one specified, enter the name and
platform of the load generator in the Name box, or select the load generator
from the Load Generator dialog box.
4 Click OK to close the Load Generator Information or Add New Load
Generator dialog box and save your settings.

Understanding the Load Generator Information Dialog

Box
The Load Generator Information dialog box enables you to add a load
generator to your scenario.

➤ Name. Type the name of the load generator you want to add in the Name
box.
➤ Platform. Select the type of platform on which the load generator is
running.
➤ Temporary directory. Type a location, on the load generator, where the
Controller can store temporary files.
➤ Enable load generator to take part in the scenario. Select to include the load
generator in the scenario.

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Status Tab
In the Load Generator Information dialog box, select the Status tab to
display details of the Load Generator Status.

➤ Load Generator Status. Displays the status of the load generator.

➤ Details. Displays error and other run-time information about the selected
load generator.

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Run-Time File Storage Tab

In the Load Generator Information dialog box, select the Run-Time File
Storage tab to specify the result directory for the performance data that
LoadRunner gathers from each load generator during a scenario.

➤ Scripts and results stored. Select one of the following options:

➤ As defined in Tools > Options > Run-Time File Storage. Stores the results
as specified in the global settings.
➤ In temporary directory on <load generator name>. Instructs the
Controller to save the run-time files (results of the scenario run and Vuser
scripts) on a hard drive of the load generator computer.
➤ On a shared network drive. Instructs the Controller to save the scenario
results and/or the Vuser scripts on a shared network drive. A shared
network drive is a drive to which the Controller and all the load
generators in the scenario have read and write permission.

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Note:

➤ If the load generator is localhost, then LoadRunner stores the scripts and
results on a shared network drive, and the options for setting the
location are all disabled.
➤ If you are monitoring over the firewall, the Run-Time File Storage settings
are not relevant.

For information about setting the network location for the results, see
Chapter 16, “Preparing to Run a Scenario.”

UNIX Environment Tab

In the Load Generator Information dialog box, select the UNIX Environment
tab to configure the login parameters and shell type for each UNIX load
generator.

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➤ Login as.
➤ Name. If the load generator is UNIX-based, set the login information for
the load generator. By default, LoadRunner uses your Windows user
name for the UNIX login. In other words, if your Windows login is
lrunner, the Controller will log on to the load generator as lrunner. To log
on to a UNIX-based load generator using a different login name, select
the Name check box and specify the desired UNIX login name. Using
this option, you can log on to the Windows Controller as bill and
connect to the UNIX load generator as mike. However, you should make
sure that mike allows bill to log on using his name. This can be done by
adding the line “+ bill” at the beginning of mike's .rhosts file.
➤ Use lower case for login names. Instructs LoadRunner to use lower case
names during login to avoid case-sensitive issues with the UNIX
operation system.
➤ Local User (Expert mode only). For information on this setting available
in Expert mode, see Appendix C, “Working in Expert Mode.”
➤ Shell Settings. Specify the UNIX shell settings for the remote UNIX load
generator. By default, the HP LoadRunner Controller connects remotely to
the UNIX load generator using rsh (remote shell). You can also connect to
the UNIX load generator without using RSH.
➤ Don’t use RSH. Select this check box to connect to the remote load
generator without using RSH. In this case, you need to activate the agent
daemon on the load generator manually. See “Connecting to a UNIX
Load Generator Without Using RSH” on page 98.
To connect using RSH, clear this check box, and ensure that:
➤ RSH is enabled on the load generator.
➤ the agent daemon is not already running on the load generator.
To stop the agent daemon, run the following command from the
<LR_root>/bin directory: m_daemon_setup -remove
➤ Default shell. Select the default shell on the UNIX load generator: csh (C
Shell—the default), bsh (Bourne Shell), or ksh (Korn Shell).
To work with the load generator, your UNIX startup configuration file
needs to include specific environment variables. See “Setting
Environment Variables” on page 99.

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➤ Initialization command. Enter any command line options for

LoadRunner to use when logging on to a UNIX system. This initialization
command will run as soon as the shell opens. For example, you could
select ksh and use the following initialization command:
source .profile;

Note: If you are monitoring or running Vusers over the firewall, the UNIX
Environment settings are not relevant.

Connecting to a UNIX Load Generator Without Using RSH

This section describes how to connect to a UNIX load generator without
using RSH.

To connect to a UNIX load generator without RSH:

1 On the UNIX load generator, run the agent daemon by running the
following command from <load generator installation directory>/bin:

m_daemon_setup -install

This runs a daemon called m_agent_daemon, and if successful you will

receive a message: m_agent_daemon <process ID>.
The agent will now keep running, even if the user is logged off. It will only
stop running using the command explained in step 3 below, or by rebooting
the machine.

Note: If you look at the log file m_agent_daemon[xxx].log in the temp

directory, you may see communication errors, even if the installation
succeeded. These messages appear because the LoadRunner agent always
tries to open port number 443 (because any agent can be an MI Listener, and
the MI Listener always listens to this port), and in UNIX machines, this port
cannot be opened by any user except for the root user. However, this will
not interfere with using this agent for the load generator.

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2 In the Controller, in the Generators > Load Generator Information > UNIX
Environment tab, select the Don’t use RSH option. Connect as usual.
3 To stop the agent daemon, run the following command from the
<LR_root>/bin directory:

m_daemon_setup -remove

This stops the m_agent_daemon, and if successful, you will receive a

message: m_agent_daemon is down.

Setting Environment Variables

To work with the load generator, your UNIX startup configuration file needs
to include specific environment variables. To set the environment variables,
users need to add the env.csh script to their startup configuration file.

➤ For C shell users, the startup configuration file is the .cshrc file
➤ For Bourne and Korn shell users, the startup configuration file is the
.profile file.

To add the env.csh script to the startup configuration file:

Add the following line in the startup configuration file (.cshrc or .profile):

source <load generator installation directory>/env.csh

For example:

source /opt/HP/HP_LoadGenerator/env.csh

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Run-Time Quota Tab

Initializing or stopping a large number of Vusers simultaneously places large
stress on a load generator. To reduce stress on a load generator, you can
initialize or stop smaller batches of Vusers.

In the Load Generator Information dialog box, select the Run-Time Quota
tab to specify the maximum number of Vuser types that the load generator
will initialize or stop simultaneously.

➤ Vuser Quota
➤ Number of Vusers that may be initialized at one time - <current load
generator>. Select the maximum number of Vusers that the current load
generator can initialize simultaneously.
➤ Limit the number of users that may be stopped at one time to. Select the
maximum number of Vusers that the current load generator can stop
simultaneously.

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➤ Defaults. Sets the number of Vusers that may be initialized or stopped at one
time to 50.

You can set run-time quotas for an entire scenario using the Run-Time
Settings tab in the Options dialog box. For information on setting quotas
globally for an entire scenario, see Chapter 15, “Configuring a Scenario.”

Vuser Limits Tab

In the Load Generator Information dialog box, select the Vuser Limits tab to
modify the maximum number of GUI, RTE, and other Vusers that a load
generator can run.

➤ Available Types. Select the types of Vusers you want the load generator to
run.

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➤ Maximum Active. Select the maximum number of Vusers of each type for
the load generator to run.
➤ Defaults. Sets GUI-WinRunner to 1, RTE to 1000, and Other Vusers to 5000.

Note: The maximum number of active Vusers that you specify must not
exceed the number of Vusers that you are licensed to run. To check your
Vuser licensing limitations, in the HP LoadRunner launcher window (Start >
Programs > LoadRunner > LoadRunner), select Configuration > LoadRunner
License.

Security Tab
In the Load Generator Information dialog box, select the Security tab to
enable monitoring or running Vusers over a firewall.

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➤ Enable firewall. Enables LoadRunner to monitor or run Vusers over a

firewall.

Note: If you select the Enable firewall option, the Temporary directory
option for storing temporary files is disabled. Any location in the Temporary
directory box is erased.

➤ Enable SSL Support. Enables an encrypted connection between the

Controller and load generator.
➤ Firewall Settings.
➤ Enable running Vusers over Firewall. Enables LoadRunner to run Vusers
on a load generator outside the firewall.
➤ Enable Monitoring over Firewall. Enables LoadRunner to monitor the
load generator through a firewall.
➤ MI Listener. Type the name of the MI listener the load generator is using.

Note: If the load generator is connected, you cannot change values in the
Security tab. To disconnect a load generator, select the load generator in the
Load Generators dialog box and click Disconnect. The load generator status
changes to Down, and you can change the settings.

The Security tab is disabled if the load generator is Localhost.

WAN Emulation Tab

In the Load Generator Information dialog box, select the WAN Emulation
tab to enable WAN Emulation on your scenario. For more information, see
“Configuring WAN Emulation Settings” on page 113.

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Vuser Status Tab

In the Load Generator Information dialog box, select the Vuser Status tab to
view the status of all the Vusers connected to the selected load generator.

Note: This tab can only be viewed when the load generator is connected.

➤ GUI/WinRunner. Displays the number of GUI/WinRunner Vusers that are

Pending, Initializing, and Active.
➤ RTE. Displays the number of RTE Vusers that are Pending, Initializing, and
Active.
➤ Other Vusers. Displays the number of Vusers—other than GUI/WinRunner
and RTE Vusers—that are Pending, Initializing, and Active.
➤ Totals. Displays the total number of Vusers that are Pending, Initializing,
and Active.

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7
Configuring Terminal Services Settings

You can use LoadRunner’s Terminal Services Manager to remotely manage

multiple load generators running in your load testing scenario on a terminal
server. In addition, you can use a terminal server to overcome the limitation
of being able to run only a single GUI Vuser on a Windows-based load
generator. By opening a terminal server session for each GUI Vuser, you can
run multiple GUI Vusers on the same application.

This chapter includes:

➤ About Terminal Services on page 105
➤ Terminal Services Manager on page 106
➤ Troubleshooting Terminal Services on page 111
➤ Configuring Terminal Sessions Over A Firewall on page 111

About Terminal Services

Terminal services allows centralized management of computing resources
for each client connected to the server, and provides each user with their
own working environment. Using a terminal server client, you can operate
in a server-based computing environment from a remote machine. The
terminal server transmits applications over the network and displays them
via terminal emulation software. Each user logs on and sees only his
individual session, which is managed transparently by the server’s operating
system, independent of any other client session.

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Important: Only users with administrator privileges can connect from the
Controller to a local load generator via a terminal services session.

Examine the following diagram to understand how the LoadRunner

components work together during a terminal session.

Terminal Services Manager

A terminal server client can have multiple terminal sessions running
simultaneously. Using LoadRunner’s Terminal Services Manager, you can
select the number of terminals to be used in your scenario (provided that
you have sufficient terminal sessions running), and the maximum number
of Vusers that can be run per terminal. The Terminal Services Manager then
evenly distributes the number of virtual users among the client sessions.

Important: This feature is not supported if the Controller and the load
generators connect over a firewall.

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To use LoadRunner’s Terminal Services Manager:

1 Set up the LoadRunner Agent on the load generator machine. See “Setting
up the LoadRunner Agent” below.
2 Launch a terminal client session on the Controller machine. See “Launching
a Terminal Client Session” on page 108.
3 Distribute Vusers on the terminal server using the Terminal Services
Manager. See “Distributing Vusers on the Terminal Server” on page 109.

Setting up the LoadRunner Agent

Before you set up the LoadRunner Agent on the load generator, make sure
that a load generator has been installed on the terminal services machine.
For more information, see the HP LoadRunner Installation Guide.

To set up the LoadRunner Agent on the load generator machine:

1 Select Start > Programs > LoadRunner > Advanced Settings > Agent
Configuration, or run <LR>\launch_service\bin\AgentConfig.exe. The
Agent Configuration dialog box opens.

2 Select Enable Terminal Services, and click OK.

3 Restart the LoadRunner Agent as a process by double-clicking the shortcut
on the desktop, or from Start > Programs > LoadRunner >
LoadRunner Agent Process.
For more information about the LoadRunner Agent, see “Working with the
LoadRunner Agent” on page 522.

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Launching a Terminal Client Session

If you are connecting to an existing Terminal Services session, you need to
open a Terminal Client session, log in to the session, and run the
LoadRunner Agent as a process.

Note: You must open a Terminal Client session for each terminal that you
want to run Vusers on during the scenario.

To run the LoadRunner Agent as a process, select

Start > Programs > LoadRunner > LoadRunner Agent Process. You need to
run the LoadRunner Agent as a process for each terminal session that you
are running.

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Distributing Vusers on the Terminal Server

You use the Terminal Services Manager to distribute Vusers running in your
load testing scenario on terminal servers.

Important: This feature is not supported if the load generator is located over
a firewall. To configure terminal services on a load generator over a firewall,
see “Configuring Terminal Sessions Over A Firewall” on page 111.

To distribute Vusers on terminal servers:

1 In the Load Generator Information dialog box, click the Terminal Services
tab.

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2 Select Enable Terminal Services Manager. This enables the Controller to

manage load automatically using terminal sessions on the load generator.
Enabling this feature allows you to see the load generator’s name only,
without adding any extra references.
For example, if you need to use three load generator sessions, my_machine,
my_machine:1, and my_machine:2, then in the load generator list, you need
only insert the load generator, my_machine, and enable the Terminal
Services Manager for 3 terminals.

Note: If this feature is not enabled, you need to insert each of the 3
terminals as separate load generators: my_machine, my_machine:1, and
my_machine:2.

3 Enter information about the terminals and the Vusers that you want to use:
a Number of terminals. Enter the number of terminals you want to use in
your scenario. You must open a terminal client session for each terminal
on which you want to run Vusers during the scenario.
b Maximum number of Vusers per terminal. Enter the maximum number
of Vusers that you want to run in a terminal session. The maximum
number of Vusers depends on the Vuser type used in the script. For GUI
Vusers, the maximum is one Vuser for each terminal session.
Alternatively, clicking Defaults sets the number of terminals to 2, and the
maximum number of Vusers per terminal to 50.
4 Select one of the following connection options:
➤ Connect to existing Terminal Services Sessions. Enables connection to
existing (open) terminal sessions.
Note: If you select this option, you must open a terminal client session
manually for each terminal that you want to run Vusers on during the
scenario.

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➤ Create new Terminal Services Sessions. Enables the Controller to open

and close terminal sessions automatically using a user name and
password.
➤ User name. Enter a user name for the Terminal Services session.
➤ Password. Enter a password.
➤ Domain. Specify a domain for the Terminal Service session.
➤ To enable interaction with new Terminal Services sessions using the
RDP client, select Show Terminal Services clients on the Controller
machine.

Troubleshooting Terminal Services

Check the connection between the Controller and the load generator on the
terminal server. In the Controller, select the load generator in the Load
Generators dialog box, and click Connect. The status changes from Down to
Ready when the load generator is connected.

If there is no connection, check that the LoadRunner Agent icon appears in

the system tray of the terminal server machine. This indicates that the agent
is running. Restart the LoadRunner agent if necessary from
Start > Programs > LoadRunner > LoadRunner Agent Service/Process.

Configuring Terminal Sessions Over A Firewall

When a load generator is located over a firewall, to configure terminal
sessions on that load generator, you need to configure terminal sessions as
virtual, independent virtual load generators. Each virtual load generator
must have its own logical name.

To configure terminal sessions as independent load generators over a

firewall:
1 Open the load generator machine console.
2 If the LoadRunner Agent is not running as a process, select
Start > Programs > LoadRunner > LoadRunner Agent Process to run it as a
process.

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3 Configure the LoadRunner agent on the console.

a Select Enable Firewall Agent, click Settings, and in the Local Machine
Key field, enter a logical virtual load generator name, for example
machine_ofw.

b Select Enable Terminal Services.

c Click OK.
4 Create one or more terminal sessions on the load generator console
machine.
5 For each terminal session, run the Agent Configuration as you did for the
console above. For each session, specify a different Local Machine Key name
in the Firewall Agent > Settings box, for example, machine_ofw_1,
machine_ofw_2, ..., machine_ofw_n.

Note: If you stop the agent on a terminal session, you must reconfigure the
settings for that particular terminal session before restarting the agent.

6 When selecting the load generators for the load test in the Controller, select
the local machine key for each individual virtual load generator used.

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Configuring WAN Emulation Settings

This chapter describes how to run a scenario using WAN Emulation and how
to configure the WAN Emulation settings.

This chapter includes:

➤ About WAN Emulation on page 114
➤ Overview of the WAN Emulation Process on page 114
➤ Configuring WAN Emulation on page 115
➤ Typical Network Emulation Settings on page 117
➤ Emulated Locations on page 118
➤ Viewing WAN Emulation Monitors on page 119
➤ Excluding Machines from WAN Emulation on page 119
➤ WAN Emulation Limitations on page 122
➤ WAN Emulation Best Practices on page 123

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About WAN Emulation

HP LoadRunner is integrated with 3rd party software that enables you to
accurately test point-to-point performance of WAN-deployed products
under real-world network conditions. By installing this WAN emulation
software on your load generator, you can introduce highly probable WAN
effects such as latency, packet loss, and link settings. As a result of this, your
scenario performs the test in a more realistic environment that better
represents the actual deployment of your application.

You can create more meaningful results by configuring several load

generators with the same unique set of WAN effects, and by giving each set a
unique location name, for example, London. When viewing scenario results
in Analysis, you can group metrics from different load generators according
to their location names. For information on grouping metrics according to
an emulated location name, see the section that deals with applying filter
and sort criteria to graphs in the HP LoadRunner Analysis User Guide.

Overview of the WAN Emulation Process

To run a scenario using WAN Emulation, you follow the process below:

1 Install the WAN Emulator

Make sure that the relevant 3rd party components are installed on the load
generator machines.
Note that in addition to the load generators, you may be required to install
the WAN Emulator on additional LoadRunner components. For more
information, see the relevant WAN emulation software installation
documentation.

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2 Determine WAN Emulation Goals

In the Load Generator Information dialog box, determine which locations
you would like to emulate in your scenario.
3 Configure the WAN Emulation
Define the WAN Emulation settings for each load generator. If several load
generators are being configured to emulate a specific location, make sure
that each load generator is configured with the same settings. For more
information see, “Configuring WAN Emulation” on page 115.
4 Run the WAN Emulation
The WAN Emulation starts and stops automatically as you start and stop the
scenario. WAN metrics are automatically collected during the scenario run.
5 View WAN Metrics in HP LoadRunner Analysis
You can view all WAN metrics in the Windows Resources monitor, as well as
in Analysis using all of the available analysis tools, including the option to
group metrics by emulated location, and to correlate data such as response
time with WAN metrics. For more information, see the HP LoadRunner
Analysis User Guide.

Configuring WAN Emulation

You configure the WAN Emulation from the Load Generator Information
dialog box.

To configure WAN Emulation:

1 Open the Load Generator Information dialog box as described in
“Configuring a Load Generator” on page 90.
2 Make sure that the load generator on which you want to enable the WAN
emulator is disconnected. If the load generator is connected, select it in the
Load Generators dialog box and click Disconnect. The load generator status
changes to Down.

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3 In the Load Generator Information dialog box, select the WAN Emulation
tab to configure WAN Emulation settings for your scenario.

Note:

The WAN Emulation tab is disabled under the following circumstances:

➤ If the load generator is running on a UNIX platform.
➤ If the WAN Emulation 3rd party software is not installed.
➤ If the load generator is also the Controller.

4 Select Enable WAN Emulation on Load Generator to enable WAN Emulation

to start automatically on scenario execution.
5 Enter an emulated location name for the load generator, or select one from
the list. For more information on emulated locations see “Emulated
Locations” on page 118.

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6 Click WAN Emulation Settings to open the WAN Emulation settings dialog
box.
➤ For information on some of the typical network emulation settings, see
“Typical Network Emulation Settings” below.
➤ For detailed information on configuring the WAN Emulation settings via
the 3rd party software components, see the relevant 3rd party software
documentation.

Typical Network Emulation Settings

The WAN Emulator allows you to emulate probable WAN effects over your
network, thereby creating a more realistic scenario. The most typical effects
which you can configure are:

Latency
The Latency value you define represents the time, in milliseconds, that it
takes an IP packet to cross the WAN. This is usually affected by geographical
distance, the available bandwidth, the network load on the route between
the two ends, and whether this is a terrestrial link or not.

Packet Loss
The Packet Loss value you define represents the chance of losing IP packets
while data travels through a WAN. Packets can get lost due to link faults or
due to extreme network load.

Bandwidth
The Bandwidth value you define represents your network’s capacity to
transfer data over the WAN.

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Emulated Locations
To receive more meaningful results, you can configure your WAN Emulation
to emulate conditions unique to specific geographic locations. For example,
London and New York.

To view the results for location individually in Analysis, you can group the
results of the scenario by the emulated location name. In other words, for
any graph in Analysis, all the results of the ’New York based’ load generators
can be grouped together, as can all the results of the ’London based’ load
generators, and so on.

For example, in the image below, you can group metrics according to load
generators that were defined with the LA-NY location, as well as load
generators where no WAN Emulation was defined.

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Note: In cases where you have to configure more than one load generator
per location, make sure that each load generator designated for a specific
location is configured with the same settings.

For information on grouping Analysis graph data by emulated location

name, see the section that deals with applying filter and sort criteria to
graphs in the HP Analysis User Guide.

Viewing WAN Emulation Monitors

The WAN Emulation starts and stops automatically as you start and stop the
scenario. WAN Emulation monitors are assigned automatically when the
scenario run starts and WAN metrics are automatically collected during the
scenario run. You can view the WAN metrics during the scenario run in the
Windows Resources monitor.

If a load generator is connected over a firewall, you must add the monitors
manually using the Monitor Over Firewall component. For more
information, see Chapter 23, “Configuring Monitors Over a Firewall.”

Excluding Machines from WAN Emulation

In some situations you may want to exclude certain machines from the
WAN Emulation. You can do this by setting the WAN Emulator to refrain
from affecting traffic from a load generator to specified machines, for
example, a software update server. Network traffic which is not affected by
the emulation will not suffer any WAN effects and will not be included in
the WAN Emulation results.

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Machines are excluded by one of the following methods:

➤ Default. The following machines are always excluded by default: The

Controller machine, the MI Listener and proxy server, the Diagnostics
Commander server, and the SiteScope server.
➤ Global. You can set specific machines to always be excluded. That is, so long
as they remain excluded, they will never suffer any effects of the WAN
Emulation, irrespective of which load generator they are connected to. For
more information, see “Excluding Machines From All Scenarios” on
page 121.

Note: The number of machines that may excluded at any one time,
including those that are excluded by default, might be limited by the WAN
emulation software.

Reasons to Exclude Machines

Examples of situations where you should exclude machines from an
emulated WAN include:

➤ In a Multiprotocol scenario that includes a Web server and a database server;

where information from the database server is not required as a part of the
load test. In such a case, you would exclude the database server.
➤ You may want to exclude all deployment and software upgrade servers.
➤ Where a user runs and stores scripts on a shared network drive.
➤ Where the Controller is running or monitoring Vusers over a firewall using
the HTTPS configuration. The IP address of the proxy server should be
excluded.

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Excluding Machines From All Scenarios

You can set a specific machine to always be excluded from WAN Emulation
from the Options dialog WAN Emulation tab (Tools > Options >
WAN Emulation).

The WAN Emulation tab contains the following buttons:

➤ Add: Opens the Add Host dialog box. Enter the name or IP address of the
machine you want to exclude from WAN Emulation. This button is disabled
during run time.

Note: The number of machines you can add might be limited.

➤ Edit: Select the host name or IP address that you want to modify in the
Exclude Hosts list, and make changes to the host in the Edit Hosts dialog
box.
➤ Remove: Removes a host name or IP address from the Exclude Hosts list. We
recommend that you type machine IPs only.

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WAN Emulation Limitations

The following are known limitations for WAN Emulation:

➤ Selecting either Use bandwidth, or Use custom bandwidth in the Network:

Speed Simulation node in the Run Time Settings, may interfere with the
WAN Emulation settings and could lead to unexpected behavior. For more
information on Run Time Settings, see “Configuring Vuser Run-Time
Settings” on page 83.
➤ There is no backward compatibility between the current LoadRunner/WAN
Emulation integration and any previous integrations.
➤ The integrated WAN emulation software may not comply with accepted
Internationalization (I18N) conventions.
➤ The WAN emulation software may consume large amounts of memory,
since the technology delays traffic and captures traffic for later analysis. To
verify that the load generator machine has sufficient memory, compare the
load generator memory consumption with and without the emulation.
➤ WAN emulation software integration may not be available on the Unix
platform.

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WAN Emulation Best Practices

We recommend the following when running a scenario with WAN
Emulation:

➤ Once the scenario has started, check that WAN Emulation is running in one
of the following ways:
➤ Check for a confirmation message in the notification messages of the
Output window. The message should contain the following text:

WAN Emulation started on host <host name> with the following configuration
<config>

➤ Ping the load generator from your machine and check that the latency
and packet loss behavior is as defined. Your machine must not be
excluded from WAN Emulation to do this.
➤ If you kill the LR_Bridge.exe or magentproc.exe processes on a load
generator to stop a load test, manually stop the WAN Emulation as well.

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9
Configuring Scripts

Once you select a script for a Vuser or Vuser group, you can edit the script,
or view the details of the script you selected, from the Vusers or Group
Information dialog boxes.

This chapter includes:

➤ Editing a Vuser Group Script on page 125
➤ Editing an Individual Vuser Script on page 129
➤ Using Relative Paths for Scripts on page 130

Editing a Vuser Group Script

You can view and edit the script of a Vuser Group using the Group
Information dialog box.

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To edit and view the details of a script used by a Vuser group:

1 Select the Vuser group whose script you want to modify.
2 On the Scenario Groups pane toolbar, click the Details button, or right-click
the Vuser group and select Details. The Group Information dialog box opens
displaying the current name and path of the script, and the type of script.

3 Click Run-Time Settings to set the script’s run-time settings (optional). For
details, see “Configuring Vuser Run-Time Settings” on page 83.

Note: If you modify the run-time settings from the Controller, LoadRunner
runs the script using the modified settings. To restore the initial settings,
click the Refresh button and select Run-Time Settings.

4 To edit the script, click View Script. The script generation tool, VuGen,
opens. For more information on editing scripts, see the HP Virtual User
Generator User Guide.

Note: If you use VuGen to make changes to a script while the Controller is
running, click the Refresh button and select Script to update the script
details in the scenario.

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5 Click More to expand the Group Information dialog box and view
additional script information.

6 In the Command Line box, type any command line options to use when
running the script. For example: -x value -y value
For information about passing command line argument values to a script,
see the HP Virtual User Generator User Guide.
7 To see the rendezvous points included in the selected script, click the
Rendezvous tab.

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8 To see the list of Vusers associated with the selected script, click the Vusers
tab.

If you have not yet created Vusers, the box will be empty.
9 To see the list of files used by the script, click the Files tab.

By default, this list shows all files in the script’s directory (only after your
script has been added to the script list). These files include the configuration
settings file, the init, run, and end portions of the script, the
parameterization definitions file, and the .usr file. To add a file to the list,
click Add and add the file name. You can delete the files that you add, but
not the other files listed.

Note: To run Visual C++ Vusers on a remote load generator, you must add
the .dll of the Vuser to the Files used by script list.

10 Click OK to close the Group Information dialog box.

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Editing an Individual Vuser Script

You can view and edit the script of an individual Vuser using the Vusers
dialog box.

To edit and view the details of a script used by an individual Vuser:

1 On the Scenario Groups pane toolbar, click the Virtual Users button. The
Vusers dialog box opens.

2 To view details of a script, click Details. The script’s name and path are
displayed in the Vuser Information dialog box. To select a different script,
click the Browse button and select the path and file name of the new script.
To select a VB Vuser script, browse to locate the .usr file.

Note: When you specify the location of a script, you can specify a location
that is relative to the current scenario directory. For details, see “Using
Relative Paths for Scripts” on page 130.

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3 To edit a script, right-click the script in the Vusers dialog box, and select
View Script. The script generation tool, VuGen, opens. For more
information on editing scripts, see the HP Virtual User Generator User Guide.
4 To modify the run-time settings you specified while recording a script using
VuGen, right-click the script in the Vusers dialog box, and select Run-Time
Settings.

Note: Modifying the run-time settings for one Vuser modifies the run-time
settings for all the Vusers in the group that are using the same script.

If you highlight more than one script, you can modify the run-time settings
in shared mode, as described in “Modifying Run-Time Settings for Multiple
Scripts” on page 84.

For details about each run-time setting, see the HP Virtual User Generator User
Guide.

Using Relative Paths for Scripts

When you specify the location of a script, you can specify a relative
location. The location can be relative to the current scenario directory, or
the LoadRunner installation directory.

You can specify a path relative to the current scenario directory by typing
either of the following notations at the start of the script path:

Notation Description

.\ Indicates that the path is relative to the

location of the scenario directory

..\ Indicates that the path is relative to the

location of the parent directory of the scenario
directory

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For example, if the current scenario is located at F:\scenarios, to specify a

script located at F:\scenarios\scripts\user1.usr, you could type:

.\scripts\user1.usr

You can specify a path relative to the LoadRunner installation directory by

typing a percent sign (%) at the beginning of the script path. For example, if
the LoadRunner installation directory is located at F:\LoadRunner, to specify
a script located at F:\LoadRunner\scripts\user1.usr, you could type:

%\scripts\user1

Note: When specifying a relative path, you can include standard DOS
notation (.\ and ..\) inside the path, as shown in the following example:
M:\LR\my_tests\..\..\test.usr.

When you run a scenario, by default, the script is copied to a temporary

directory on the Vuser group machine. This enables the Vuser group load
generator to access the script locally instead of over a network.

You can instruct the Controller to store the script on a shared network drive
(see Chapter 15, “Configuring a Scenario”). If you configure the Controller
to save the script to a network drive, you must ensure that the Vuser load
generator recognizes the drive. The Script window contains a list of all the
Vuser scripts and their paths. A script’s path is based on the Controller load
generator’s mapping of that location. If a Vuser load generator maps to the
script’s path differently, path translation is required. Path translation
converts the Controller load generator’s mapping to the Vuser load
generator’s mapping. For more information see Appendix B, “Performing
Path Translation.”

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Creating a Manual Scenario Using the
Percentage Mode

You build a manual scenario in the Percentage mode by defining the total
number of Vusers to be used in the scenario, and assigning load generators
and a percentage of the total number of Vusers to each script. This chapter
describes how to create a manual scenario in the Percentage mode.

This chapter includes:

➤ About Creating a Manual Scenario Using the Percentage Mode on page 134
➤ Defining the Total Number of Vusers on page 136
➤ Assigning Properties to Scripts on page 137
➤ Configuring Scripts on page 140
➤ Converting a Scenario to the Vuser Group Mode on page 146

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About Creating a Manual Scenario Using the Percentage

Mode
When you design a regular manual scenario, you create Vuser groups, assign
them scripts, load generators, and virtual users. When you work in the
Percentage Mode, you define the total number of Vusers to be used in the
scenario, and assign load generators and a percentage of the total number of
Vusers to each script.

When you create a new scenario, you can access the Percentage Mode
directly by selecting Use the Percentage Mode to distribute the Vusers
among the scripts in the New Scenario dialog box. You can also convert a
scenario created in the Vuser Group Mode to the Percentage Mode by
choosing Scenario > Convert Scenario to the Percentage Mode.

When converting your scenario from Vuser Group Mode to Percentage

Mode, note the following:

➤ If you defined multiple scripts for a Vuser group, the number of Vuser
scripts created in the Percentage Mode will equal the number of scripts
defined for the group.
➤ <All Load Generators> will be assigned to all Vuser scripts created in the
Percentage Mode. If you defined multiple load generators for a Vuser
group, the Vusers you assign to the scripts in the Percentage Mode will be
distributed evenly among the load generators you previously assigned to
the group.
➤ All Vuser group schedule settings will be lost. All profiles will contain
scenario schedule settings only.

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Understanding the Percentage Mode Design Tab

When you create a manual scenario using the percentage mode, the
Controller’s Design tab displays the Scenario Scripts, Service Level
Agreement, and Scenario Schedule panes.

The Scenario Scripts pane lists all enabled and disabled Vuser scripts, their
paths, the load generators, and the percentage of the total number of Vusers
assigned to each script.

The Scenario Schedule pane displays information regarding the schedule

profile: its name, the schedule mode, the duration of the scenario, the
scenario run mode, the total number of Vusers to be used in the scenario,
and the load behavior. The Interactive Schedule graph displays a graph of
the scenario schedule you defined. For more information on creating a
scenario schedule, see Chapter 11, “Scheduling Scenarios.”

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The Service Level Agreement pane lists all the service level agreements
(SLAs) defined for the scenario. For more information on SLAs, see
Chapter 12, “Defining Service Level Agreements.”

You can perform the following actions on a Vuser script or scenario:

➤ Define the total number of Vusers to be used in the scenario

➤ Define the script name, script path, load generators, and percentage of the
total number of Vusers for the Vuser script
➤ Add one or more load generators to the Vuser script and configure the load
generators
➤ Add a new script to the scenario and configure it
➤ Enable or disable a Vuser script for the scenario
➤ Remove a Vuser script from the scenario
➤ Schedule the scenario
➤ Define service level agreements for the scenario
➤ Run the scenario
➤ Stop the scenario
➤ Reset the scenario
➤ Configure scenario result settings

Defining the Total Number of Vusers

When you build a scenario in the Percentage mode, you define the total
number of Vusers to be used for the scenario when you create a schedule for
the scenario. For information on creating a scenario schedule, see
Chapter 11, “Scheduling Scenarios.”

Note: The Vuser Group settings are not available for the Percentage mode.

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Assigning Properties to Scripts

The Scenario Scripts pane displays a list of scripts you selected in the New
Scenario dialog box, or defined in the Vuser Group mode.

The % column indicates the percentage of the total number of Vusers that is
automatically distributed to each Vuser script. During scenario execution,
each script runs the percentage of Vusers assigned to it. The Load Generators
column automatically contains <All Load Generators> for each Vuser script.

Note: If you defined multiple load generators for a Vuser group, the Vusers
you assign to the scripts in the Percentage Mode will be distributed evenly
among the load generators you previously assigned to the group.

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For each script you can modify:

➤ the percentage of the total number of Vusers assigned to the script

➤ the load generators on which the Vusers will execute the script

To modify the percentage of Vusers assigned to a script:

In the script’s % column, enter a percentage of the total number of Vusers
you defined in scenario schedule. The percentages assigned to the other
scripts change to create a total of 100 percent for all of the Vuser scripts.

To add or modify load generators for a script:

1 In the script’s Load Generators column, select one or more load generators
from the Load Generator Name list, and click OK. If you select multiple load
generators, the Vusers assigned to the script are distributed evenly among
the load generators.
2 Alternatively, to add a load generator to the list, select <Add..>. The Add
New Load Generator dialog box opens.

3 In the Name box, type the name of the load generator.

4 In the Platform list, select the type of platform on which the load generator
is running.
5 In the Temporary Directory box, type a location on the load generator,
where the Controller can store temporary files, or leave the box empty to
accept the default location. By default, LoadRunner stores temporary files
on the load generator during scenario execution, in a temporary directory
specified by the load generator’s TEMP or TMP environment variables.
6 To allow the load generator to take part in the scenario, check Enable load
generator to take part in the scenario.

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7 Click More to expand the dialog box and show the Add Load Generator
tabs. For information on configuring settings for each load generator, see
“Configuring Additional Load Generator Settings” on page 92.
8 Click OK to close the Add Load Generator dialog box. LoadRunner adds the
new load generator to the Load Generator Name list. To include the new
load generator in your scenario, select it from the Load Generator Name list,
and click OK.
Repeat the above procedure for each load generator you want to add to your
scenario.

Note: The Controller monitors a Windows load generator’s CPU usage and
automatically stops loading Vusers on the overloaded load generator, and
distributes them among other load generators taking part in the scenario.
For more information, see “Load Balancing” on page 209.
You can monitor the status of a machine’s CPU usage using the icons in the
Load Generators dialog box. When the CPU usage of a load generator
becomes problematic, the icon to the left of the load generator name
contains a yellow bar. When the machine becomes overloaded, the icon
contains a red bar.

Configuring Load Generators

You can set a load generator’s attributes while adding it to the load generator
list, or modify the attributes of an existing load generator at any time, using
the Load Generators dialog box. You can also use the Load Generators dialog
box to indicate which load generators will run Vusers in the scenario. For
example, if a load generator is unavailable for a particular scenario run, you
can use the Load Generators dialog box to exclude it temporarily instead of
removing it entirely from your list of load generators. For instructions on
using the Load Generators dialog box, see “Understanding the Load
Generators Dialog Box” on page 91.

To configure global settings for all load generators participating in the

scenario, use LoadRunner’s Options dialog box. For more information, see
Chapter 15, “Configuring a Scenario.”

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Configuring Scripts
You can add a script to the Scenario Scripts list using the Add Script dialog
box. Once you have added the script to the list, you can view the details of
the script you selected, edit the script, enable/disable it, or change its run-
time settings.

To add a script:
1 On the Scenario Scripts pane toolbar, click the Add Scripts button, or right-
click within a column and select Add Script. The Add Script dialog box
opens.

2 Click Browse. The Open Test dialog box opens.

Select the path and file name of the new script.

Note: When you specify the location of a script, you can specify a location
that is relative to the current scenario directory. For details, see “Using
Relative Paths for Scripts” on page 130.

3 Click Open to select the files. The Open Test dialog box closes, and the new
script name appears in the Add Script dialog box.

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4 Click OK to close the Add Script dialog box and enter the new script
information in the Scenario Scripts window.

Understanding the Add Script Dialog Box

The Add Script dialog box enables you to add scripts to your scenario.

➤ Select Script. Displays the available scripts in the current directory.

➤ Script Name. Click the script you want to add to your scenario. The script
appears in the Script Name column.
➤ Script Path. Displays the script directory’s path.
➤ Browse. Select a script from a different directory. To select a VB Vuser
script, browse to locate the .usr file.
➤ Record. Opens the Virtual User Generator so that you can begin
recording a script. For more information on recording scripts, see the HP
Virtual User Generator User Guide.

Note: While a scenario is running, you can add Vuser scripts to the scenario
and enable them. However, if you add a script after all the Vusers in the
scenario have been ramped up, the new script will not run in the scenario.

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Viewing Script Information

Once you have added a script to the list, you can view the details of the
script you selected, edit the script, enable/disable it, or change its run-time
settings.

To view script details:

1 Select the script.
2 On the Scenario Scripts pane toolbar, click the Details button, or right-click
the script and select Details. The Script Information dialog box opens,
displaying the path, name, and type of the script you selected.

3 Click Run-Time Settings to set the script’s run-time settings (optional),

which allows you to customize the way the Controller executes a Vuser
script. The Run-Time Settings dialog box opens, displaying the settings you
previously set using VuGen.

Note: If you modify the run-time settings from the Controller, LoadRunner
runs the script using the modified settings. To restore the initial settings,
click Refresh and select Run-Time Settings.

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4 To edit the script, click View Script. The script generation tool, VuGen,
opens. For more information on editing scripts, see the HP Virtual User
Generator User Guide.

Note: If you use VuGen to make changes to a script while the Controller is
running, click Refresh and select Script to update the script details in the
scenario.

5 Click More to expand the Script Information dialog box and view additional
script information.

6 In the Command Line box, type any command line options to use when
running the script. For example, -x value -y value
For information about passing command line argument values to a script,
see the HP Virtual User Generator User Guide.

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7 To see the rendezvous points included in the selected script, click the
Rendezvous tab.
8 To see the list of Vusers associated with the selected script, click the Vusers
tab.
9 To see the list of files used by the script, click the Files tab. By default this list
shows all files in the script’s directory (only after your script has been added
to the script list). These files include the configuration settings file, the init,
run, and end portions of the script, the parameterization definitions file,
and the .usr file. To add a file to the list, click Add and add the file name.

Note: You can delete the files that you add, but not the other files listed.

10 Click OK to close the Script Information dialog box.

To delete a script:
1 Select the script.
2 On the Scenario Scripts pane toolbar, click the Remove Script button, or
right-click the script and select Remove Script.

To disable a script:
Clear the box to the left of the Vuser script name. The color of the script
entry changes to gray, indicating that the script will not take part in the
scenario. To enable the Vuser script, select the check box again.

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Understanding the Script Information Dialog Box

Lets you view the details of a selected script and modify its settings.

➤ Script. Displays details of the selected script.

➤ Name. Displays the name of the selected script. To modify the name,
type the modified name in the Name box.
➤ Path. Displays the script directory’s path.
➤ Type. Displays the type of the selected script.
➤ View Script. Opens the Virtual User Generator, so that you can edit the
script. For more information on editing scripts, see the HP Virtual User
Generator User Guide.
➤ Run-Time Settings. Opens the Run-Time Settings dialog box, enabling
you to edit the script run-time settings you previously set using VuGen. If
you did not set run-time settings for a script in VuGen, the default
VuGen settings are displayed for all but the Log and Think Time tabs,
which display the default Controller settings. Note that several protocols,
such as Web and Java, have specific settings. For information on the run-
time settings, see the HP Virtual User Generator User Guide.
➤ Refresh. Click this button and select Script to update the script details in the
scenario, if you make any changes to a script while the Controller is
running. Select Run-Time Settings to restore the initial run-time settings, if
you modify the run-time settings from the Controller.
➤ More/Less. Reveals/hides the following:
➤ Command Line. Type any command line options to use when running
the script—for example: -x value -y value. For information about passing
command line argument values to a script, see the HP Virtual User
Generator User Guide.
➤ Rendezvous. Displays the rendezvous points defined for the selected
script.
➤ Vusers. Displays all Vusers associated with the selected script.
➤ Files. Displays all files used by the script. To exclude a file from the list,
select the check box adjacent to it. To add a file to the list, click Add.

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Converting a Scenario to the Vuser Group Mode

You can convert a scenario created in the Percentage Mode to the Vuser
Group Mode by choosing Scenario > Convert Scenario to the Vuser Group
Mode.

Note: You can also convert a scenario in the Vuser Group Mode to the
Percentage Mode. For more information, see “About Creating a Manual
Scenario Using the Percentage Mode” on page 134.

LoadRunner displays a warning that you are about to convert your Manual
scenario from Vuser Group Mode to Percentage Mode, or vice versa. If you
want to convert your scenario, click Yes. If you want to remain in the
current mode, click No.

➤ Always show this dialog box before converting the scenario. Clear this box
if you do not want to be prompted with the current warning. To restore the
current warning, select Scenario > Show Convert Scenario Warning.
When converting your scenario from Percentage Mode to Vuser Group
Mode, note the following:

➤ Each script will be converted to a Vuser group.

➤ If you defined multiple load generators for a Vuser script, the Vuser group
that is created when converting the scenario will also contain multiple
load generators.
➤ All schedule settings will be kept.

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Scheduling Scenarios

After you create a manual scenario, you define a schedule according to

which the scenario should run. You can schedule when to initialize, start,
and stop Vusers during the scenario run, and how long an action should
continue running.

This chapter includes:

➤ About Scheduling Scenarios on page 148
➤ Scheduler at a Glance on page 149
➤ Scheduling by Scenario or Group on page 150
➤ Schedule Run Modes on page 151
➤ Understanding Schedule Actions on page 152
➤ Managing Scenario Schedules on page 157
➤ Managing Schedule Actions on page 164
➤ Viewing Scenario Schedules in the Interactive Graph on page 169
➤ Managing Schedules From the Interactive Schedule Graph on page 175
➤ Viewing the Schedule Progress During a Run on page 179
➤ Adding Vusers to a Scheduled Scenario During a Run on page 180

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About Scheduling Scenarios

An important factor in the creation of a scenario is developing a test that
accurately portrays user load behavior—the type of load and the timing of
the load.

After you create a scenario, you schedule the scenario to start running at a
specified time. You can limit the execution duration of the scenario or of a
Vuser group within the scenario.

You can also stipulate how many Vusers to start and stop running within a
certain time frame. You can specify whether LoadRunner should start or
stop running all Vusers in a scenario simultaneously, or only a certain
number of Vusers within a specified amount of time.

Note: Rendezvous points in a Vuser script interfere with a scheduled

scenario run. If your script contains rendezvous points, your scenario will
not run as scheduled.

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Scheduler at a Glance
You configure a schedule for a manual scenario in the Design tab, in the
Scenario Schedule pane.

The Scenario Schedule pane contains the following sections:

Schedule Definition Area

The Schedule Definition area displays a selected schedule, the run mode,
and the type of schedule. In this area, you can create a schedule, select an
existing schedule to modify, rename a schedule, or delete a schedule.

For more information, see “Managing Scenario Schedules” on page 157.

Schedule Actions Grid

You define the actions for a schedule in the Actions grid. You can add,
modify, and delete actions. These actions include initializing, starting, and
stopping Vusers, as well as defining how long to continue running the
actions.

When creating group schedules, you can copy a Vuser group’s schedule
settings to other Vuser groups.

For more information about schedule actions, see “Understanding Schedule

Actions” on page 152.

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Interactive Schedule Graph

The interactive schedule graph displays a graphical representation of the
scenario schedule. The lines in the graph correspond to the actions defined
in the Actions grid. The graph is dynamic—that is, you can modify the
schedule actions from the graph itself.

For more information, see “Viewing Scenario Schedules in the Interactive

Graph” on page 169.

Scheduling by Scenario or Group

After you have created a scenario, you can schedule the enabled Vuser
groups to run as part of a whole scenario schedule or you can schedule each
Vuser group to run on its own schedule.

For information on designing a manual scenario, see Chapter 5, “Creating

Manual Scenarios.”

Scheduling By Scenario
When you run a scenario, LoadRunner runs all the Vuser groups enabled in
the scenario. The schedule defined for running the scenario is applied to all
the Vuser groups concurrently, and LoadRunner applies each action
proportionately to all the Vusers groups.

For example, take a scenario that includes 3 enabled Vuser groups, where
Group1 contains 10 Vusers, Group2 contains 20 Vusers, and Group3
contains 30 Vusers, giving a total of 60 Vusers. When scheduling by
scenario, if the schedule instructs LoadRunner to load 30 Vusers when it
starts running, LoadRunner loads a proportional number of Vusers from
each group—that is, 5 from Group1, 10 from Group2, and 15 from Group3,
totalling 30 Vusers.

The same principle applies when viewing the scenario in Percentage mode.

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Scheduling By Vuser Group

For each enabled Vuser group in a scenario, you can design a separate
execution schedule. You can specify when to start running the Vuser group,
how many Vusers to start and stop running within given time intervals, and
how long the Vuser group should continue running.

Note: You cannot view Group schedules when viewing a scenario in

Percentage mode.

Schedule Run Modes

You can schedule a scenario to run according to the run-time settings
defined in the enabled Vuser groups, or you can let the groups run over and
over again until the scenario schedule instructs them to stop running.

You can schedule a scenario to run in one of the following modes:

➤ Real-world schedule. The scenario runs according to a user-defined group of

actions that simulate a real-world schedule of events. Vuser groups run
according to the iterations defined in their run-time settings, but you can
define how many Vusers to run at a time, how long Vusers should continue
to run, and how many Vusers to stop running at a time.
➤ Basic Schedule. All enabled Vuser groups run together on one schedule, each
according to its own run-time settings. You can schedule how many Vusers
to start running at a time, how long to run the Vusers, and how many
Vusers to stop running at a time.

Configuring the Default Scheduler

When you create a scenario for the first time, the default run mode for the
Scheduler is one that emulates a real-world set of events, Real-world
schedule. If you want to create basic schedules, you can set the default run
mode to Basic schedule.

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To set the default Scheduler run mode:

1 In the Controller, select Tools > Options.
2 In the Options dialog box, click the Execution tab.

3 Select a default Scheduler run mode, and click OK.

By default, all new schedules will open in the selected mode.

Understanding Schedule Actions

A scenario schedule contains a series of actions that instruct the scenario
when to start running a Vuser group, when to initialize, start, and stop the
Vusers, and how long to run an action.

The following sections describe the available schedule actions.

For information on managing the schedule actions, see “Managing Schedule

Actions” on page 164.

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Start Group
The Start Group action defines when to start running a Vuser group. This
action is available for group schedules only.

Note: By default, the Start Group action appears as the first action in the
Actions grid when you select Schedule by: Group. It is always followed by
the Initialize action. It cannot be deleted.

Options Description

Start immediately after the scenario LoadRunner starts running the selected
begins Vuser group as soon as the scenario
(Default) starts running. (See “Scheduling a
Scenario Start Time” on page 162.)

Start <00:00:00> (HH:MM:SS) after the After the scenario starts running,
scenario begins LoadRunner waits the specified time
(in hours, minutes, and seconds),
before it starts running the selected
Vuser group.

Start when group <group name> LoadRunner starts running the selected
finishes Vuser group immediately after the
Vuser group specified in this option
has finished running.

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Initialize
The Initialize action instructs LoadRunner to prepare the Vusers so that they
are in the Ready state and can run.

Note: By default, the Initialize action appears in the Actions grid for all
schedule types. It cannot be deleted.

Options Description

Initialize all Vusers simultaneously LoadRunner initializes all the Vusers in the
scenario or selected Vuser group together,
before running them.

Initialize XX Vusers every LoadRunner initializes the specified

<00:00:00> (HH:MM:SS) number of Vusers gradually before running
them, according to the specified time
interval (in hours, minutes, and seconds).

Initialize each Vuser just before it LoadRunner initializes each Vuser in the
runs scenario or selected Vuser group just before
(Default) it starts running.
Note: This option is not available for
Group schedules when the Wait for all
groups to initialize option is selected. See
“Initializing All Vuser Groups Before a
Run” on page 161.

Initializing All Vuser Groups Before a Run

When creating a schedule by group, you might want the Scheduler to wait
until all the Vusers in all the groups have finished initializing, before
starting to run any of the groups.

If you select this option, if any of the Vuser groups in the scenario are set to
Initialize each Vuser just before it runs, the Scheduler automatically changes
this setting to Initialize all Vusers simultaneously.

For more information, see “Initializing All Vuser Groups Before a Run” on
page 161.

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Start Vusers
The Start Vusers action instructs LoadRunner to start running Vusers.

Options Description

Start XX Vusers: Simultaneously LoadRunner runs the specified number

(Default) of Vusers simultaneously.

Start XX Vusers: YY Vusers every LoadRunner runs the specified number

<00:00:00> (HH:MM:SS) of Vusers (XX) gradually. That is,
LoadRunner runs YY Vusers, and waits
the specified time (in hours, minutes,
and seconds) before running another
YY Vusers.

Note:

➤ LoadRunner starts running Vusers only when they have reached the
Ready state.
➤ In a Basic schedule, LoadRunner always runs all the Vusers, whether
simultaneously or gradually. In a Real-world schedule, you can select
how many Vusers to run.
➤ While a scenario is running, you can add Vuser groups/scripts to a
scenario and enable them. When starting the Vusers gradually, if you add
a Vuser group after all the Vusers in the scenario have started running,
the new group starts running immediately.

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Duration
The Duration action instructs LoadRunner to continue running the scenario
in the current state, for the specified amount of time.

Options Description

Run until completion The scenario runs until all the Vusers
have finished running.
Note: In a Real-world schedule, this
option is available after the first time
the Vusers start running only.

Run for XX days and <00:00:00> The scenario runs in its current state
(HH:MM:SS) for the specified amount of time (in
days, hours, minutes, and seconds)
before continuing with the next
action.
The default Duration period is
5 minutes.

Run indefinitely The scenario runs indefinitely.

(Basic schedule only)

Note: In a Real-world schedule, if a Run for Duration action is not followed

by another action, the scenario continues to run indefinitely.

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Stop Vusers
The Stop Vusers action instructs LoadRunner to stop the running Vusers.

Options Description

Stop XX Vusers: Simultaneously LoadRunner stops the specified

(Default) number (All or XX) of running Vusers
at once.

Stop XX Vuser: YY Vusers every LoadRunner stops the specified

<00:00:00> (HH:MM:SS) number of Vusers (All or XX) gradually.
That is, LoadRunner stops YY Vusers,
and waits the specified time (in hours,
minutes, and seconds) before stopping
another YY Vusers.

Managing Scenario Schedules

You create and modify scenario schedules in the Schedule Definition area of
the Scheduler.

This section includes:

➤ “Schedule Definition Toolbar” on page 158

➤ “Creating Scenario Schedules” on page 158
➤ “Optional Scenario Schedule Settings” on page 161
➤ “Copying Group Schedule Settings” on page 163
➤ “Modifying Existing Schedules” on page 163
➤ “Deleting Schedules” on page 163

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Schedule Definition Toolbar

Toolbar Button Button Name Enables you to

New Schedule Create a schedule

Delete Schedule Delete a selected schedule

Save New Name Rename a selected schedule

Start Time Set the start time for a scenario

Wait for all groups to (Schedule by Group only)

finish initialization Set all the Vuser groups in the
scenario to finish initializing before
running any of the Vusers.

Creating Scenario Schedules

You create a scenario schedule in the Schedule Definition area. When you
create a new schedule you choose the type of schedule, select a run mode,
and select a set of actions for the schedule.

To create a schedule:
1 Define the schedule’s properties.
a In the Schedule Definition area, click the New Schedule button. The
Schedule Name box displays a new schedule, Schedule <x>.
(Optional) You can rename the schedule by typing a different name, and
clicking the Save New Name button.

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b Select a type of schedule and run mode as follows:

Note: When switching from one run mode to another, all existing actions
for the schedule are replaced by the default set of actions for the new run
mode.

Run Mode
Schedule by
Real-world Schedule Basic Schedule

Scenario All enabled Vuser groups run All enabled Vuser groups run
together on one schedule. The together on one schedule, each
scenario runs according to a according to its own run-time
user-defined group of actions settings. You can schedule the
that emulate a true-to-life Vusers to start and stop running
schedule of events. You can simultaneously or gradually,
schedule how many Vusers to and you can specify how long
start running at a time, how they should run before
long to run the Vusers, and stopping.
how many Vusers to stop
running at a time.

Group Each enabled Vuser group runs Each enabled Vuser group runs
(Not according to its own defined according to its own schedule,
applicable schedule that emulates a each according to its own run-
when true-to-life schedule of events time settings. For each Vuser
viewing for that Vuser group. You can group, you can schedule how
scenario in schedule when to start many Vusers in the group to
Percentage running the Vuser group, how start and stop running
mode) many Vusers to run at a time, simultaneously or gradually,
how long to run the Vusers, and you can specify how long
and how many Vusers to stop they should run before
running at a time. stopping..

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2 Define a set of actions for the schedule.

The Actions grid displays the default actions that correspond to the schedule
settings selected in the Schedule Definition area. For detailed information
about the schedule actions, see “Understanding Schedule Actions” on
page 152.
You can modify these actions and, for real-world schedules, you can add
other actions. For details, see “Managing Schedule Actions” on page 164.

Note: Schedule by Group only. You can copy schedule settings from one
Vuser group to another. For more information, see “Copying Group
Schedule Settings” on page 163.

a Start Group (Schedule by Group only). Set the group’s schedule to start:
➤ Immediately upon starting the scenario run
➤ After the specified amount of time has elapsed
➤ After a specified group has finished running

b Initialize. Set the Vusers that will run in the scenario to initialize before
they run as follows:
➤ Initialize all the Vusers at the same time
➤ Initialize a specified number of Vusers at given time intervals
➤ Initialize each Vuser just before it starts running

Note: Schedule by Group only. You can set all the Vusers in all the
enabled Vuser groups to initialize before any of them start running. For
more information, see “Initializing All Vuser Groups Before a Run” on
page 161.

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c Start Vusers/Duration/Stop Vusers. Specify how many Vusers to start

running, how long they should run, and how many to stop running at a
time. For more information about these actions, see “Understanding
Schedule Actions” on page 152.

Optional Scenario Schedule Settings

This section describes additional settings that you can apply to your
scenario schedule.

This section includes:

➤ “Initializing All Vuser Groups Before a Run” below

➤ “Scheduling a Scenario Start Time” on page 162

Initializing All Vuser Groups Before a Run

You can initialize all the Vusers in all the groups before running them. To do
this, in the Schedule Definition area click the Wait for all groups to finish
initialization button.

If the Initialize action of any of the Vuser groups in the scenario is set to
Initialize each Vuser just before it runs, a message prompts you to change
the Initialize action to Initialize all Vusers simultaneously. Click Yes to
change the Initialize action setting.

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Scheduling a Scenario Start Time

For both manual and goal-oriented scenarios, you specify when, after the
Start Scenario command is issued, the scenario should actually begin
running. You can set the scenario to start running without delay or after a
specified amount of time. For details on starting a scenario, see Chapter 19,
“Running a Scenario.”

Note: When the scenario starts running, the selected scenario schedule
starts running.

To schedule the start time of the scenario:

1 In the Schedule Definition area, click the Start Time button. The Scenario
Start Time dialog box opens.

2 Specify when, after the Start Scenario command has been issued, to start
running the scenario. Select one of the following options:
➤ Without delay. Starts running the scenario immediately. This option is
selected by default.
➤ With a delay of <00:00:00> (HH:MM:SS). Starts running the scenario after
the specified time interval (in hours, minutes, and seconds) has passed.
➤ At <00:00:00> (HH:MM:SS) on <date>. Starts running the scenario on the
specified date, at the specified time.
3 Click OK to save your settings.

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Copying Group Schedule Settings

If you are creating a schedule by Vuser group, and you have already defined
schedule settings for one of the groups, you can copy those settings to other
groups.

Note: Schedule settings include the schedule run mode—basic or

real-world—and the set of actions.

To copy a Vuser group’s schedule settings:

1 In the Scenario Groups pane, select a Vuser group.
2 On the Actions grid toolbar, click the Copy Schedule Settings From button.
The Select Group dialog box opens.
3 Select the Vuser group from which to copy the schedule settings, and click
OK.
The schedule settings are copied to the selected Vuser group.

Modifying Existing Schedules

You can modify a schedule by renaming it, changing the schedule run mode
(basic/real-world), or adjusting the schedule actions.

In the Schedule Name box, select the schedule whose properties you want
to modify, and follow the instructions described in “Creating Scenario
Schedules” on page 158.

When you switch from one schedule run mode to another (basic to
real-world or vice versa), all existing actions for the schedule are replaced by
the default set of actions for the run-mode.

Deleting Schedules
To delete a schedule, in the Schedule Name box, select the schedule that
you want to delete, and click the Delete Schedule button. The schedule is
removed from the list.

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Managing Schedule Actions

You add, edit, and delete schedule actions in the Actions grid.

Note: You can also modify schedule actions in the Interactive Schedule
graph. For more information, see “Managing Schedules From the Interactive
Schedule Graph” on page 175.

This section includes:

➤ “Schedule Actions Grid Toolbar” on page 164

➤ “Adding Schedule Actions” on page 165
➤ “Editing Schedule Actions” on page 167
➤ “Deleting Schedule Actions” on page 168

Schedule Actions Grid Toolbar

Toolbar Button Button Name Enables you to

Add Action After Add an action after the selected

action

Edit Action Edit the selected action

Delete Action Delete the selected action

Move Action Up Move the selected action up in the

grid

Move Action Down Move the selected action down in

the grid

Copy Schedule Copy another group’s schedule

Settings From settings to the selected group
For details, see “Copying Group
Schedule Settings” on page 163.

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Toolbar Button Button Name Enables you to

Total: XX Vusers View the number of Vusers in the

scenario.
Note: Editable in Percentage mode
only.

Apply Apply the specified total number of

(Visible in Percentage Vusers proportionately to the Vuser
mode only, when groups. (Percentages are visible in
modifying the total the % column of the Scenario Scripts
number of Vusers) pane.)

Adding Schedule Actions

When you create a scenario, the Actions grid of the Scheduler lists default
schedule actions. These actions are also displayed in the interactive schedule
graph. In a real-world schedule, you can add actions to simulate a more true-
to-life schedule by which to run your scenario.

Note: You can also add schedule actions in the Interactive Schedule graph.
For more information, see “Managing Schedules From the Interactive
Schedule Graph” on page 175.

To add an action to a schedule:

1 In the Actions grid do one of the following:
➤ Double-click the last row—marked by an asterisk (*).
➤ Select an action after which to insert the new action, and click the Add
Action After button. The Add Action dialog box opens.

Note: A new action is always added after the action selected in the
Actions grid.

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2 In the Action type box, select the type of action to add.

Note: You can add a Start Vusers, Stop Vusers, or Duration action. For details
about each action type, see “Understanding Schedule Actions” on page 152.

➤ If you are adding a Start Vusers or Stop Vusers action:

In the Start/Stop XX Vusers box, enter the number of Vusers to start/stop
running, and select whether to:
➤ start/stop running all the Vusers simultaneously
➤ start/stop running the Vusers gradually
In this case, enter the number of Vusers to start/stop at a time, and at
what time interval.
➤ If you are adding a Duration action, select how long the Scheduler
should continue the preceding action before moving on to the next
action.
3 Click Apply. The action is added to the Actions grid, and is displayed in the
schedule graph.
At the same time, the Add Action dialog box displays the new action in Edit
mode, in case you want to edit the new action. If you edit the settings, click
Apply again.
4 To add another action, click Add Another Action and repeat steps 2 and 3.
5 When you have finished adding actions to the schedule, click OK to close
the Add Actions dialog box.

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Editing Schedule Actions

You can edit the schedule actions in the Action grid.

Note: You can also edit schedule actions in the Interactive Schedule graph.
For more information, see “Managing Schedules From the Interactive
Schedule Graph” on page 175.

To edit a schedule action:

1 In the Actions grid, select the action that you want to edit.

Note: You can edit all types of actions. For details about each action type,
see “Understanding Schedule Actions” on page 152.

2 Click the Edit Action button or double-click the action. The Edit Action
dialog box opens.

Note: Alternatively, double-clicking the line in the Schedule graph opens

the Edit Action dialog box.

a Edit the action.

b Click Apply. The details of the action are updated in the table.
c If you want to edit another action, click Next or Previous to locate the
action, and repeat steps a and b.
d When you have finished editing the actions, click OK.
3 To move a selected action up in the Action grid, click the Move Action Up
button.
4 To move a selected action down in the Action grid, click the Move Action
Down button.

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Deleting Schedule Actions

You delete schedule actions in the Actions grid.

Note: You can also delete schedule actions from the Interactive Schedule
graph. For more information, see “Managing Schedules From the Interactive
Schedule Graph” on page 175.

To delete a schedule action:

1 In the Actions grid, select the action you want to delete.

Note: You cannot delete Start Group or Initialize actions.

2 Click the Delete Action button, and click Yes.

The selected action is deleted from the schedule.

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Viewing Scenario Schedules in the Interactive Graph

The Interactive Schedule graph provides a graphical representation of the
scenario’s schedule.

For real-world schedules, the graph is interactive, enabling you to modify

the schedule from the graph itself. That is, you can create, edit, and delete
schedule actions from the graph.

You can also watch the progress of a running schedule during a scenario
run. You can pause the schedule during the run to modify settings, and
resume running the schedule when you are ready.

This section includes:

➤ “Understanding the Interactive Schedule Graph Toolbar” on page 170

➤ “Viewing Vuser Group Schedules in the Interactive Graph” on page 172
➤ “Working with the Interactive Schedule Graph” on page 173

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Understanding the Interactive Schedule Graph Toolbar

Toolbar Button Button Name Enables you to

New Action Append a new action to the last

action in the graph.
Available when the graph is in Edit
mode only.

Split Action Split a selected action in two.

Available when the graph is in Edit
mode only.

Delete Action Delete a selected action from the

schedule.
Available when the graph is in Edit
mode only.

Edit/View Mode Switch the graph display between

Edit mode and View mode.

Pause Pause the schedule during the

scenario run.
Available only when the scenario is
running.

Resume Resume running a schedule that was

paused.
Available only when the scenario is
running.

Show Selected Group Display only the group selected in

the Scenario Groups pane.
Available for group schedules only.

Show All Groups Display all Vuser groups enabled in

the scenario.
Available for group schedules only.

Open Full View Open the graph in its own window.

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Toolbar Button Button Name Enables you to

Zoom In Zoom into the x-axis of the graph—

that is, spread out the graph to view
shorter time intervals.

Zoom Out Zoom out of the x-axis of the

graph— that is, view longer time
intervals.

Zoom Reset Revert to the default time intervals

displayed on the x-axis.

Hide Legend Hide the graph legend.

Show Legend Show the graph legend.

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Viewing Vuser Group Schedules in the Interactive Graph

For group schedules, by default, all the Vuser groups’ schedules are displayed
in the interactive graph. You can also view a selected Vuser group’s schedule
on its own.

To view a particular Vuser group’s schedule:

1 In the Scenario Groups pane, select the Vuser group. In the graph legend,
the selected Vuser group becomes the default Vuser group in the graph. The
option to clear the check box becomes unavailable.

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2 Click the Show Selected Group button. Only the selected Vuser group is
displayed in the graph.

To view all of Vuser groups again, click the Show All Groups button.

Working with the Interactive Schedule Graph

You can view an enlarged version of the graph, zoom in and out of the time
line of the graph, and view and hide the graph legend.

Opening the Interactive Schedule Graph in Full View

You can view an enlarged version of the schedule’s interactive graph by
opening the graph in its own window.

To open the graph in full view:

➤ In the interactive graph pane, click the Open Full View button.
A window opens displaying the graph pane in full view.

Note: All the options available in the interactive graph pane are also
available in the full-view graph window.

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Zooming Into and Out of the Timeline of the Graph

You can spread out the timeline (x-axis) of the schedule graph, and view the
schedule details over shorter time intervals.

➤ To spread out the timeline, click the Zoom in button.

Depending on the duration of the schedule, the graph might spread wider
than the graph pane. In this case, a Time scroll bar appears. Use the scroll
bar to scroll across the graph.

➤ To zoom out of the timeline, click the Zoom out button.

➤ To revert to the default time intervals displayed on the x-axis, click the
Zoom Reset button.

Showing and Hiding the Graph Legend

➤ To hide the legend of the interactive schedule graph, click the Hide Legend
button in the upper right corner of the graph pane or full-view window.
➤ To show the legend of the interactive schedule graph, click the
Show Legend button in the upper right corner of the graph pane or
full-view window.

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Managing Schedules From the Interactive Schedule Graph

The Schedule graph is interactive, enabling you to edit the scenario schedule
from the graph itself. Each line in the graph represents an action in the
Actions grid. Only the Start Vusers, Duration, and Stop Vusers actions are
displayed in the graph. When you modify these actions in the graph, the
action is updated in the Actions grid.

Note: Basic schedules can be viewed but not modified in the interactive
schedule graph. To modify a basic schedule, you must edit the actions in the
Actions grid.

This section includes:

➤ Switching Between Edit and View Mode

➤ Adding an Action
➤ Editing an Action
➤ Deleting an Action

Switching Between Edit and View Mode

By default, the Schedule graph is displayed in View mode. In order to edit
the graph, you must switch the graph to Edit mode.

To switch the between Edit and View modes, click the Edit/View Mode
button.

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Adding an Action
You add schedule actions in the graph by splitting an action into two
actions, or appending a new action after the last action in the graph.

To add an action by splitting one action into two actions:

1 Ensure that the graph is in Edit mode (click the Edit Mode button).
2 Select the line that represents the action that you want to split.

Tip: Selecting the action in the Actions grid highlights the corresponding
line in the graph.

3 Click the Split Action button. The selected line is split in two. The original
action in the Actions grid is split into two equivalent actions, each
representing half of the original action. For example,
➤ Splitting a Duration action of 5 minutes results in two Duration actions
of 2.5 minutes each
➤ Splitting a Start Vusers action that starts 20 Vusers results in two
Start Vusers actions, each starting 10 Vusers

To append an action after the last action:

1 Ensure that the graph is in Edit mode (click the Edit Mode button).
2 In the graph pane toolbar, click the New Action button.
3 Append new actions as follows:
➤ To append a Start Vusers action, click the graph anywhere to the right of
and above the last line of the graph
➤ To append a Duration action, click the graph anywhere to the right of the
last line of the graph
➤ To append a Stop Vusers action, click the graph anywhere to the right of
and below the last line of the graph
4 To edit the action, see “Editing an Action” below, or see “Editing Schedule
Actions” on page 167.

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Editing an Action
You can edit a schedule action in the graph by dragging the endpoint of the
line representing it from one location to another.

To edit a schedule action:

1 Ensure that the graph is in Edit mode (click the Edit Mode button).
2 In the Actions grid, select the action you want to edit, or click the
corresponding line in the graph. The line is highlighted and its endpoints, a
dot and a diamond, are displayed.
3 Modify the action as described in the following table. The action details
displayed in the Actions grid are updated accordingly.

Note: Alternatively, you can double-click the line in the graph to open the
Edit Action dialog box, and modify the action as described in “Editing
Schedule Actions” on page 167.

Action Modification

Start Vusers ➤ To increase the number of Vusers to start running, drag the
diamond-shaped endpoint upwards.
➤ To decrease the number of Vusers to start running, drag the
diamond-shaped endpoint downwards.

Start Vusers ➤ To increase the time interval between starting Vusers, drag
the diamond-shaped endpoint to the right.
➤ To decrease the time interval between starting Vusers, drag
the diamond-shaped endpoint to the left.
Note: A vertical line indicates that the Vusers start running
simultaneously.

Duration ➤ To increase the time interval between scheduled actions, drag

the diamond-shaped endpoint to the right.
➤ To decrease the time interval between scheduled actions,
drag the diamond-shaped endpoint to the left.

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Action Modification

Stop Vusers ➤ To decrease the number of Vusers to stop running, drag the
diamond-shaped endpoint upwards.
➤ To increase the number of Vusers to stop running, drag the
diamond-shaped endpoint downwards.

Stop Vusers ➤ To increase the time interval between stopping Vusers, drag
the diamond-shaped endpoint to the right.
➤ To decrease the time interval between stopping Vusers, drag
the diamond-shaped endpoint to the left.
Note: A vertical line indicates that the Vusers stop running
simultaneously.

Tip: To fine-tune any of the details of the selected action line, use the arrow
keys on your keyboard.

Deleting an Action
You can delete a schedule action from the schedule graph.

To delete a schedule action:

1 Ensure that the graph is in Edit mode (click the Edit Mode button).
2 In the Actions grid or in the graph, select the action you want to delete.
3 In the graph pane toolbar, click the Delete Action button, and click Yes.
The selected action is deleted from the graph.

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Viewing the Schedule Progress During a Run

While the scenario is running, you can view the progress of the scenario
schedule in the Interactive Schedule graph. The progress is indicated by a
vertical red line that slides across the graph during the run.

Important: The scenario schedule may run a few seconds ahead of the
scenario run.

At any point during the run, you can pause the schedule, and resume
running the schedule.

➤ To pause the schedule, in the graph pane or full-view graph window,

click the Pause button.
➤ To resume the schedule, in the graph pane or full-view window click the
Resume button.

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Adding Vusers to a Scheduled Scenario During a Run

When you run a scenario or Vuser group, the scenario schedule settings are
applied to all Vusers that are manually added to the scenario or Vuser group
during the scenario run. For example, if a running scenario or Vuser group
has a set duration of five minutes, all Vusers subsequently added to the
scenario or Vuser group run only for the remaining part of this time period.

Vusers added to a scenario or Vuser group which has finished running are
not affected by schedule settings and run according to the scenario run-time
settings.

For more information on controlling Vusers manually, see “Manually

Adding Vusers to a Running Scenario” on page 294.

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12
Defining Service Level Agreements

Service level agreements (SLAs) enable you to define goals for your load test
scenario. During a scenario run, the Controller measures the performance
and collects data. Analysis compares this data against thresholds defined in
the SLAs.

This chapter includes:

➤ About Defining Service Level Agreements on page 182
➤ Defining an SLA Goal Measured Per Time Interval on page 183
➤ Defining an SLA Goal Measured Over the Whole Run on page 191
➤ Understanding the Service Level Agreement Pane on page 193

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About Defining Service Level Agreements

When you design a load test scenario, you can define goals or service level
agreements (SLAs) for the performance metrics. When you run the scenario,
LoadRunner gathers and stores performance-related data. When you analyze
the run, Analysis compares this data against the SLAs and determines SLA
statuses for the defined measurements.

Depending on the measurements that you are evaluating, LoadRunner

determines SLA statuses in one of the following ways:

➤ SLA status determined at time intervals over a timeline. Analysis displays

SLA statuses at set time intervals—for example, every 10 seconds—over a
timeline within the run. For more information, see “Defining an SLA Goal
Measured Per Time Interval” on page 183.
➤ SLA status determined over the whole run. Analysis displays a single SLA
status for the whole scenario run. For more information, see “Defining an
SLA Goal Measured Over the Whole Run” on page 191.

Note: You can define and edit SLAs in the Controller or in Analysis.

For details about viewing SLA information in Analysis reports, refer to the
HP LoadRunner Analysis User Guide.

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Defining an SLA Goal Measured Per Time Interval

For the Average Transaction Response Time and Errors per Second
measurements, Analysis displays SLA statuses at set time intervals over a
timeline within the run.

That is, at each time interval in the timeline—for example, every 10

seconds—Analysis checks to see if the measurement’s performance has
deviated from the threshold defined in the SLA.

When creating SLAs for these measurements, you can also specify load
criteria to take into account when comparing the data.

➤ To define SLAs for Average Transaction Response Time, see “SLAs for Average
Transaction Response Time” below.
➤ To define SLAs for Errors per Second, see “SLAs for Errors Per Second” on
page 187.
➤ To set the time intervals which Analysis uses for evaluating the SLA, see
“Selecting a Tracking Period” on page 190.

SLAs for Average Transaction Response Time

This section explains how to define an SLA for evaluating the status of
Average Transaction Response Time during the run. For Average Transaction
Response Time, LoadRunner evaluates SLA statuses at set time intervals
within the run.

Note: To set the time intervals that Analysis uses for evaluating the SLA, see
“Selecting a Tracking Period” on page 190.

To define an SLA for Average Transaction Response Time:

1 Open the Service Level Agreement Wizard.
➤ If you are working in Analysis: Select Tools > Configure SLA Rules to open
the Service Level Agreement dialog box. Click New.

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➤ If you are working in the Controller: In the Design tab, in the Service
Level Agreement pane, click New.
The Service Level Agreement wizard opens.
2 Complete the SLA Wizard steps, as described in the following sections.

Measurement—Select a Measurement for Your Goal

For Average Transaction Response Time, LoadRunner evaluates SLA statuses
at set time intervals within the run.

Under SLA status determined per time intervals over a timeline, select
Average Transaction Response Time.

Transactions—Select Transactions
From the Available Transactions list, select the transactions that you want to
evaluate as part of your SLA and click Add.

Note: You can select multiple transactions using the CTRL key.

The transactions you selected are displayed in the Selected Transactions list.

Load Criteria—Set Load Criteria

Select load criteria for your goal and define appropriate load value ranges.

Note: In the next wizard step (Thresholds page), you will set different
thresholds per each of these load value ranges.

➤ In the Load Criteria box, select the relevant load criteria that you want to
use—for example, Running Vusers.
To define an SLA without load criteria, select None in the Load Criteria box.

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➤ In the Less than box, set the lower load value range by entering a maximum
value for this range. This range is between 0 and the maximum value you
entered, but does not include the maximum value.
➤ To set in-between load value ranges, select Between from the Greater than
or equal to/Between combo box and enter minimum and maximum values
for the range. The minimum value is included in the range and the
maximum value is not.

Note: You can set up to three in-between ranges.

➤ To set the upper load value range, select Greater than or equal to from the
Greater than or equal to/Between combo box and enter the minimum
value for this range. The minimum value is included in this range.

Note: Valid load value ranges are consecutive—there are no gaps in the
range—and span all values from zero to infinity.

Thresholds—Set Threshold Values

Set maximum thresholds for each transaction that you are evaluating.

➤ If you defined load criteria in the previous step, you set thresholds for
each transaction per the defined load value ranges.
➤ If you did not define load criteria, you set a single threshold for each
transaction.

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Enter the relevant thresholds (per load criteria, if defined) in the table
displayed at the top the page.

Note: If Average Transaction Response Time exceeds the maximum

threshold value during a particular time interval during the run,
LoadRunner Analysis displays an SLA status of Failed for that time interval.

If you want to apply one set of threshold values to all transactions, enter the
threshold values in the table displayed at the bottom of the page and click
Apply to all transactions. These values are applied to all the transactions in
the table at the top of the page.

Tip: After you apply one set of threshold values to all transactions, you can
manually modify the thresholds of individual transactions in the table at
the top of the page.

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Finish
If you want to define another SLA after you save the current one, select
Define another SLA.

Click Finish to save the SLA.

Note: For details about viewing SLA information in Analysis reports, refer to
the HP LoadRunner Analysis User Guide.

SLAs for Errors Per Second

This section explains how to define an SLA for evaluating the status of Errors
per Second during the run. For Errors per Second, LoadRunner evaluates SLA
statuses at set time intervals within the run.

Note: To set the time intervals that Analysis uses for evaluating the SLA, see
“Selecting a Tracking Period” on page 190.

To define an SLA for Errors per Second:

1 Open the Service Level Agreement Wizard.
➤ If you are working in Analysis: Select Tools > Configure SLA Rules to open
the Service Level Agreement dialog box. Click New.
➤ If you are working in the Controller: In the Design tab, in the Service
Level Agreement pane, click New.
The Service Level Agreement wizard opens.
2 Complete the SLA Wizard steps, as described in the following sections.

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Measurement—Select a Measurement for Your Goal

For Errors per Second, LoadRunner evaluates SLA statuses at set time
intervals within the run.

Under SLA status determined at time intervals over a timeline, select Errors
per Second.

Load Criteria—Set Load Criteria

Select load criteria for your goal and define appropriate load value ranges.

Note: In the next wizard step (Thresholds page), you will set different
thresholds per each of these load value ranges.

➤ In the Load Criteria box, select the relevant load criteria that you want to
use—for example, Running Vusers.
To define an SLA without load criteria, select None in the Load Criteria box.
➤ In the Less than box, set the lower load value range by entering a maximum
value for this range. This range is between 0 and the maximum value you
entered, but does not include the maximum value.
➤ To set in-between load value ranges, select Between from the Greater than
or equal to/Between combo box and enter minimum and maximum values
for the range. The minimum value is included in the range and the
maximum value is not.

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Note: You can set up to three in-between ranges.

➤ To set the upper load value range, select Greater than or equal to from the
Greater than or equal to/Between combo box and enter the minimum
value for this range. The minimum value is included in this range.

Note: Valid load value ranges are consecutive—there are no gaps in the
range—and span all values from zero to infinity.

Thresholds—Set Threshold Values

In the Thresholds page you set a maximum threshold value for Errors per
Second.

➤ If you defined load criteria in the previous step, enter threshold values
per the defined load value ranges, in the table provided.
➤ If you did not define load criteria, enter the maximum threshold value in
the Threshold box.

Note: If Errors per Second exceeded the maximum threshold value during a
particular time interval during the run, LoadRunner Analysis displays an
SLA status of Failed for that time interval.

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Finish
If you want to define another SLA after you save the current one, select
Define another SLA.

Click Finish to save the SLA.

Note: For details about viewing SLA information in Analysis reports, refer to
the HP LoadRunner Analysis User Guide.

Selecting a Tracking Period

When you define a service level agreement for measurements that are
evaluated over a timeline, LoadRunner determines SLA statuses at specified
time intervals within that timeline. These time intervals are known as the
tracking period of the load test scenario.

To define the tracking period for the scenario:

1 In the Design tab, in the Service Level Agreement pane, click the Advanced
button. The Advanced Options window opens.
2 Select one of the following methods to determine the tracking period for the
scenario.
➤ Internally calculated tracking period.
Analysis sets the tracking period to the minimum value possible, taking
into account the aggregation granularity defined for the scenario. This
value is at least 5 seconds. It uses the following formula:

Tracking Period = Max (5 seconds, aggregation granularity)

➤ Tracking period of at least X seconds.

Select a value (X) to determine the minimum amount of time for the
tracking period. This value can never be less than 5 seconds.

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Analysis sets the tracking period to the nearest multiple of the scenario’s
aggregation granularity that is greater than or equal to the value (X) that
you selected.
Assume for example that you select a tracking period of X=10, and
assume that the aggregation granularity for the scenario is 6. The
tracking period is set to the nearest multiple of 6 that is greater than or
equal to 10, that is, Tracking Period = 12.
For this option, Analysis uses the following formula:

Tracking Period = Max(5 seconds, m(Aggregation Granularity))

where m is a multiple of the scenario’s aggregation granularity such that

m(Aggregation Granularity) ≥ X

3 Click OK.

Defining an SLA Goal Measured Over the Whole Run

For certain measurements—Total Hits, Average Hits, Total Throughput, and
Average Throughput—Analysis displays a single SLA status for the whole
load test scenario run. This section explains how to define an SLA for these
measurements.

To define an SLA that evaluates the status over a whole run:

1 Open the Service Level Agreement Wizard.
➤ If you are working in Analysis: Select Tools > Configure SLA Rules to open
the Service Level Agreement dialog box. Click New.
➤ If you are working in the Controller: In the Design tab, in the Service
Level Agreement pane, click New.
The Service Level Agreement wizard opens.
2 Complete the SLA Wizard steps, as described in the following sections.

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Measurement—Select a Measurement for Your Goal

For the following measurements, Analysis displays a single SLA status for the
whole scenario run:

➤ Total Hits per run

➤ Average Hits (hits/second) per run
➤ Total Throughput (bytes) per run
➤ Average Throughput (bytes/second) per run
Under SLA status determined over the whole run, select the relevant
measurement.

Thresholds—Set Threshold Values

The measurement that you selected in the previous step is displayed in the
Measurement box.

In the Threshold box, enter the minimum threshold value for your
measurement.

Note: If the measurement value fell below this minimum threshold value
during the run, LoadRunner Analysis displays an SLA status of Failed for the
entire run.

Finish
If you want to define another SLA after you save the current one, select
Define another SLA.

Click Finish to save the SLA.

Note: For details about viewing SLA information in Analysis reports, refer to
the HP LoadRunner Analysis User Guide.

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Understanding the Service Level Agreement Pane

The Service Level Agreement pane includes the following options:

Function Button Enables You To

New Define a new SLA. See:

➤ “Defining an SLA Goal Measured Per Time Interval”
on page 183
➤ “Defining an SLA Goal Measured Over the Whole
Run” on page 191

Details View the details of the SLA selected in the Service Level
Agreement pane. The Service Level Agreement - details
dialog box opens, displaying a summary of the details
for the selected SLA. For more information, see
“Understanding the Service Level Agreement - Details
Dialog Box” on page 193.

Edit Edit the definitions of the SLA selected in the Service

Level Agreement pane. The SLA wizard opens with the
details of the selected SLA.

Delete Delete the SLA selected in the Service Level Agreement

pane.

Advanced Adjust the tracking period for SLAs that are evaluated
per time interval over a timeline. See “Selecting a
Tracking Period” on page 190.

Understanding the Service Level Agreement - Details

Dialog Box
The Service Level Agreement - Details dialog box displays the thresholds
that were set for the selected SLA.

If you defined load criteria as part of your SLA, the threshold values are
displayed per the defined load value ranges.

For information about defining a new SLA, see About Defining Service Level
Agreements.

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13
Creating a Goal-Oriented Scenario

You build a goal-oriented scenario for an application by defining the goals

you want your test to achieve. This chapter describes how to create a goal-
oriented scenario.

This chapter includes:

➤ About Planning a Goal-Oriented Scenario on page 196
➤ Understanding the Goal-Oriented Scenario Design Tab on page 198
➤ Defining Scenario Goals on page 200
➤ Assigning Properties to Scripts on page 207
➤ Configuring Scripts on page 210

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About Planning a Goal-Oriented Scenario

In a goal-oriented scenario, you define the goals you want your test to
achieve, and LoadRunner automatically builds a scenario for you based on
these goals. You can define five types of goals in a goal-oriented scenario:
the number of virtual users, the number of hits per second (Web Vusers
only), the number of transactions per second, the number of pages per
minute (Web Vusers only), or the transaction response time you want your
scenario to reach. You define one of these scenario goals using the Edit
Scenario Goal dialog box. For more information on this dialog box, see
“Defining Scenario Goals” on page 200.

Note: To run a Transactions per Second or Transaction Response Time goal

type, your script must contain transactions. For each of these goal types, you
define the transaction in your script that you want to test.

Virtual Users Goal Type

If you want to test how many Vusers your application can run
simultaneously, it is recommended that you define a Virtual Users goal type.
Running this type of goal-oriented scenario is similar to running a manual
scenario. For more information on defining this goal type, see “Defining
Scenario Goals” on page 200.

Pages per Minute and Hits/Transactions per Second Goal

Types
If you want to test the strength of your server, it is recommended that you
define a Hits per Second, Pages per Minute, or Transactions per Second goal
type. Specify a minimum-maximum range of Vusers for LoadRunner to run,
and a Transaction Name for the Transactions per Second goal type.

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The Controller attempts to reach the goal you defined using a minimum
number of Vusers. If it cannot reach this goal using the minimum number
of Vusers, the Controller increases the number of Vusers until the maximum
number you defined is reached. If your goal cannot be reached with the
maximum number of Vusers you specified, increase this number and
execute your scenario again.

For more information regarding the formula used by the Controller in

running the Pages per Minute and Hits/Transactions per Second goal types,
see “Understanding the Hits/Transactions per Second and Pages per Minute
Goal Types” on page 205.

Transaction Response Time Goal Type

If you want to test how many Vusers can be run simultaneously without
exceeding a desired transaction response time, it is recommended that you
define a Transaction Response Time goal type. Specify the name of the
transaction in your script that you want to test, and a minimum-maximum
range of Vusers for LoadRunner to run. The transaction response time you
specify should be a pre-defined threshold value. For example, if you do not
want a customer to wait more than five seconds to log in to your e-
commerce site, specify a maximum acceptable transaction response time of
five seconds. Set the minimum and maximum number of Vusers to the
minimum-maximum range of customers you want to be able to serve
simultaneously.

If the scenario does not reach the maximum transaction response time that
you defined, your server is capable of responding within a reasonable period
of time to the number of customers you want to be able to serve
simultaneously. If the defined response time is reached after only a portion
of the Vusers has been executed, or if you receive a message that the defined
response time will be exceeded if the Controller uses the maximum number
of Vusers defined, you should consider revamping your application and/or
upgrading your server software and hardware.

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Note: In order for a Transaction Response Time goal-oriented scenario to be

effective, you must choose your transaction carefully, ensuring that it
performs effective hits on the server.

Understanding the Goal-Oriented Scenario Design Tab

When you create a goal-oriented scenario, the Controller displays the
Scenario Scripts, Scenario Goal, and Service Level Agreement panes in the
Design tab.

The Scenario Scripts pane lists all enabled and disabled Vuser scripts, their
paths, the percentage of the total target assigned to each script, and the load
generators. For more information on the Scenario Scripts pane, see
“Assigning Properties to Scripts” on page 207.

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The Scenario Goal pane displays information regarding the goal profile: its
name, the goal you define, a minimum and maximum number of Vusers,
the duration of the scenario, and the load behavior.

You can define five types of goals in a goal-oriented scenario: the number of
virtual users, the number of hits per second (Web Vusers only), the number
of transactions per second, the number of pages per minute (Web Vusers
only), or the transaction response time you want your scenario to reach. For
more information on defining goal types, see “Defining Scenario Goals” on
page 200.

The Service Level Agreement pane lists the service level agreements defined
for the scenario. For more information, see Chapter 12, “Defining Service
Level Agreements.”

You can perform the following actions on a goal profile or scenario:

➤ Define the goal profile name and goal type

➤ Add a new script to the scenario and configure it
➤ Add one or more load generators to a script and configure the load
generators
➤ Enable or disable a script for the scenario
➤ Define the duration of the scenario and ramp-up behavior
➤ Define service level agreements for the scenario
➤ Run the scenario
➤ Stop the scenario
➤ Reset the scenario
➤ Configure scenario result settings

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Defining Scenario Goals

You define scenario goal settings for a goal-oriented scenario from the Edit
Scenario Goal dialog box.

To define a scenario goal:

1 Click Edit Scenario Goal in the Scenario Goal pane or select
Scenario > Goal Definition. The Edit Scenario Goal dialog box opens.

2 Select a Goal Profile Name. To enter a new name, click New, type the new
goal profile name in the New Goal Profile dialog box, and click OK. The new
goal profile name appears in the selector.
3 In the Define Scenario Goal box, select a Goal Type as described in
“Understanding the Edit Scenario Goal Dialog Box” on page 201.

Note: VuGen automatically defines each Init, Action, and End unit as a
transaction. In addition, you can insert a static transaction in your script
using the Start Transaction and End Transaction functions.

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4 In the Scenario Settings tab, specify how long you want to run your
scenario after the target is achieved, and whether to continue the scenario if
the target cannot be reached. For more information, see “Understanding the
Scenario Settings Tab” on page 203.
5 Select the Load Behavior tab, and specify how and when you want the
Controller to reach your target. For more information, see “Understanding
the Load Behavior Tab” on page 204.
6 Select Do not change recorded think time if you want LoadRunner to run
the scenario using the think time recorded in your script.
7 Click OK to close the Edit Scenario Goal dialog box. The scenario target
information you entered appears in the Scenario Goal window.

Note: When you run a goal-oriented scenario, the goal you defined is
displayed in the appropriate graph, along with the scenario results. This
enables you to compare the results with your target goal.

Understanding the Edit Scenario Goal Dialog Box

The Edit Scenario Goal enables you to define scenario information for a
goal-oriented scenario.

➤ Goal Profile Name. Select a goal profile name.

➤ Rename. Rename a goal profile using the New Goal Profile dialog box.
➤ Delete. Delete a goal profile from the list of goal profile names.
➤ New. Enter a new goal profile name using the New Goal Profile dialog box.
➤ Scenario Start Time. Opens the Scenario Start dialog box, enabling you to
start running a goal-oriented scenario at a later point in time.

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➤ Define Scenario Goal.

➤ Goal Type. Select the type of goal you want for your scenario.
➤ Pages per Minute (Web Vusers only). Enter a target number of
downloaded pages per minute that you would like your scenario to
reach, and select a minimum and maximum number of Vusers for the
scenario.
➤ Virtual Users. Enter a target number of virtual users that you would
like your scenario to reach.
➤ Hits per Second (Web Vusers only). Enter a target number of hits per
second (HTTP requests per second) that you would like your scenario
to reach, and select a minimum and maximum number of Vusers for
the scenario.
➤ Transactions per Second. Enter a target number of transactions per
second that you would like your scenario to reach, and select a
minimum and maximum number of Vusers for the scenario. In
addition, select a static script transaction for your scenario to test, or
enter the name of an automatic script transaction that you have
recorded in the Transaction Name box.
➤ Transaction Response Time. Enter a target transaction response time
that you would like your scenario to reach, and select a minimum and
maximum number of Vusers for the scenario. In addition, select a
static script transaction for your scenario to test, or enter the name of a
dynamic script transaction that you have recorded in the Transaction
Name box.
➤ Do not change recorded think time. Instructs LoadRunner to run the
scenario using the think time recorded in your script.

Note: If you select this option, you may need to increase the number of
Vusers in your scenario in order to reach your target.

➤ Load Preview. Displays a graph of the goal and load behavior you defined.

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Understanding the Scenario Settings Tab

The Scenario Settings Tab lets you specify how long you want your scenario
to run after the target is achieved, and whether to continue the scenario if
the target you defined cannot be reached.

➤ Run Time.
➤ Run for X (HH:MM:SS) after the target has been achieved. Select the
amount of time you want your scenario to run after reaching the target.
➤ If target cannot be reached. Select one of the following two options:
➤ Stop scenario and save results. Instructs the Controller to stop the
scenario and save the scenario results, if the target you defined cannot be
reached.
➤ Continue scenario without reaching goal. Instructs the Controller to
continue running the scenario, even if the target you defined cannot be
reached.
➤ Receive notification. Instructs the Controller to send you an error
message indicating that the target cannot be reached.

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Understanding the Load Behavior Tab

The Load Behavior tab lets you specify how and when you want the
Controller to reach your target.

➤ Ramp Up. Select one of the following options:

➤ Automatic. Instructs the Controller to run the default number of Vusers
in a batch (50 Vusers—or all the Vusers, if the maximum number of
Vusers defined is less than 50—every two minutes).
➤ Reach target X after. Select the amount of scenario time you want to
elapse before the Controller reaches your target.
➤ Step up by (not available for the Transactions per Second and
Transaction Response Time goal types). Select the gradation according to
which you want the Controller to reach your target (x number of virtual
users/hits/pages every x amount of time).

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Understanding the Hits/Transactions per Second and

Pages per Minute Goal Types
When you define a Pages per Minute or Hits/Transactions per Second goal
type, the Controller divides the target you defined by the minimum number
of Vusers you specified, and determines the target number of
hits/transactions per second or pages per minute that each Vuser should
reach. The Controller then begins loading the Vusers according to the load
behavior settings you defined, as follows:

➤ If you selected to run the Vusers automatically, LoadRunner loads fifty

Vusers in the first batch. If the maximum number of Vusers defined is
less than fifty, LoadRunner loads all of the Vusers simultaneously.
➤ If you chose to reach your target after a certain period of the scenario
elapses, LoadRunner attempts to reach the defined target within this
period of time. It determines the size of the first batch of Vusers based on
the time limit you defined and the calculated target number of hits,
transactions, or pages per Vuser.
➤ If you chose to reach your target by gradation (x number of pages/hits
every x amount of time), LoadRunner calculates the target number of
hits or pages per Vuser and determines the size of the first batch of Vusers
accordingly.

Note: The last load behavior option is not available for the Transactions per
Second goal type.

After running each batch of Vusers, LoadRunner evaluates whether the

target for the batch was achieved. If the batch target was not reached,
LoadRunner recalculates the target number of hits, transactions, or pages
per Vuser, and readjusts the number of Vusers for the next batch to be able
to achieve the defined goal. By default, a new batch of Vusers is released
every two minutes.

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If the goal has not been reached once the Controller has launched the
maximum number of Vusers, LoadRunner attempts to reach the defined
target once more by recalculating the target number of hits, transactions, or
pages per Vuser, and running the maximum number of Vusers
simultaneously.

A Pages per Minute or Hits/Transactions per Second goal-oriented scenario is

assigned a "Failed" status if:

➤ the Controller has twice attempted to reach the goal using the maximum
number of Vusers specified, and the goal could not be reached.
➤ no pages per minute or hits/transactions per second were registered after
the first batch of Vusers was run.
➤ the number of pages per minute or hits/transactions per second did not
increase after the Controller ran a certain number of Vuser batches.
➤ all the Vusers that were run failed.
➤ there were no available load generators for the type of Vusers you
attempted to run.

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Assigning Properties to Scripts

The Scenario Scripts pane displays a list of scripts you selected for the
scenario.

The % of Target column indicates the percentage of the overall target

number of Vusers, pages per minute, hits per second, transactions per
second, or transaction response time that is automatically distributed to
each Vuser script. The Load Generators column automatically contains
<All Load Generators> for each Vuser script.

To modify the percentage of Vusers assigned to a script:

In the script’s % of Target column, enter a percentage of the total target
number of Vusers, pages per second, hits per second, transactions per
second, or transaction response time you want LoadRunner to reach during
the scenario. During the scenario, LoadRunner attempts to reach the
percentage of the total that you stipulate for each script in the scenario.

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To add or modify load generators for a script:

1 In the script’s Load Generators column, select one or more load generators
from the Load Generator Name list, and click OK. If you select multiple load
generators, the Vusers assigned to the script are distributed evenly among
the load generators.
2 Alternatively, you can select <Add..> to add a load generator to the list. The
Add New Load Generator dialog box opens

3 In the Name box, type the name of the load generator.

4 In the Platform box, select the type of platform on which the load generator
is running.
5 In the Temporary Directory box, type a location of the load generator where
the Controller can store temporary files, or leave the field empty to accept
the default location. By default, LoadRunner stores temporary files on the
load generator during scenario execution, in a temporary directory specified
by the load generator’s TEMP or TMP environment variables.
6 To allow the load generator to take part in the scenario, check Enable load
generator to take part in the scenario.
7 Click More to expand the dialog box and show the Add Load Generator
tabs. For information on configuring settings for each load generator, see
“Configuring Additional Load Generator Settings” on page 92.

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8 Click OK to close the Add Load Generator dialog box. LoadRunner adds the
new load generator to the Load Generator Name list. To include the new
load generator in your scenario, select it from the Load Generator Name list,
and click OK.

Note: You can select multiple load generators.

Repeat the above procedure for each load generator you want to add to your
scenario.

Configuring Load Generators

You can set a load generator’s attributes while adding it to the load generator
list, or modify the attributes of an existing load generator at any time, using
the Load Generators dialog box. You can also use the Load Generators dialog
box to indicate which load generators will run Vusers in the scenario. For
example, if a load generator is unavailable for a particular scenario run, you
can use the Load Generators dialog box to exclude it temporarily instead of
removing it entirely from your list of load generators. For instructions on
using the Load Generators dialog box, see “Defining Load Generators” on
page 87. To configure additional load generator settings, see “Configuring
Additional Load Generator Settings” on page 92.

To configure global settings for all load generators participating in the

scenario, use LoadRunner’s Options dialog box. For more information, see
Chapter 15, “Configuring a Scenario.”

Load Balancing
Load balancing evenly distributes the load generated by Vusers among the
requested load generators, ensuring an accurate load test.

When a Windows load generator’s CPU usage becomes overloaded, the

Controller stops loading Vusers on the overloaded load generator, and
automatically distributes them among load generators taking part in the
scenario. Only where there are no other load generators in the scenario does
the Controller stop loading Vusers.

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You can monitor the status of a machine’s CPU usage using the icons in the
Load Generators dialog box. When the CPU usage of a load generator
becomes problematic, the icon to the left of the load generator name
contains a yellow bar. When the machine becomes overloaded, the icon
contains a red bar.

Note: Load balancing is only available in goal-oriented scenarios and

manually controlled scenarios in the Percentage Mode.

Configuring Scripts
You can add a script to the Scenario Scripts list using the Add Script dialog
box. Once you have added a script to the list, you can view the details of the
script you selected, edit the script, or change its run-time settings.

To add a script:
1 In the Scenario Scripts pane, click the Add Script button, or right-click
within a column and select Add Script. The Add Script dialog box opens.

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2 Click Browse. The Open Test dialog box opens.

Select the path and file name of the new script. To select a VB Vuser script,
browse to locate the .usr file.

Note: When you specify the location of a script, you can specify a location
that is relative to the current scenario directory. For details, see “Using
Relative Paths for Scripts” on page 130.

3 Click Open to select the files. The Open Test dialog box closes, and the new
script name appears in the Add Script dialog box.
4 Click OK to close the Add Script dialog box and enter the new script
information in the Scenario Scripts pane.

Note: A script’s rendezvous points are disabled in a goal-oriented scenario.

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Viewing Script Information

Once you have added a script to the list, you can view the details of the
script you selected, edit the script, enable/disable it, or change its run-time
settings.

To view script details:

1 In the Scenario Scripts pane, click the Details button, or right-click a script
and select Details. The Script Information dialog box opens, displaying the
Name, Path, and Type of the script you selected.

2 Click Run-Time Settings to set the script’s run-time settings (optional),

which allow you to customize the way the Controller executes a Vuser
script. The Run-Time Settings dialog box opens, displaying the settings you
previously set using VuGen. If you did not set run-time settings for a script
in VuGen, the default VuGen settings are displayed for all but the Log and
Think Time tabs, which display the default Controller settings.

Note: Several protocols, such as Web and Java, have specific settings.

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For information on configuring the run-time settings, see the HP Virtual User
Generator User Guide.

Note: If you modify the run-time settings from the Controller, LoadRunner
runs the script using the modified settings. To restore the initial settings,
click Refresh and select Run-Time Settings.

3 To edit the script, click View Script. The script generation tool, VuGen,
opens. For more information on editing scripts, see the HP Virtual User
Generator User Guide.

Note: If you use VuGen to make changes to a script while the Controller is
running, click Refresh and select Script to update the script details in the
scenario.

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4 Click More to expand the Script Information dialog box and view additional
script information.

5 In the Command Line box, type any command line options to use when
running the script. For example: -x value -y value
For information about passing command line argument values to a script,
see the HP Virtual User Generator User Guide.
6 To see the rendezvous points included in the selected script, click the
Rendezvous tab.
7 To see the list of Vusers associated with the selected script, click the Vusers
tab. If you have not yet created Vusers, the box will be empty.

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8 To see the list of files used by the script, select the Files tab. By default, this
list shows all files in the script’s directory (only after your script has been
added to the script list). These files include the configuration settings file,
the init, run, and end portions of the script, the parameterization
definitions file, and the .usr file. To add a file to the list, click Add and add
the file name.

Note: You can delete the files that you add, but not the other files listed.

9 Click OK to close the Script Information dialog box.

To delete a script:
In the Scenario Scripts pane, click the Remove Script button, or right-click
the script and select Remove Script.

To disable a script:
Click the check box to the left of the Vuser script name. The color of the
script entry changes to gray, indicating that the script will not take part in
the scenario. To re-enable the Vuser script, click the same box again.

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Using Rendezvous Points

LoadRunner allows you to check your system’s response under specific load.
To do this, you can use rendezvous points to cause multiple Vusers to
perform tasks at exactly the same time, thereby creating intense user load on
the server.

This chapter includes:

➤ About Using Rendezvous Points on page 217
➤ Setting the Rendezvous Attributes on page 219
➤ Viewing Rendezvous Information on page 225

About Using Rendezvous Points

During a scenario run, you can instruct multiple Vusers to perform tasks
simultaneously by using rendezvous points. A rendezvous point creates
intense user load on the server and enables LoadRunner to measure server
performance under load.

Suppose you want to measure how a Web-based banking system performs

when ten Vusers simultaneously check account information. To emulate the
required user load on the server, you instruct all the Vusers to check account
information at exactly the same time.

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You ensure that multiple Vusers act simultaneously by creating a

rendezvous point. When a Vuser arrives at a rendezvous point, it is held
there by the Controller. The Controller releases the Vusers from the
rendezvous either when the required number of Vusers arrives, or when a
specified amount of time has passed. For details on the release criteria, see
“Setting the Rendezvous Policy” on page 221.

You define rendezvous points in the Vuser script. For information about
inserting rendezvous points into Vuser scripts, see the HP Virtual User
Generator User Guide.

Using the Controller, you can influence the level of server load by selecting:

➤ which of the rendezvous points will be active during the scenario

➤ how many Vusers will take part in each rendezvous
For example, to test a bank server, you could create a scenario that contains
two rendezvous points. The first rendezvous ensures that one thousand
Vusers simultaneously deposit cash. The second rendezvous ensures that
another thousand Vusers simultaneously withdraw cash. If you want to
measure how the server performs when only five hundred Vusers deposit
cash, you can deactivate (disable) the “withdraw” rendezvous, and instruct
only five hundred Vusers to participate in the “deposit” rendezvous.

The following procedure outlines how to control load peaks on the server:
1 Create the Vuser scripts, inserting the necessary rendezvous points.
2 Create a scenario.
When you add a Vuser group to a scenario, LoadRunner scans the group’s
associated script for the names of the rendezvous points and adds them to
the list in the Rendezvous Information dialog box (Scenario > Rendezvous).
If you create another Vuser group that runs the same script, the Controller
adds the new Vusers to the rendezvous and updates the list.

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3 Set the level of emulated user load.

You determine the exact level of load by selecting the rendezvous points
that will take part in the scenario, and how many Vusers will participate in
each rendezvous.
4 Set the attributes for the rendezvous (optional).
For each rendezvous you can set Policy attributes. For more information, see
“Setting the Rendezvous Policy” on page 221.
5 Run the scenario.

Setting the Rendezvous Attributes

You can set the following rendezvous attributes from the Rendezvous
Information dialog box (Scenario > Rendezvous):

➤ Rendezvous Policy
➤ Enabling and Disabling of Rendezvous Points
➤ Enabling and Disabling of Vusers

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In addition, the dialog box displays general information about the

rendezvous point: which script is associated with the rendezvous, and
release history.

For information on manipulating the Vusers during scenario execution

using the Release command, see Chapter 19, “Running a Scenario.”

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Setting the Rendezvous Policy

Setting the rendezvous policy determines how the Vusers handle a
rendezvous point. You set the following policy attributes for each
rendezvous:

➤ Release policy. How many Vusers will be released from a rendezvous at a

time.
➤ Timeout. How long the Controller waits before releasing Vusers from a
rendezvous.

To set the rendezvous policy attributes:

1 Select Scenario > Rendezvous. The Rendezvous Information dialog box
opens.
2 Select a rendezvous from the Rendezvous box, and click the Policy button.
The Policy dialog box opens.

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3 In the Policy section, select one of the following three options:

➤ Release when X% of all Vusers arrive at the rendezvous. Releases the
Vusers only when the specified percentage of all Vusers arrives at the
rendezvous point.

Note: This option interferes with the scheduling of your scenario. If you
select this option, your scenario will not run as scheduled.

➤ Release when X% of all running Vusers arrive at the rendezvous. Releases

the Vusers only when the specified percentage of all Vusers running in
the scenario arrives at the rendezvous point.
➤ Release when X Vusers arrive at the rendezvous. Releases the Vusers only
when the specified number arrives at the rendezvous point.

4 Enter a timeout value in the Timeout between Vusers box. After each Vuser
arrives at the rendezvous point, LoadRunner waits up to the maximum
timeout period you set for the next Vuser to arrive. If the next Vuser does
not arrive within the timeout period, the Controller releases all the Vusers
from the rendezvous.
Each time a new Vuser arrives, the timer is reset to zero. The default timeout
is thirty seconds.
5 Click OK to save your settings and close the Policy dialog box.

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Enabling and Disabling Rendezvous Points

You can temporarily disable a rendezvous and exclude it from the scenario.
By disabling and enabling a rendezvous, you influence the level of server
load.

You use the Disable Rendezvous/Enable Rendezvous button in the

Rendezvous Information dialog box, to change the status of a rendezvous.

To disable a rendezvous:
1 In the Rendezvous box, select the rendezvous you want to disable.
2 Click the Disable Rendezvous button. The button changes to Enable
Rendezvous and the rendezvous becomes disabled.

To enable a rendezvous:
1 In the Rendezvous box, select the disabled rendezvous that you want to
enable.
2 Click the Enable Rendezvous button. The button changes to Disable
Rendezvous and the rendezvous becomes enabled.

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Enabling and Disabling Vusers at Rendezvous Points

In addition to disabling a rendezvous point for all Vusers in a scenario,
LoadRunner lets you disable it for specific Vusers. By disabling Vusers at a
rendezvous, you temporarily exclude them from participating in the
rendezvous. Enabling disabled Vusers returns them to the rendezvous. You
use the Disable and Enable commands to specify which Vusers will take part
in a rendezvous.

To disable a Vuser in a rendezvous:

1 In the Rendezvous box, select the rendezvous for which you want to disable
Vusers.
2 In the Vusers box, select the Vusers you want to exclude from the
rendezvous. Select multiple Vusers using the CTRL key.

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3 Click the Disable Vuser button below the Vusers box. The disabled Vusers
change from black to gray and will not take part in the rendezvous.
To enable a Vuser, select it and click Enable Vuser.

Viewing Rendezvous Information

During and after a scenario, you can view the rendezvous status in the
Rendezvous Information dialog box. The following information is provided:

➤ Current Status. The number of Vusers that arrived at the rendezvous point
out of the total number of Vusers assigned to the rendezvous.
➤ Time. The time at which the Vusers at the rendezvous point were released.
➤ Reason. The reason the Vusers at the rendezvous point were released. The
possible reasons are Timeout or Arrived.

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To view rendezvous information:

Select the rendezvous whose information you want to view. The rendezvous
status is displayed in the Status Information section.

Understanding the Rendezvous Information Dialog Box

The Rendezvous Information dialog box enables you to view and modify the
attributes of each rendezvous point in the scenario.

➤ Rendezvous. Displays the names of the rendezvous points in the scenario.

➤ Enable Rendezvous/Disable Rendezvous. Enables or disables the selected
rendezvous points from participating in the scenario.
➤ Scripts. Lists the Vuser scripts that are associated with the rendezvous
points.

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➤ Vusers. Lists the Vusers that are associated with the rendezvous points.
➤ Enable Vuser/Disable Vuser. Enables or disables a Vuser from taking part
in the rendezvous.
➤ Policy. Opens the Policy dialog box, enabling you to set how many Vusers
are released from a rendezvous at a time, as well as the amount of time the
Controller waits before releasing Vusers from a rendezvous.
➤ Timeout. Enter the timeout value (in seconds). After each Vuser arrives at
the rendezvous point, LoadRunner waits up to the number of timeout
seconds specified for the next Vuser to arrive. If the next Vuser does not
arrive within the timeout period, the Controller releases all the Vusers
from the rendezvous. Each time a new Vuser arrives, the timer is reset to
zero. The default timeout is thirty seconds. You set a timeout for each
rendezvous point.
➤ Status Information
➤ Current Status. Displays the number of Vusers that arrived at the
rendezvous point out of the total number of Vusers assigned to the
rendezvous.
➤ Time. Displays the time at which the rendezvous was released.
➤ Reason. Displays the reason for the release of the Vusers from the
rendezvous point. The possible reasons are Timeout or Arrived.
➤ Release. Releases all Vusers currently waiting at the selected rendezvous
point. If you want the scenario to continue even though all the Vusers
did not reach the rendezvous, click this button.
➤ Reset. Resets the Status Information, removing the information currently
displayed.

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Configuring a Scenario

You can configure how load generators and Vusers behave when you run a
scenario so that the scenario accurately emulates your working
environment.

This chapter includes:

➤ About Configuring a Scenario on page 229
➤ Setting Timeout Intervals on page 231
➤ Configuring Scenario Run-Time Settings on page 234
➤ Setting the Run-Time File Location on page 236
➤ Specifying Path Translation on page 240
➤ Configuring Miscellaneous Scenario Execution Settings on page 240

About Configuring a Scenario

Before you run a scenario, you can configure both the load generator and
Vuser behaviors for the scenario. Although the default settings correspond
to most environments, LoadRunner allows you to modify the settings to
customize the scenario behavior. The settings apply to all future scenario
runs and generally need to be set only once.

The settings described in this chapter apply to all the load generators in a
scenario. To change the settings for individual load generators, see
Chapter 5, “Creating Manual Scenarios.” If the global scenario settings differ
from those of an individual load generator, the load generator settings
override them.

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The settings discussed in this chapter are unrelated to the Vuser run-time
settings. These settings, which apply to individual Vusers or scripts, contain
information about logging, think time, and the network, the number of
iterations, and the browser. For information on setting the run-time
settings, see the HP Virtual User Generator User Guide.

For information on setting the options for online monitors, see Chapter 30,
“Online Monitoring.”

The LoadRunner Expert mode allows you to configure additional settings for
the LoadRunner agent and other LoadRunner components. For more
information, see Appendix C, “Working in Expert Mode.”

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Setting Timeout Intervals

The Timeout tab lets you specify timeout values for certain commands
related to the load generator. If the command is not executed successfully
within the timeout period, the load generator status changes to ERROR.

To set timeout intervals:

1 Select Tools > Options. The Options dialog box opens. Select the Timeout
tab.

2 To specify a command timeout interval, select the Enable timeout checks

check box and specify the appropriate timeouts. Clear the Enable timeout
checks check box to disable the timeout test.
3 Specify the frequency at which LoadRunner updates the elapsed time, in the
Update Vuser elapsed time every box.

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Understanding the Options - Timeout Tab

LoadRunner enables you to set the timeout interval for commands and
Vuser elapsed time.

The command timeouts are the maximum time limits for various
LoadRunner commands. When a command is issued by the Controller, you
set a maximum time for the load generator or Vuser to execute the
command. If it does not complete the command within the timeout
interval, the Controller issues an error message.

➤ Command Timeout (seconds)

➤ Enable timeout checks. Instructs LoadRunner to monitor the status of
load generators and Vusers after a command is issued by the Controller.
If the load generator or Vuser does not complete the command within
the timeout interval you specified, the Controller issues an error message.
If you disable the timeout limitations, LoadRunner waits an unlimited
time for the load generators to connect and disconnect, and for the
Initialize, Run, Pause, and Stop commands to be executed.
➤ Load Generator
➤ Connect. Enter the time limit that LoadRunner waits to connect to any
load generator. If a connection is not successful within this time, the
status of the load generator changes to FAILED. The default connection
timeout is 120 seconds.
➤ Disconnect. Enter the time limit that LoadRunner waits to disconnect
from any load generator. If a disconnection is not successful within
this time, the status of the load generator changes to FAILED. The
default disconnection timeout is 120 seconds.

Note: LoadRunner recognizes the fact that the number of active Vusers
influences the timeout values. For example, 1000 Vusers trying to
initialize will take much longer than 10 Vusers. LoadRunner adds an
internal value, based on the number of active Vusers, to the specified
timeout value.

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➤ Vuser
➤ Init. Enter the timeout value for the Initialize command. The default
time limit is 180 seconds.
➤ Run. Enter the timeout value for the Run command. The default time
limit is 120 seconds.
➤ Pause. Enter the timeout value for the Pause command. The default
time limit is 120 seconds.
➤ Stop. Enter the timeout value for the Stop command. The default time
limit is 120 seconds.
➤ Update Vuser elapsed time every. Specifies the frequency at which
LoadRunner updates the value displayed in the Elapsed Time column in the
Vusers dialog box. The default is 4 seconds.

For example:

If you select a Vuser and click the Initialize button, LoadRunner checks
whether the Vuser reaches the READY state within 180 seconds (the default
Init timeout period); if it does not, the Controller issues a message indicating
that the Init command timed out.

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Configuring Scenario Run-Time Settings

You can specify scenario run-time settings relating to Vuser quotas, stopping
Vusers, and random sequence seed using the Run-Time Settings tab.

To set the scenario run-time settings:

1 Select Tools > Options. The Options dialog box opens. Click the Run-Time
Settings tab.

2 To set a Vuser quota, specify the desired value.

3 Select the way in which you want LoadRunner to stop running Vusers.
4 To specify a seed value for a random sequence, select the Use random
sequence with seed check box and enter the desired seed value.

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Understanding the Options - Run-Time Setting Tab

The Run-Time Setting Tab lets you specify run-time setting values such as
the Vuser quota, the way in which Vusers are stopped, or the seed for
random sequences.

➤ Vuser Quota. To prevent your system from overloading, you can set quotas
for Vuser activity. The Vuser quotas apply to Vusers on all load generators.
➤ Number of Vusers that may be initialized at one time - all load
generators. Sets the maximum number of Vusers that the load generator
can initialize at a time (when you send an Initialize command).
➤ When stopping Vusers. Lets you control the way in which Vusers stop
running when you click the Stop button.
Select one of the following options:
➤ Wait for the current iteration to end before stopping. Instructs
LoadRunner to allow a Vuser to complete the iteration it is running
before stopping. The Vusers move to the GRADUAL EXITING status and exit
the scenario gradually.
➤ Wait for the current action to end before stopping. Instructs
LoadRunner to allow a Vuser to complete the action it is running before
stopping. The Vusers move to the GRADUAL EXITING status and exit the
scenario gradually.
➤ Stop immediately. Instructs LoadRunner to stop running the Vusers
immediately. The Vusers move to the EXITING status and exit the scenario
immediately.
➤ Use random sequence with seed. Allows LoadRunner to use a seed number
for random sequencing. Each seed value represents one sequence of random
values used for test execution. Whenever you use this seed value, the same
sequence of values is assigned to the Vusers in the scenario. This setting
applies to parameterized Vuser scripts using the Random method for
assigning values from a data file. It will also affect the random percentage of
recorded think time (see information on the Run-Time Settings dialog box
in the HP Virtual User Generator User Guide).
Enable this option if you discover a problem in the test execution and want
to repeat the test using the same sequence of random values.

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Setting the Run-Time File Location

When you run a scenario, by default the run-time files are stored locally on
each Vuser load generator (the machine running the Vuser script). The
default location of the files is under the temporary directory specified by the
load generator’s environment variables (on Windows, TEMP or TMP, and on
UNIX, $TMPDIR or $TMP). If no environment variable is defined, the files
are saved to the /tmp directory.

Note: The run-time file storage settings that are described in this chapter
apply to all the load generators in a scenario. You can change the settings for
individual load generators as described in “Defining Load Generators” on
page 87.

The primary run-time files are as follows:

Run-Time File Type Description

Vuser Script files When you run a Vuser, the Controller sends a copy
of the associated Vuser script to the Vuser load
generator. The script is stored in the load generator’s
temporary run-time directory.

Result files While you run a scenario, the participating Vusers

write their results to the temporary run-time file
directory. After scenario execution, these result files
are collated or consolidated—results from all of the
load generators are transferred to the results
directory. You set the location of the results
directory as described in Chapter 19, “Running a
Scenario.” After collating the results, the temporary
run-time directory is deleted.

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To specify where LoadRunner stores run-time files:

1 Select Tools > Options. The Options dialog box opens. Select the Run-Time
File Storage tab.

By default, the On the current Vuser machine option is selected. This means
that all run-time files—including result files and script files—are stored on
the Vuser load generators. The only exception is for Vusers running on the
local load generator (Controller machine), where you must use the shared
drive option.
2 To store script and result files on a shared network drive, click On a shared
network drive. To set the exact location on the network drive, see
Chapter 16, “Preparing to Run a Scenario.”
3 Click OK to close the dialog box.

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Understanding the Options - Run-Time File Storage Tab

The Run-Time File Storage tab lets you specify where LoadRunner saves
runtime files.

➤ Scripts and results stored. Select one of the following options:

➤ On the current Vuser machine. Instructs the Controller to save the run-
time files on the computer that is running the Vuser script. On an NT-
based computer, the results are saved to the directory defined by the
TEMP or TMP environment variables. On a UNIX machine, the results
are saved to the directory defined by the TMPDIR environment variable.
If the TMPDIR environment variable is not defined, the results are saved
to the /tmp directory.

Note: If you select to save result files on the Vuser load generators, you
must collate the results before you can perform any analysis. You can
wait for LoadRunner to collate the results when you launch HP
LoadRunner Analysis, or you can collate results by choosing
Results > Collate Results. Alternatively, select Results > Auto Collate
Results to automatically collate the results at the end of each scenario
run.

➤ On a shared network drive. Instructs the Controller to save the scenario

results and/or the Vuser scripts on a shared network drive. A shared
network drive is a drive to which the Controller and all the load
generators in the scenario have read and write permission. If you select to
save results to a shared network drive, you may need to perform path
translation. Path translation ensures that the specified results directory is
recognized by the remote load generator. For information about path
translation see Appendix B, “Performing Path Translation.”

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If you specify that all Vusers access their Vuser scripts directly at some
shared location, no transfer of script files occurs at run time. This alternative
method may be useful in either of the following situations:
➤ The file transfer facility does not work.
➤ The Vuser script files are large and therefore take a long time to transfer.
Remember that Vuser script files are transferred only once during a
scenario.

This alternate method often necessitates path translation. For details, see
Appendix B, “Performing Path Translation.”

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Specifying Path Translation

If you specified a shared network drive for run-time file storage (see “Setting
the Run-Time File Location” on page 236), you may need to perform path
translation. Path translation is a mechanism used by LoadRunner to convert
remote path names. A typical scenario may contain several load generators
that map the shared network drive differently. For more information, see
Appendix B, “Performing Path Translation.”

Configuring Miscellaneous Scenario Execution Settings

You can configure miscellaneous scenario execution settings in the Options
> Execution tab.

These include:

➤ Configuring Default Scheduler Run Mode

➤ Defining Post Collate Commands

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Configuring Default Scheduler Run Mode

When you create a scenario schedule, the default run mode for the
Scheduler is one that emulates a real-world set of events, Real-world
schedule. If you want to create basic schedules, you can set the default run
mode to Basic schedule.

To set the default Scheduler run mode:

1 Select Tools > Options > Execution tab.
2 Select a default Scheduler run mode.
By default, all new schedules will open in the selected mode.
3 Click OK.
For more information about defining scenario schedules, see Chapter 11,
“Scheduling Scenarios.”

Defining Post Collate Commands

Using the Post Collate Command feature, you can define a command that
the Controller will run directly after it collates the results of a scenario run.
For example, you can define a command to run a customer application that
runs the Analysis API to extract data.

To define a post collate command:

1 Select Tools > Options > Execution tab.
2 Under Post Collate Command, enter the command to run directly after the
scenario result tab are collated.
3 Click OK.

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Preparing to Run a Scenario

Before you run a scenario, you specify a location for the scenario results and
other run-time related settings.

This chapter includes

➤ About Preparing to Run a Scenario on page 243
➤ Specifying a Results Location on page 244
➤ Results Directory File Structure on page 247
➤ Collating Results on page 249
➤ Setting Scenario Summary Information on page 252

About Preparing to Run a Scenario

Before you run a scenario, you need to specify the location of the results
(mandatory), assign a name to the results, schedule the scenario, and
provide scenario summary information. In addition, you can specify the
applications to invoke at the start of a scenario.

Although most of the pre-scenario settings are optional, using them can
enhance the testing process. These values are scenario-specific—you can set
different values for each LoadRunner scenario.

For information on one-time configuration settings such as timeout, output,

and quotas, see Chapter 15, “Configuring a Scenario.”

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Specifying a Results Location

When you run a scenario, by default the run-time files are stored locally on
each load generator. After the scenario, the results are collated together and
processed on the Controller machine. Alternatively, you can instruct
LoadRunner to save the results on a shared network drive. For information
about specifying a file storage method, see the Run-Time File Storage
settings in Chapter 15, “Configuring a Scenario.”

LoadRunner allows you to give descriptive names to each result set. This is
especially useful for cross results analysis, in which LoadRunner
superimposes the results of several scenario runs in a single graph and lets
you compare the results of multiple scenario runs. The descriptive graph
names enable you to distinguish between the results of the multiple runs.

In the example below, the results of two scenario runs are superimposed.
The result sets are res12, and res15.

For more details on cross result graphs, see the HP LoadRunner Analysis User
Guide.

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Note: You can also use HP’s Web-based test management program, Quality
Center, to store results to a project. For information, see Chapter 17,
“Managing Scenarios Using Quality Center.”

To specify where results are stored:

1 Select Results > Results Settings. The Set Results Directory dialog box opens.

2 In the Results Name box, enter a name for the results. Avoid using the same
name with different paths, since the names will appear identical on the
graphs.
3 In the Directory box, type the full path of the results directory. If you are
using the default file storage setting (local machine), specify a directory in
which to store all of the collated results after the scenario run. If you
specified a shared network drive as the file storage method, specify the
directory to which Vuser groups should write during scenario execution.
4 Select the appropriate check box for subsequent executions:
➤ Automatically create a results directory for each scenario execution
➤ Automatically overwrite existing results directory without prompting for
confirmation
5 Click OK to save the results directory setting.

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Understanding the Set Results Directory Dialog Box

The Set Results Directory dialog box lets you set the location in which the
Controller saves scenario results.

Note: If you have an open connection to a Quality Center project, the

Controller saves the results to a test set. You can also save the results directly
to disk using the standard file system.

➤ Results Name. Specify a name for the results. The Controller saves the results
using the name that you specify.
➤ Directory. Specify a location in the file system where the Controller will save
the results. Click Browse to find the desired location. The Controller creates
a subdirectory in the results directory. All results are saved within this
subdirectory.
➤ Results Path. Displays the specified location for the results.
➤ Automatically create a results directory for each scenario execution.
Instructs LoadRunner to create a unique results directory for each scenario
execution. By default, the result names are res1, res2, res3, and so forth.
➤ Automatically overwrite existing results directory without prompting for
confirmation. Instructs LoadRunner to automatically overwrite previous
result sets, without prompting the user.
➤ Quality Center (only when connected to Quality Center). Enables you to
save the results to a Quality Center test set.
➤ File System (only when connected to Quality Center). Displays the default
LoadRunner directory path.

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Results Directory File Structure

When you set the results directory, you also specify a results name.
LoadRunner creates a subdirectory using the results name, and places all of
the data it gathers in that directory. Every set of results contains general
information about the scenario in a result file (.lrr) and an event (.eve) file.

During scenario execution, LoadRunner creates a directory for each group in

the scenario and a subdirectory for each Vuser. A typical result directory has
the following structure:

The following directories/files are represented in the tree:

Directory/File Description

Results Results directory

Test2 Results name

t_rep.eve In the main result directory; contains Vuser and

rendezvous information

collate.txt Contains the file paths of the result files, and

Analysis collation information

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Directory/File Description

collateLog.txt Contains the status (succeeded, failed) of result,

diagnostics, and log file collation from each load
generator

local_host.eve Contains information from each agent host

offline.dat Contains sample monitor information

*.def files Definition files for graphs that describe the online
and other custom monitors

output.mdb The database created by Analysis (from the results

files) that stores the output information

remote_results.txt Contains the file paths for the host event files

results_name.lrr The Analysis document file

*.cfg files Contain a listing of the script's run-time settings as

defined in the VuGen application (think time,
iterations, log, Web)

*.usp files Contain the script's run logic, including how the
actions sections run

log directory ➤ Contains output information generated during

replay for each Vuser
➤ A separate directory exists for each Vuser group
that runs in the scenario
➤ Each group directory consists of Vusers
subdirectories

sum_data directory A directory containing the graph summary data

(.dat) files

When you generate analysis graphs and reports, the Analysis engine copies
all of the scenario result files (.eve and .lrr) to a database. Once the database
is created, Analysis works directly with the database and does not use the
result files.

For information on Analysis, see the HP LoadRunner Analysis User Guide.

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Collating Results
When you run a scenario, by default all Vuser information is stored locally
on each load generator. After scenario execution, the results are
automatically collated or consolidated—results from all of the load
generators are transferred to the results directory. You set the location of the
results directory as described in “Specifying a Results Location” on page 244.

Note: If you have selected to store all the scenario results directly to a shared
network drive, then collation of the results is not required. See “About
Configuring a Scenario” on page 229 for details on changing how results are
stored.

To enable/disable automatic collation:

Select Results > Auto Collate Results to enable automatic collation. When
this feature is enabled, the Auto Collate Results icon is displayed in the
status bar. To disable automatic collation, clear the check mark adjacent to
the option.

Note: If you are using the diagnostics modules, results must be collated even
if the load generator is localhost.

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To manually collate results:

Select Results > Collate Results > Collate Results. The Collate Results dialog
box opens, and displays the progress of result, diagnostics, and log file
collation from each load generator.

➤ General Status. The Collate Results files display the status and file size of the
Event, Diagnostics, and Log files.

Note: The file size shown is before compression. After compression, the
result files are smaller in size.

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➤ Progress Details. Displays the status (succeeded, failed) of result, diagnostics,

and log file collation from each load generator. This information is stored in
the collateLog.txt file.
➤ Close automatically. Automatically close the Collate Results dialog box after
collation is completed.

To stop collating the results:

Click Stop and then Close. To resume collating the results, select
Results > Collate Results > Continue stopped collation.

Note: You can choose to disable log file collation. For more information, see
“Options - General Settings” on page 490.

The log and result directories are only deleted from a load generator once
LoadRunner successfully collates the results from the machine. You can
therefore close the Controller after saving a scenario, and collate the results
once you reopen the scenario in the Controller.

If collation fails due to a lack of disk space, select Results > Collate
Results > Recollate. LoadRunner attempts to collate the results again,
without compressing the .eve file.

Before generating the analysis data, LoadRunner automatically collates the

results if they were not previously collated.

Note: If you enabled the Auto Load Analysis option in the Results menu,
Analysis may open during a lengthy collation process, displaying Analysis
summary data.

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Setting Scenario Summary Information

The Controller allows you to provide a detailed description of the scenario.
In addition, you can specify the author’s name and a subject title for the
scenario. Whenever you open this scenario, the summary information is
available to you.

You can open the Summary Information dialog box from Scenario >
Summary Information.

➤ Scenario Path. Displays the name and location of the scenario definition file
(.lrs).
➤ Author. Enter the name of the scenario’s author.
➤ Subject. Enter a subject name or short title for the scenario.
➤ Description. Enter a description of the scenario.

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Managing Scenarios Using Quality Center

LoadRunner’s integration with Quality Center lets you manage LoadRunner

scenarios using Quality Center. Quality Center helps you organize and
manage your scripts, scenarios, and results.

This chapter includes:

➤ About Managing Scenarios Using Quality Center on page 253
➤ Connecting to and Disconnecting from Quality Center on page 254
➤ Opening Scenarios from a Quality Center Project on page 258
➤ Saving Scenarios to a Quality Center Project on page 259
➤ Saving Results to a Quality Center Project on page 261
➤ Adding Vuser Scripts from a Quality Center Project on page 262

About Managing Scenarios Using Quality Center

The Controller works together with Quality Center, HP’s Web-based test
management tool. HP Quality Center provides an efficient method for
storing and retrieving Vuser scripts, scenarios, and results. You store
scenarios and results in a Quality Center project and organize them into
unique groups.

In order for the Controller to access a Quality Center project, you must
connect it to the Web server on which Quality Center is installed. You can
connect to either a local or remote Web server.

For more information on working with Quality Center, see the Quality
Center User Guide.

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Connecting to and Disconnecting from Quality Center

To store and retrieve scenarios and results from Quality Center, you need to
connect to a Quality Center project. You can connect or disconnect from a
Quality Center project at any time during the testing process.

Connecting LoadRunner to Quality Center

The connection process has two stages. First, you connect to a local or
remote Quality Center Web server. This server handles the connections
between the Controller and the Quality Center project.

Next, you select the project you want to access. The project stores the
scenarios and results that you created in the Controller.

Note: Quality Center projects are password protected, so you must provide a
user name and a password.

To connect to Quality Center:

1 Select Tools > Quality Center Connection.
2 The Quality Center Connection - Server Connection dialog box opens.

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3 In the Server URL box, type the URL address of the Web server where
Quality Center is installed.

Note: You can select a Web server accessible via a Local Area Network (LAN)
or a Wide Area Network (WAN).

4 To automatically reconnect to the Quality Center server the next time you
open the Controller, select the Reconnect to server on startup check box.
5 Click Connect. The Quality Center Connection dialog box opens.

After the connection to the server is established, the server’s name is

displayed in read-only format in the Server box.
6 Authenticate your user information:
a In the User name box, type your Quality Center user name.
b In the Password box, type your Quality Center password.

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c Click Authenticate to authenticate your user information against the

Quality Center server.
After your user information has been authenticated, the fields in the
Authenticate user information area are displayed in read-only format. The
Authenticate button changes to a Change User button.
You can log in to the same Quality Center server using a different user name
by clicking Change User, entering a new user name and password, and then
clicking Authenticate again.
7 If you selected Reconnect to server on startup above, the Authenticate on
startup option is enabled. To authenticate your user information
automatically, the next time you open the Controller, select Authenticate
on startup.
8 Enter the details for logging in to the project:
a In the Domain box, select the domain that contains the Quality Center
project. Only those domains containing projects to which you have
permission to connect to are displayed. (If you are working with a project
in versions of TestDirector earlier than version 7.5, the Domain box is not
relevant. Proceed to the next step.)
b In the Project box, enter the Quality Center project name or select a
project from the list. Only those projects that you have permission to
connect to are displayed.
c Click Login.
9 To log in to the selected project on startup, select Login to project on
startup. This option is only enabled when the Authenticate on startup
check box is selected.
10 Click Close to close the Quality Center Connection dialog box.

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Disconnecting LoadRunner from Quality Center

You can disconnect The Controller from a selected Quality Center project
and Web server.

To disconnect from Quality Center:

1 Select Tools > Quality Center Connection. The Quality Center Connection
dialog box opens.

2 To disconnect from the selected project, under Login to project, click

Logout. If you want to open a different project while using the same server,
enter the Quality Center project name in the Project box or select a project
from the list.
3 To disconnect from the Quality Center server, under Connect to server, click
Disconnect.
4 Click Close to close the Quality Center Connection dialog box.

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Opening Scenarios from a Quality Center Project

When connected to a Quality Center project, you can open your scenarios
from Quality Center. You locate tests according to their position in the test
plan tree, rather than a location in the file system.

To open a scenario from a Quality Center project:

1 Connect to the Quality Center server. (Tools > Quality Center Connection)
2 Select File > Open. The Open Scenario from Quality Center Project dialog
box opens and displays the test plan tree.

Note: To open a scenario directly from the file system, click the File System
button. (To return to the Open from Quality Center Project dialog box, click
the Quality Center button.)

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3 Click the relevant subject in the test plan tree. To expand the tree and view
sublevels, double-click closed folders. To collapse the tree, double-click open
folders.
Note that when you select a subject, the scenarios that belong to the subject
appear in the Test Name list.
4 Select a scenario from the Test Name list. The scenario appears in the read-
only Test Name box.
5 Click OK to open the scenario. The Controller loads the scenario and
displays its name in the title bar.

Saving Scenarios to a Quality Center Project

When The Controller is connected to a Quality Center project, you can
create new scenarios in The Controller and save them directly to your
project. To save a scenario, you give it a descriptive name and associate it
with the relevant subject in the test plan tree. This helps you to keep track of
the scenarios created for each subject and lets you view the progress of test
planning and creation.

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To save a scenario to a Quality Center project:

1 Connect to the Quality Center server. (Tools > Quality Center Connection)
2 Select File > Save As. The Save Scenario to Quality Center Project dialog box
opens and displays the test plan tree.

To save a scenario directly in the file system, click the File System button.
The Save Scenario dialog box opens. (From the Save Scenario dialog box,
you may return to the Save Scenario to Quality Center Project dialog box by
clicking the Quality Center button.)
3 Select the relevant subject in the test plan tree. To expand the tree and view
a sublevel, double-click a closed folder. To collapse a sublevel, double-click
an open folder.
4 In the Test Name box, enter a name for the scenario. Use a descriptive name
that will allow you to identify the scenario easily.
5 Click OK to save the scenario and close the dialog box.
The next time you start Quality Center, the new scenario will appear in
Quality Center’s test plan tree.

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Saving Results to a Quality Center Project

Before you run a scenario, you set the results location. When LoadRunner is
connected to a Quality Center project, results are saved to a test set. You can
also save the results to disk using the standard file system.

To save results to a Quality Center project:

1 Connect to the Quality Center server (see “Connecting LoadRunner to
Quality Center” on page 254).
2 In the Controller, select Results > Results Settings. The Set Results Directory
dialog box opens.

3 Click Quality Center. The Directory box changes to Test Sets.

4 In the Results Name box, enter a name for the results.

5 In the Test Sets list, accept the default test set name or select a different
name.

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6 Select the appropriate check box:

➤ Automatically create a results directory for each scenario execution.
Instructs LoadRunner to create a unique results directory for each
scenario execution. By default, the result names are res1, res2, res3, and
so forth.
➤ Automatically overwrite existing results directory without prompting for
confirmation. Instructs LoadRunner to automatically overwrite previous
result sets, without prompting the user.
7 Click OK to save the results settings.

Adding Vuser Scripts from a Quality Center Project

You can add Vuser scripts from a Quality Center project to the Controller’s
script list. You can add the script to either a manual or a goal-oriented
scenario.

This section includes:

➤ “Adding a Vuser Script to a Manual Scenario” on page 263

➤ “Adding a Vuser Script to a Goal-Oriented Scenario” on page 264

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Adding a Vuser Script to a Manual Scenario

When you create a manual scenario, you use the Add Group dialog box to
add Vuser scripts.

To add a Vuser script to a manual scenario:

1 Connect to the Quality Center server (see “Connecting LoadRunner to
Quality Center” on page 254).
2 In the Scenario Groups pane, click the Add Group button. The Add Group
dialog box opens.

3 Click Browse. The Open Test from Quality Center Project dialog box opens
and displays the test plan tree.
4 Select the script and click OK. The Script Path field displays [TD], the full
subject path, and the script name.
For example:
[TD]\Subject\System\test_qc
5 Click OK to close the Add Group dialog box. The script is displayed in the
Scenario Groups pane.

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Adding a Vuser Script to a Goal-Oriented Scenario

When you create a goal-oriented scenario, you use the Add Script dialog box
to add scripts.

To add a Vuser script to a goal-oriented scenario:

1 Connect to the Quality Center server (see “Connecting LoadRunner to
Quality Center” on page 254).
2 On the Scenario Scripts pane toolbar, click the Add Script button. The Add
Script dialog box opens.

3 Click Browse. The Open Test from Quality Center Project dialog box opens
and displays the test plan tree.
4 Select the script and click OK. The Script Path field displays [TD], the full
subject path, and the script name.
For example:
[TD]\Subject\System\test_qc
5 Click OK to close the Add Script dialog box. The script appears in the Script
Path column in the Scenario Scripts pane.

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Using Functional Testing Scripts in
LoadRunner

Using LoadRunner you can test and monitor how your application’s
functionality is affected by heavy load. LoadRunner can integrate functional
testing scripts in the form of GUI Vuser scripts into a load testing scenario.
These GUI Vuser scripts are created using HP Functional Testing software -
HP QuickTest Professional or HP WinRunner.

This chapter includes:

➤ About Using Functional Testing Scripts in Loadrunner on page 266
➤ Introducing GUI Vuser Scripts on page 267
➤ Using QuickTest to Create GUI Vuser Scripts for LoadRunner on page 269
➤ Using WinRunner to Create GUI Vuser Scripts for LoadRunner on page 271
➤ Running GUI Vuser Scripts in a LoadRunner Scenario on page 278

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About Using Functional Testing Scripts in Loadrunner

HP Functional Testing software (QuickTest and WinRunner) enables you to
create complex tests that examine the full spectrum of your application’s
functionality.

LoadRunner can integrate these functional testing scripts into a load testing
scenario in the form of GUI Vuser scripts. These scripts, that have already
been designed and debugged in QuickTest or WinRunner, can be used as the
basis of your load test.

The main advantages of running functional testing scripts in LoadRunner

are:

➤ to check how your application’s functionality is affected by heavy load.

➤ to measure the response time that a typical user experiences on the client
side while your application is under load (end-to-end response time).
For example, you can add QuickTest or WinRunner test scripts to specific
points in a LoadRunner scenario to confirm that the application’s
functionality is not affected by the extra load at those sensitive points.

Another advantage of using a GUI Vuser script as part of your LoadRunner

scenario is that the GUI Vuser script runs on your screen during the
scenario, enabling you to watch the actual steps executed by the Vuser in
real time.

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Introducing GUI Vuser Scripts

GUI Vusers enable you to measure and monitor end-to-end user response
times while your client/server system is under load. A GUI Vuser emulates
the complete environment of a human user.

For example, a human user sits at a machine, operates applications using the
keyboard and the mouse, and reads information on the machine’s monitor.
Similarly, a GUI Vuser runs on its own machine and operates applications. A
GUI Vuser can be programmed to read and act on information that appears
on its machine’s display.

Suppose that you have a bank server that services many automatic teller
machines (ATMs). You could create a GUI Vuser script that:

➤ opens the ATM application

➤ enters an account number
➤ enters the amount of cash to be withdrawn
➤ withdraws cash from the account
➤ checks the balance of the account
➤ closes the ATM application
➤ repeats the process

The actions of each GUI Vuser are described in a GUI Vuser script. You use
QuickTest and WinRunner to create GUI Vuser scripts.

You monitor and manage GUI Vusers using the LoadRunner Controller. For
instance, you can use the Controller to run, pause, or view Vusers, and to
monitor scenario status.

Note: You cannot use VuGen to run a GUI Vuser script. You use the
Controller to run a GUI Vuser script as part of a scenario; you use
WinRunner or QuickTest to run a GUI Vuser script in standalone mode.

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Understanding GUI Vuser Technology

GUI Vusers measure real end-to-end response times. End-to-end response
times represent the total time that a user waits for a response after
submitting a request. End-to-end response times include GUI response times
as well as network and server response times.

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Using QuickTest to Create GUI Vuser Scripts for LoadRunner

When creating test scripts in QuickTest that are going to be used as GUI
Vuser scripts in a Loadrunner testing scenario, you need to follow certain
guidelines to ensure smooth integration of the script. For detailed
explanations about creating tests in QuickTest, see the QuickTest
documentation.

This section describes the following general guidelines:

➤ Limitations
➤ Including Transactions
➤ Adding Statements
➤ Designing Tests for LoadRunner

Limitations
QuickTest offers several features that are designed specifically for integration
with LoadRunner. Some QuickTest features, however, may not be available
when they are integrated with LoadRunner. For more information about
specific limitations, see the QuickTest readme.

Including Transactions
To measure the performance of the server, you define transactions. A
transaction represents an action or a set of actions that you are interested in
measuring. You define transactions within your Vuser script by enclosing
the appropriate sections of the script with start and end transaction
statements.

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For example, you can define a transaction that measures the time it takes for
the server to process a request to view the balance of an account and for the
information to be displayed at the ATM.

Note: LoadRunner only provides performance information for data that is

included within a transaction. Therefore, your QuickTest test must include
transactions to be used by LoadRunner.

For more information about using transactions in QuickTest, see the

QuickTest documentation.

Adding Statements
You can use the Services object and its associated methods to insert
statements that are specifically relevant to performance testing. These
include Abort, GetEnvironmentAttribute, LogMessage,
SetTransactionStatus, ThinkTime, UserDataPoint, StartTransaction and
EndTransaction. For more information on these methods, see the QuickTest
documentation.

Designing Tests for LoadRunner

Consider the following design guidelines when designing tests for use with
LoadRunner:

➤ The QuickTest tests you use with LoadRunner should be simple tests,
designed to pinpoint specific operations.
➤ LoadRunner cannot run nested action iterations.
➤ Do not include references to external actions or other external resources,
such as an external Data Table file, environment variable file, shared object
repositories, and so forth.
➤ Include transactions in your QuickTest test since LoadRunner only provides
performance information for data that is included within a transaction.

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Using WinRunner to Create GUI Vuser Scripts for

LoadRunner
This section outlines how to use WinRunner to create and enhance GUI
Vuser scripts that are going to be used in a LoadRunner testing scenario. For
detailed explanations about creating tests in WinRunner see the WinRunner
documentation.

Note: Some WinRunner features may not be available when they are
integrated with LoadRunner.

This section includes:

➤ “Understanding GUI Vuser Scripts” on page 272

➤ “Inserting Transactions and Rendezvous Points” on page 274
➤ “Using Vuser Functions in GUI Vuser Scripts” on page 275
➤ “Sending Messages to the Controller” on page 276
➤ “Obtaining Information about Vusers and Load Generators” on page 277

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Understanding GUI Vuser Scripts

WinRunner is a complete development environment for creating, editing,
and debugging Windows-based GUI Vuser scripts. Using WinRunner, you
record the actions of a human user on an application.

For example, you could record a user entering an account number into an
ATM and then withdrawing fifty dollars. These actions are automatically
transcribed into a script in HP’s Test Script Language (TSL).

GUI Vuser scripts are written in TSL—HP’s Test Script Language. TSL is a
high-level C-like programming language. It combines the power and
flexibility of a conventional programming language with functions designed
specifically for testing. For additional information about TSL, see the TSL
Online Reference (available from the WinRunner Help menu).

This section presents a basic Vuser script, created in WinRunner. The script
starts an ATM application (mratm.exe), enters an account number, deposits
fifty dollars, and then closes the application.

Note: This script will not work on a Unix machine.

The first section of the script starts an application and moves it to a new
location on the screen. The system function starts the ATM application. The
win_move function moves the ATM application to a specified location on
the screen.

# Initialize and invoke ATM client application.

invoke_application("c:\mratm.exe","","",SW_SHOWMINIMIZED);
win_move ("Mercury ATM", 325, 0);

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Next, the Vuser enters an account number into the ATM. The set_window
function activates the ATM window. The edit_set function instructs the
Vuser to enter the account number into the ATM’s account field.

# Type in account number in the Account field.

account = 100;
set_window ("Mercury ATM");
edit_set ("Account", account);

After entering the account number, the Vuser enters the amount it wants to
deposit and presses the deposit button. The edit_set function enters the
amount to be deposited in the amount field. The button_press function tells
the Vuser to press the ATM’s Deposit button.

# Enter the amount to be deposited in the amount field.

amount = 50;
set_window ("Mercury ATM");
edit_set ("Amount", amount);
# Press the Deposit button.
button_press ("Deposit");

The final section of the test tells the Vuser to close the ATM application. The
menu_select_item function selects the Exit command from the File menu.

# Close client application.

menu_select_item ("File; Exit");

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Inserting Transactions and Rendezvous Points

To measure the performance of the server, you define transactions. A
transaction represents an action or a set of actions that you are interested in
measuring. You define transactions within your Vuser script by enclosing
the appropriate sections of the script with start and end transaction
statements. For example, you can define a transaction that measures the
time it takes for the server to process a request to view the balance of an
account and for the information to be displayed at the ATM.

Note: LoadRunner only provides performance information for data that is

included within a transaction. Therefore, your WinRunner test must include
transactions to be used by LoadRunner.

You insert rendezvous points into Vuser scripts to emulate heavy user load
on the server. Rendezvous points instruct Vusers to wait during test
execution for multiple Vusers to arrive at a certain point, so that they may
simultaneously perform a task. For example, to emulate peak load on the
bank server, you can insert a rendezvous point instructing 100 Vusers to
deposit cash into their accounts at the same time.

After recording a basic Vuser script using WinRunner, you manually insert:

➤ transaction statements into the script to measure the performance of the

server.
➤ rendezvous statements into the script to emulate a specific user load.
To mark the start of a transaction:
Insert a start_transaction statement into the Vuser script.

To mark the end of a transaction:

Insert an end_transaction statement into the Vuser script. For the syntax of
the start_transaction and end_transaction functions, see the TSL Online
Reference (available from the WinRunner Help menu).

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To insert a rendezvous point:

Insert a rendezvous statement into the Vuser script. For the syntax of the
rendezvous function, see the TSL Online Reference (available from the
WinRunner Help menu).

Using Vuser Functions in GUI Vuser Scripts

This section lists the Vuser functions that you can use to enhance your GUI
Vuser scripts. For syntax and examples of the functions, see the sections that
follow or the TSL Online Reference (available from the WinRunner Help
menu).

Function Description

declare_rendezvous Declares a rendezvous.

declare_transaction Declares a transaction.

end_transaction Marks the end of a transaction for performance

analysis.

error_message Sends an error message to the Controller.

get_host_name Returns the name of a load generator.

get_master_host_name Returns the name of the Controller load generator.

lr_whoami Returns information about the Vuser executing the

script.

output_message Sends a message to the Controller.

rendezvous Sets a rendezvous point in a Vuser script.

start_transaction Marks the beginning of a transaction for

performance analysis.

user_data_point Records a user-defined data sample.

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Sending Messages to the Controller

When you run a scenario, the Controller’s Output window displays valuable
information about script execution. In addition to the messages
automatically sent by WinRunner, you can include statements in each script
that send error and notification messages to the Controller. For example,
you could insert a message that displays the current state of an application.
After scenario execution, you can save these messages to a file.

The error_message function sends an error message to the Controller’s

Output window. The syntax of this function is:

error_message <message>;

where message is a text string.

In the following example, the Vuser script sends a message when a fatal
error occurs during script execution.

if (fatal_error < 0){

mess="fatal error - Exiting.";
error_message (mess);
texit (1);
}

The output_message function is used to send a special notification that is

not an error message. The syntax of this function is:

output_message (message);

where message is a text string.

For further information on the error_message and the output_message

functions, see the TSL Online Reference (available from the WinRunner Help
menu).

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Obtaining Information about Vusers and Load Generators

During scenario execution, you can obtain the identity of:

➤ the Vusers performing a task at a particular moment in the scenario

➤ the load generator executing a script
➤ the machine running the Controller

For example, you could program statements into a Vuser script to return the
ID of each active Vuser currently using an application, and print this
information to a file.

The following functions obtain information about Vusers and load

generators:

Function Description

lr_whoami Returns the name of a Vuser and the Vuser group it

belongs to.

get_host_name Returns the name of the machine executing the

script.

get_master_host_name Returns the name of the machine running the

Controller.

In the following example, the get_host_name function returns the name of

the load generator currently running the script. The print statement saves
the information to a file.

my_host_name = get_host_name();
print("my local load generator name is:" & my_host_name) > vuser_file;

For more information about these functions, see the TSL Online Reference
(available from the WinRunner Help menu).

After recording a basic Vuser script, you insert statements into the script that
measure the performance of the server (transactions), and create a
synchronized user load (rendezvous points). For more details about GUI
Vusers, see your HP LoadRunner Online Function Reference.

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Running GUI Vuser Scripts in a LoadRunner Scenario

After you have created your GUI Vuser script in QuickTest or WinRunner,
you are ready to integrate the script into a LoadRunner scenario. Before you
run the LoadRunner scenario you should consider the following guidelines:

➤ You can run only one GUI Vuser concurrently per machine.
➤ Ensure that QuickTest and WinRunner are closed before running the
scenario.
➤ In the Run-Time Settings for script dialog box, only the General categories
and sub-categories (General, Iterations, Miscellaneous, Think Time) are
relevant for QuickTest and WinRunner tests. The Replay options are not
relevant.
To add a GUI Vuser script to a LoadRunner scenario:
1 Navigate to the folder containing the test script.
➤ For a new scenario, click Browse in the New Scenario dialog box.
➤ When adding the script to an existing scenario, click Browse in the Add
Group/Add Script dialog box. The Open Test dialog box opens.
2 In the Files of Type box select the appropriate file type.
➤ For WinRunner, select GUI Scripts.
➤ For QuickTest, select QuickTest Tests.
3 Navigate to the appropriate script and add it to your scenario.

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Executing a Scenario
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19
Running a Scenario

When you run a scenario, LoadRunner generates load on the application

you are testing and measures the system’s performance.

This chapter includes:

➤ About Running a Scenario on page 281
➤ Running an Entire Scenario on page 283
➤ Controlling Vuser Groups on page 284
➤ Controlling Individual Vusers on page 291
➤ Manually Releasing Vusers from a Rendezvous on page 293
➤ Manually Adding Vusers to a Running Scenario on page 294

About Running a Scenario

When you run a scenario, the Vuser groups are assigned to their load
generators and execute their Vuser scripts. During scenario execution,
LoadRunner:

➤ records the durations of the transactions you defined in the Vuser scripts
➤ performs the rendezvous included in the Vuser scripts
➤ collects error, warning, and notification messages generated by the
Vusers

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You can run an entire scenario unattended, or you can interactively select
the Vuser groups and Vusers that you want to run. When the scenario starts
running, the Controller first checks the scenario configuration information.
Next, it invokes the applications that you selected to run with the scenario.
Then, it distributes each Vuser script to its designated load generator. When
the Vuser groups are ready, they start executing their scripts.

While the scenario runs, you can monitor each Vuser, view the error,
warning, and notification messages generated by the Vusers, and stop both
Vuser groups and individual Vusers. You can instruct LoadRunner to allow
an individual Vuser or the Vusers in a group to complete the iterations they
are running before stopping, to complete the actions they are running
before stopping, or to stop running immediately. For more information, see
“Configuring Scenario Run-Time Settings” on page 234.

Note: When automatically stopping Vusers in a goal-oriented scenario,

LoadRunner stops running the Vusers immediately.

You can also activate additional Vusers while the scenario is running, using
the Run/Stop Vusers dialog box. For more information, see “Manually
Adding Vusers to a Running Scenario” on page 294.

The scenario ends when all the Vusers have completed their scripts, when
the duration runs out, or when you terminate it.

The following procedure outlines how to run a scenario:

1 Open an existing scenario or create a new one.
2 Configure and schedule the scenario.
3 Set the results directory.
4 Run and monitor the scenario.

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Running an Entire Scenario

You can run all the Vusers and Vuser groups in a scenario, or you can select
the specific Vuser groups and Vusers that you want to run. When you run an
entire scenario, LoadRunner does not begin running Vusers until they all
have reached the Ready state. However, if you run individual groups or
Vusers, LoadRunner runs each Vuser as soon as it reaches the Ready state.

The following section describes how to run an entire scenario. “Controlling

Vuser Groups” on page 284, and “Controlling Individual Vusers” on
page 291 describes how to manipulate Vuser groups and individual Vusers.

To run an entire scenario:

1 Open an existing scenario or create a new one. Select the Run tab. The
Scenario Groups pane appears in the top left corner of the screen.

2 Select Scenario > Start, or click Start Scenario. The Controller starts
initializing the Vusers and distributing them to their designated load
generators, where they begin to execute their Vuser scripts.

Note: The Controller begins running the scenario according to the start time
set in the Scenario Start dialog box.

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If you have not specified a results directory for the scenario, the Set Results
Directory dialog box opens.
During scenario execution, you can manipulate individual Vusers and Vuser
groups. This is described in “Controlling Vuser Groups” below and
“Controlling Individual Vusers” on page 291.
3 Select Scenario > Stop, or click Stop to terminate the scenario. If you
selected the Stop immediately option in the Run-Time Settings tab of the
Options dialog box, all of the Vusers in the scenario move to the Exiting
status.
If you selected the Wait for the current iteration to end before exiting or
Wait for the current action to end before exiting options in the Run-Time
Settings tab of the Options dialog box, the Vusers in the scenario move to
the Gradual Exiting status and exit the scenario gradually. To stop the Vusers
immediately, click Stop Now.
4 Select Scenario > Reset, or click Reset to reset all Vusers to their pre-scenario
Down status.

Controlling Vuser Groups

You can run an entire scenario as described above, or you can manipulate
individual Vuser groups in the scenario. This section describes how to
initialize, run, pause, stop, and reset Vuser groups.

Initializing Vuser Groups

Initializing a Vuser group distributes the Vusers in the group to their
designated load generators so that they are ready to execute their scripts. By
initializing all of the Vusers in a group before running them, you can ensure
that they all begin executing the scenario at the same time.

To initialize a Vuser group:

1 Select the Vuser group or groups that you want to initialize.
2 Click Initialize Vusers, or right-click the Vuser group or groups that you want
to initialize and select Initialize Vusers. The Vuser group’s status changes
from Down to Pending to Initializing to Ready. If a Vuser group fails to
initialize, the Vuser group status changes to Error.

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Running Vuser Groups

Running a Vuser group tells the Vuser group to execute its script.

To run a Vuser group:

1 Select the Vuser group or groups that you want to run.
2 Click Run Vusers, or right-click the Vuser group or groups that you want to
run and select Run Vusers Until Complete. The Vuser groups execute their
scripts. If you run a Vuser group in the Down or Error state, LoadRunner
initializes and then runs the Vuser group.

Note: You can instruct LoadRunner to randomly run only one Vuser in a
group by right-clicking the Vuser group and selecting Run One Vuser Until
Complete. A Vuser script log opens, displaying run-time information about
the Vuser. For more information about the Vuser log, see “Viewing the Vuser
Script Log” on page 311.

Pausing Vuser Groups

Pausing a Vuser group temporarily stops script execution. The Pause
command changes the status of a Vuser group from Running to Paused.

Note: Pausing a Vuser group will affect its transaction response time.

To pause a Vuser:
1 Select the Vuser group or groups that you want to pause.
2 Select Pause Vusers from the right-click menu. The Vusers groups
temporarily stop script execution.

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Stopping Vuser Groups

Stopping a Vuser group stops script execution. If you stop a Vuser group, the
group still appears in the Vuser group list.

To stop a Vuser group:

1 Select the Vuser group or groups that you want to stop.
2 Click Stop Vusers, or right-click the Vuser group or groups and select Stop.
The Vuser groups stop executing their scripts immediately.
If you selected the Wait for the current iteration to end before exiting or
Wait for the current action to end before exiting options in the Run-Time
Settings tab of the Options dialog box and want to gradually stop a Vuser
group in the Run state, click the Gradual Stop button, or right-click the
Vuser group and select Gradual Stop. The Vusers in the group move to the
Gradual Exiting status and exit the scenario gradually.

Note: If the Vusers are not in the Run state, the Gradual Stop option is
disabled.

Resetting Vuser Groups

Resetting causes all of the Vusers in a group to revert to their pre-scenario
Down status.

To reset a Vuser group:

1 Select the Vuser group or groups that you want to stop.
2 Right-click the Vuser group or groups that you want to stop, and select Reset
Vusers. The Vuser groups revert to their pre-scenario Down status.

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Understanding the Run View Tab

The Run tab displays the Scenario Groups window, a scenario status
summary, and graphs with online information generated during script
execution.

➤ Scenario Groups pane. Displays each Vuser group and its current status.
You can perform the following actions on individual Vuser groups in the
scenario by right-clicking a group in the Scenario Groups window:
➤ Reset IDs. Resets the IDs of the Vusers in the group.
➤ Initialize Vusers. Distributes the Vusers in the group to their designated
load generators so that they are ready to execute their script. The Vuser
group’s status changes from Down to Pending to Initializing to Ready. If a
Vuser group fails to initialize, the Vuser group status changes to Error.
By initializing all of the Vusers in a group before running them, you can
ensure that they all begin executing the scenario at the same time.
➤ Run Vusers Until Complete. The selected Vusers until complete. If you
run Vusers in the Down or Error state, LoadRunner initializes and then
runs the Vusers.
➤ Run One Vuser Until Complete. Instructs the Controller to randomly run
one of the Vusers in the Vuser group until it completes running. The
Vuser Log opens, displaying run-time information about the Vuser.
➤ Pause Vusers. Temporarily pauses running the Vusers group. The status of
the Vuser group changes from Running to Paused.

Note: Pausing a Vuser group affects its transaction response time.

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➤ Gradual Stop. Instructs the Controller to complete the current iteration

or action before stopping the Vuser group.

Note: This option is only available when the Vuser group is in the Run
state, if you selected the Wait for the current iteration to end before
exiting or Wait for the current action to end before exiting options in
the Run-Time Settings tab of the Options dialog box.

➤ Stop. Instructs the Controller to stop running the Vuser group

immediately.
➤ Reset Vusers. Resets all Vusers in the group to their pre-scenario Down
status.
➤ Enable. Enables the Vuser group to participate in the scenario.
➤ Disable. Disables the Vuser group so that it no longer participates in the
scenario.
➤ Show Vuser. Opens a Run-Time Viewer for each Vuser in the group.
➤ Hide Vuser. Closes the Run-Time Viewers that were opened.
➤ Show Vuser Log. Opens a script log containing run-time information for
each Vuser in the group. The Vuser script log is refreshed, by default,
every 1000 milliseconds.
➤ Hide Vuser Log. Closes the Vuser script logs.
➤ Sort By Name. Sorts the groups alphabetically, by name.

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➤ Start Scenario. Instructs the Controller to start initializing the Vusers in the
scenario and distributing them to their designated load generators, where
they begin to execute their Vuser scripts.

Note: The Controller begins running the scenario at the time stipulated in
the Scenario Start dialog box.

We do not recommend changing the Time/Date and Time Zone settings on

the Controller and load generators during the load test run.

➤ Stop. Instructs the Controller to stop running the scenario. If you selected
the Stop immediately option in the Run-Time Settings tab of the Options
dialog box, all of the Vusers in the scenario move to the Exiting status. If you
selected the Wait for the current iteration to end before exiting or Wait for
the current action to end before exiting options in the Run-Time Settings
tab of the Options dialog box, the Vusers in the scenario move to the
Gradual Exiting status and exit the scenario gradually.
➤ Stop Now. Instructs the Controller to stop running the scenario
immediately.
➤ Reset. Resets all the Vuser groups in the scenario to their pre-scenario DOWN
status.
➤ Vusers. Opens the Vusers dialog box, enabling you to view the status of each
of the Vusers in a Vuser group.
➤ Run/Stop Vusers. Opens the Run/Stop Vusers dialog box, enabling you to
activate additional Vusers.
➤ Pause/Resume Scheduler. Pauses or resumes the scenario schedule.
(Displayed during scenario execution only.)

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➤ Scenario Status Window. Displays a synopsis of the running scenario. You

can view details of individual transactions and errors by clicking the
magnifying glass icon.

Note: You can detach the Scenario Status window from the Run view by
clicking the button in the upper-right corner. This enlarges the Scenario
Groups window.

➤ Graphs. To view a list of the available graphs, select View > Show Available
Graphs. To hide the graph tree view, select View > Hide Available Graphs, or
click the X button in the top right corner of the Available Graphs list.
To display a graph, click it in the left pane and drag it to the right pane. By
default, four graphs are displayed. To customize your online graph display,
select View > View Graphs and select the number of graphs you want to
view. You can view up to 16 graphs simultaneously. To display only one
graph, double-click the graph in the right pane. To return to the previous
view, double-click the graph again. Below the graphs, a legend displays the
statistics of the selected graph: color, scale, measurement/status, machine,
maximum, minimum, and average values, standard deviation, and last.
You can perform the following actions on a graph by using the Monitors
menu or right-clicking the graph:
➤ Graph configuration
➤ Graph duplication
➤ Freeze/Release graph
➤ Export graph to HTML
➤ Overlay graphs

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You can perform the following actions on a measurement by right-clicking

it:
➤ Add/Delete measurement
➤ Show/Hide measurement
➤ Measurement configuration
➤ Measurement description

Controlling Individual Vusers

You can also manipulate individual Vusers within the Vuser groups you
have defined. This section describes how to initialize, run, and stop
individual Vusers.

To control an individual Vuser:

1 Select a Vuser group and click the Vusers button. The Vusers dialog box
opens with a list of the ID, Status, Script, Load Generator, and Elapsed Time
(since the beginning of the scenario) for each of the Vusers in the group.

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You can control an individual Vuser using the following utilities:

➤ Select a Vuser and click Run to run it.
➤ Select a Vuser and click Stop to stop it immediately from running.
➤ If you selected the Wait for the current iteration to end before exiting or
Wait for the current action to end before exiting options in the Run-
Time Settings tab of the Options dialog box, and want to gradually stop a
Vuser in the RUN state, click the Gradual Stop button. The Vuser moves to
the Gradual Exiting status and exits the scenario gradually.
➤ To pause a Vuser, right-click it and select Pause. Pausing a Vuser will
affect its transaction response time.
➤ To revert a Vuser’s status to DOWN, Select it and click Reset.
➤ To initialize a Vuser, right-click it and select Initialize Vuser/s.
➤ To reset the IDs of the Vusers in a group, right-click the Vusers and select
Reset IDs.
➤ To filter the Vusers listed, right-click in one of the columns and select
Filter Vusers. Select the way in which you want to filter the Vusers.
Alternatively, you can select the filter option you want to use from the
filter selector in the upper-right corner of the Vusers dialog box.
➤ To sort the Vusers listed, right-click in one of the columns and select Sort
Vusers. Select the way in which you want to sort the Vusers.
➤ To view a Vuser executing its assigned script, select the Vuser and click
the Show button. The Run-Time Viewer opens and displays snapshots of
the pages returned to a Vuser, allowing you to see the Vuser executing the
script. The Run-Time Viewer does not function as a browser, so the
displayed images are snapshots and do not present all aspects of the
replay.
➤ The Options menu items allow you to select the types of controls to
display.
➤ The View menu items allow you to open various toolbars and views.
➤ To close the Run-Time Viewer, click the Hide button.

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➤ To view the Vuser script log, click the Vuser log button. A script log, such
as the following, appears.

➤ To close the Vuser script log, click the Close button. For more
information on the Vuser script log, see page 311.
2 Click Close to close the Vusers dialog box.

Manually Releasing Vusers from a Rendezvous

While you run a scenario, you can manually release Vusers from a
rendezvous before the Controller releases them.

To manually release Vusers from a rendezvous:

1 Select Scenario > Rendezvous. The Rendezvous Information dialog box
opens.
2 Select a rendezvous from the Rendezvous list.
3 Click Release. The Vusers in the rendezvous are released.

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Manually Adding Vusers to a Running Scenario

During a running scenario, you can manually control the addition of new
Vusers using the Run/Stop Vusers dialog box. The dialog box differs
depending on the scenario mode you are running:

➤ If you are running a scenario in the Vuser Group Mode, you control the
number of new Vusers that can be added to each Vuser Group, and the load
generators on which these additional Vusers will run.
➤ If you are running a scenario in the Percentage Mode, you control the
number of new Vusers that can be distributed among the Vuser scripts
according to the percentage you define, and the load generators on which
these additional Vusers will run.

Note: If you are running a scenario or Vuser group using Schedule Builder
settings, these settings will be applied to all Vusers that are manually added
to the scenario or Vuser group during the scenario run. For more
information, see “Adding Vusers to a Scheduled Scenario During a Run” on
page 180.

To add Vusers to a running scenario:

1 Select Scenario > Run/Stop Vusers, or click Run/Stop Vusers in the Scenario
Groups pane of the Run view. The Run/Stop Vusers dialog box opens. If you
are in the Vuser Group Mode, the dialog box displays the Vuser groups
included in the scenario.

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If you are in the Percentage Mode, the Run/Stop Vusers dialog box displays
the Vuser scripts included in the scenario.

2 If you are in the Vuser Group Mode, enter the number of Vusers you want to
run for each group in the Quantity column.
If you are in the Percentage Mode, enter the number of Vusers and the
percentage in which you want these Vusers to be distributed among the
checked Vuser scripts. LoadRunner automatically distributes the number of
Vusers you entered.
3 To disable a Vuser group/script, clear the check box to the left of the
group/script name. A group/script will automatically appear disabled if it is
disabled in the Design view.

Note: If you disable a Vuser group in the Vuser Group Mode, no Vusers will
be distributed to it. If you disable a Vuser script in the Percentage Mode, no
Vusers will be distributed to it, and the unused percentage of the Vusers will
not be distributed among the remaining scripts, unless you define a zero
percent value for the disabled script.

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4 To change the load generator on which the Vuser group/script will run,
select a different load generator from the Load Generator column.
To use a load generator that does not appear, select Add from the Load
Generator Name list. The Add New Load Generator dialog box opens. Add
the name, platform, and temporary directory of the new load generator and
click OK.

If you are in the Percentage Mode, you can select more than one load
generator to run the Vuser script. From the Load Generator Name list, select
the load generators and click OK. To use all the load generators in the list,
click the All Generators button.

Note: If you defined more than one load generator for a script, the added
Vusers are proportionally distributed among the defined load generators.

5 Click Init to initialize the number of Vusers you added.

6 Click Run, and select a run option.
7 Click Stop to stop the Vusers that are running on the load generators
defined in the Run/Stop Vusers dialog box.
8 Click Close to close the Run/Stop Vusers dialog box.

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Example of a Manually Controlled Scenario

The example below shows the Run/Stop Vusers dialog box from a scenario
running in the Percentage Mode.

The number of Vusers that are distributed among the checked scripts is 15.
The % column indicates that 60% of these Vusers are distributed to the
script flights2002, and 20% to both travel and test1. In accordance with
these percentages, the # column indicates that nine Vusers are distributed to
flights2002 and three to travel and test1.

Note: The unused percentage of the Vusers from the disabled test1 script are
not distributed among the remaining scripts, because a percentage value has
been defined for this script.

When an action (Init, Run, Stop) is selected from the Run/Stop Vusers dialog
box, the Controller runs only the number of Vusers that appear in the #
column. In this example, nine Vuser are initialized, run, or stopped in the
flights2002 script, and three in the travel script.

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All Vusers distributed to the flights2002 script are run on the localhost load
generator. For the travel script, Vusers are proportionally distributed among
all defined load generators.

Note: Load generator balancing is applied to a manually controlled scenario

in the Percentage Mode where there are other load generators assigned to
Vuser scripts. For more information, see “Load Balancing” on page 209.

Understanding the Run/Stop Vusers Dialog Box

The Run/Stop Vusers dialog box lets you manually activate additional
Vusers. This dialog box differs depending on whether you are running a
scenario in the Vuser Group Mode or in the Percentage Mode.

➤ Specify a quantity of Vusers for every group. Enter the number of Vusers
you want to run for each group in the Quantity column "#" (Vuser Group
Mode).
➤ Distribute X Vusers among the checked scripts. Enter the number of Vusers
you want to distribute by percentage among the checked Vuser scripts.
LoadRunner automatically distributes the number of Vusers you entered
(Percentage Mode).
➤ Run/Stop Vusers table.
➤ Group/Script Name. Displays the names of the Vuser groups or scripts
running in the scenario.
➤ %. Indicates the percentage of Vusers distributed to each Vuser script
(Percentage mode only).
➤ #. Indicates the number of Vusers distributed to each Vuser script.
➤ Load Generators. Indicates the load generators on which the Vusers will
be run. If more than one load generator is defined for a script, the added
Vusers are proportionally distributed among the defined load generators.

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Note: To disable a Vuser group/script, clear the check box to the left of the
group/script name. A group/script will automatically appear disabled if it is
disabled in the Design view.

If you disable a Vuser script, no Vusers will be distributed to it. However, 100
percent of the Vusers will not be distributed among the remaining scripts,
unless you define a 0 percent value for the disabled script.

➤ Init. Distributes the Vusers that you added to their designated load
generators so that they are ready to execute their scripts. The Controller first
initializes the Vusers in your scenario that have not yet been run, on the
load generators defined in the current dialog box. It then adds additional
Vusers, as required, to reach the quantity defined in the current dialog box.
➤ Run. Select one of the following options:
➤ Run Initialized. Runs the Vusers in the scenario that have already been
initialized on the load generators defined in the current dialog box. The
Controller runs only those Vusers that have already been initialized,
regardless of their quantity.
➤ Run New. Runs the number of Vusers you specified. The Controller first
runs the Vusers in your scenario that have not yet been run, on the load
generators defined in the current dialog box. It then adds additional
Vusers, as required, to reach the quantity defined in the current dialog
box.
➤ Stop. Stops the Vusers that are running on the load generators defined in
the current dialog box. The Controller stops the Vusers according to the
settings you defined in the “Configuring Scenario Run-Time Settings” on
page 234.

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20
Viewing Vusers During Execution

During scenario execution, you can view the actions that are performed by
Vusers.

This chapter includes:

➤ About Viewing Vusers During Execution on page 301
➤ Monitoring Vuser Status on page 302
➤ Viewing the Output Window on page 305
➤ Viewing the Vuser Script Log on page 311
➤ Logging Execution Notes on page 314
➤ Viewing the Agent Summary on page 315

About Viewing Vusers During Execution

LoadRunner lets you view Vuser activity during a scenario.

➤ On the Controller load generators, you can view the Output window,
monitor Vuser performance online, and check the status of Vusers executing
the scenario.
➤ On remote machines, you can view the Agent summary with information
about the active Vusers.

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Monitoring Vuser Status

During scenario execution, you can use the Scenario Groups pane in the
Run view to monitor the actions of all the Vusers and Vuser groups in the
scenario.

The Status field of each Vuser group displays the current state of each Vuser
in the group. The following table describes the possible Vuser statuses
during a scenario:

Status Description

Down The Vuser is down.

Pending The Vuser is ready to be initialized and is waiting for an

available load generator, or is transferring files to the load
generator. The Vuser will run when the conditions set in its
scheduling attributes are met.

Initializing The Vuser is being initialized on the remote machine.

Ready The Vuser already performed the init section of the script
and is ready to run.

Running The Vuser is running. The Vuser script is being executed on

a load generator.

Rendezvous The Vuser has arrived at the rendezvous and is waiting to be

released by LoadRunner.

Done.Passed The Vuser has finished running. The script passed.

Done.Failed The Vuser has finished running. The script failed.

Error A problem occurred with the Vuser. Check the Status field
on the Vuser dialog box or the output window for a
complete explanation of the error.

Gradual Exiting The Vuser is completing the iteration or action it is running

(as defined in Tools > Options > Run-Time Settings) before
exiting.

Exiting The Vuser has finished running or has been stopped, and is
now exiting.

Stopped The Vuser stopped when the Stop command was invoked.

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You can also view a synopsis of the running scenario in the box in the
upper-right corner of the Run view.

Note: You can detach the Scenario Status window from the Run view by
clicking the button in the upper-right corner. This enlarges the Scenario
Groups pane.

The following table describes the runtime information that can be viewed
during a scenario:

Scenario Status Description

Scenario Status Indicates whether the scenario is RUNNING or DOWN

Running Vusers Indicates how many Vusers are being executed on a

load generator

Elapsed Time Indicates how much time has elapsed since the
beginning of the scenario

Hits/Second Indicates how many hits (HTTP requests) there have

been to the Web site being tested per second that each
Vuser has been running

Passed Transactions Indicates how many transactions have been executed

successfully

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Scenario Status Description

Failed Transactions Indicates how many transactions have been executed

unsuccessfully

Errors Indicates how many problems have occurred with the

Vusers

Transactions
You can view details of individual transactions in the Transactions dialog
box. To open the Transactions dialog box, in the Scenario Status window
click the Show Snapshot button to the right of Passed Transactions or Failed
Transactions.

Detail Description

Name Lists the names of the individual transactions in a

script.

TPS Displays the number of transactions per second.

Passed Lists the number of transactions that passed.

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Detail Description

Failed Lists the number of transactions that failed.

Stopped Lists the number of transactions that stopped.

Viewing the Output Window

While the scenario runs, the Vusers and load generators send error,
notification, warning, debug, and batch messages to the Controller. You can
view these messages in the Output window.

LoadRunner clears the messages in the Output window at the start of each
scenario execution. If you reset a scenario, messages remain in the Output
window unless you instruct LoadRunner to delete messages from the Output
window upon reset. For more information, see “Options - Output Settings”
on page 494.

To view messages in the Output window:

1 Choose View > Show Output or click the Show Snapshot button to the right
of the Errors listing. The Output window opens, displaying error
information.

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2 In the Type of Message box, select a message type to filter.

3 To view a message in detail, select the message and click Details. The
Detailed Message Text box opens in the Output window displaying the
complete sample message text.

4 To view details of the log information by message, Vuser, script, or load

generator, click the blue link in the respective column.
5 To troubleshoot the error, click the link in the Help column.

For more information, see “Viewing Log Information Details” below.

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Viewing Log Information Details

You can view details of each message, Vuser, script, and load generator
associated with an error code by clicking the blue link in the respective
column. The Output window displays a drilled-down view by Vuser,
message, script, or load generator in the Filtered tab.

For example, if you drill down on the Vusers column, the Output window
displays all the messages with the code you selected, grouped by the Vusers
that sent the messages.

The message type, the message code, and the column that you selected to
drill down on, are displayed above the grid.

You can drill down further on the entries displayed in blue. When you drill
down on a Vuser, the Vuser log opens. When you drill down on a load
generator, the Load Generators dialog box opens, displaying the load
generator you selected. When you drill down on a script (or Action or Line
Number), VuGen opens, displaying the script you selected.

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Note: To limit the number of rows displayed when you drill down, open the
wlrun7.ini file in any text editor, and locate the following line:

MaxOutputUIRowsToShow=0

Change the 0 (no limit) to the number of rows you want to view.

When new messages arrive in the Output window, the Refresh button is
enabled. Click Refresh to add the new log information to the Filtered tab
view.

To move between the various drill down levels, click the Previous view and
Next view buttons in the upper-left corner of the Output window.

Understanding the Output Window

The Output window displays information about the error, notification,
warning, debug, and batch messages that Vusers and load generators send to
the Controller during scenario execution. The total number of messages sent
is displayed in the title bar.

Note: You can also specify

the maximum number of Vuser logs that may
be displayed simultaneously on the Controller machine. For more
information, see Appendix C, “Working in Expert Mode.”

Summary Tab
The Summary tab displays summary information about the messages sent
during scenario execution. To view details of each message, Vuser, script,
and load generator associated with an error code, click the blue link in the
respective column.

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➤ Type of Message. Filters the output messages to display only certain

message types. Select one of the following filters:

Icon Message Type Description

All Messages Displays all message types.

Notifications Provides run-time information, such as

messages sent using lr_output_message.

Errors Usually indicate that the script failed.

Warnings Indicates that the Vuser encountered a

problem, but test execution continued.

Debug Will be sent only if you enable the debugging

feature in Controller (Tools > Options >
Debug Information). See “Options - Debug
Information Settings” on page 492 for more
information.

Batch Sent instead of message boxes appearing in

the Controller, if you are using automation.

➤ Details. Displays the full text of the selected output message in the Output
window.
➤ Remove all messages. Clears all log information from the Output window.
➤ Export the view: Saves the Output view to a specified file.
➤ Freeze/Resume. Stops updating the Output window with messages. To
instruct LoadRunner to resume updating the Output window, click Resume.
The newly updated log information is displayed in a red frame.
➤ Message Code. Displays the code assigned to all similar messages. The
number in parentheses indicates the number of different codes displayed in
the Output window.
➤ Sample Message Text. Displays an example of the text of a message with the
specified code.
➤ Total Messages. Displays the total number of sent messages with the
specified code.

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➤ Vusers. Displays the number of Vusers that generated messages with the
specified code.
➤ Scripts. Displays the number of scripts whose execution caused messages
with the specified code to be generated.
➤ Generators. Displays the number of load generators from which messages
with the specified code were generated.
➤ Help. Displays an icon if there is a link to troubleshooting for this message.

Note: To sort the log information, click the appropriate column header. The
messages are sorted in descending/ascending order.

Filtered Tab
The Filtered tab displays a drilled down view by Vuser, message, script, or
load generator. For example, if you drill down on the Vusers column, the
Filtered tab displays all the messages with the code you selected, grouped by
the Vusers that sent the messages.

➤ Previous view/Next view. Enables you to move between the various drill
down levels.
➤ <Type of Message> Icon. Displays an icon indicating the type of message by
which the current Output view is filtered.
➤ Active Filter. Displays the category or categories by which the current
Output view is filtered.
➤ Viewed by. Displays the name of the column on which you selected to drill
down.
➤ Export the view. Saves the Output view to a specified file.
Refresh. Adds new log information that arrived in the Output window to
the Filtered tab view.

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Viewing the Vuser Script Log

During scenario execution, you can view a log containing run-time
information about each running Vuser.

To view the Vuser script log for a particular Vuser:

1 In the Vusers dialog box, select the Vuser whose log you want to view, and
click Show Vuser Log, or right-click the Vuser and select Show Vuser Log.
The Vuser script log opens, displaying run-time information about the
Vuser. This information is refreshed, by default, every second.

To change the default refresh settings, see “Options - Output Settings” on

page 494.

2 Click Close to close the Vuser script log.

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Understanding the Vuser Script Log

The Vuser Script Log displays run-time information about the Vuser. This
information is refreshed, by default, every 1000 milliseconds.

Note: If you disabled the logging feature in the Run-Time Settings Log tab,
the Vuser script log will contain output only if your script contains the
lr_output_message or lr_message function. If you selected the Send
messages only when an error occurs option in the Log tab, the Vuser script
log will contain output only if there are script errors.

➤ Show Text View. Displays the run-time information in text format. To revert
to the tree view, click the same button again.
➤ Show Tree View. Displays the run-time information in tree format. To revert
to the text view, click the same button again.
➤ Display. Displays a snapshot of the Web page where an error occurred, when
the error is highlighted in the Vuser log.

Note: To view a snapshot of the Web page where an error occurred, you
must select the Activate snapshot on error option in the General tab of the
Run-Time Settings dialog box before running the scenario.

➤ Find Text. Enter the text you want to search for in the Vuser log.
➤ Expand Node. Expands the node so that you can view additional run-time
information details about the Vuser. To revert to the collapsed tree view,
click this button again.
➤ Collapse Node. Collapses the node. To revert to the expanded tree view,
click this button again.

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➤ Refresh (every 1000 milliseconds). Instructs LoadRunner to refresh the run-

time information displayed every 1000 milliseconds. Clear the Refresh
check box to disable the log refreshing.

Note: You can change the default refresh settings in the “Options - Output
Settings” on page 494.

➤ Copy. Enables you to copy text from the Vuser log. Right-click the selected
text in the Vuser log, and select Copy.
➤ Copy path from status bar. Enables you to copy the path of the Vuser log.
Right-click the path in the status bar, and select Copy path from status bar.
➤ Vuser Log message icons.
➤ Start User Script. Indicates the start of the virtual user script.
➤ Start Iteration. Indicates the start of an iteration.
➤ End Iteration. Indicates the end of an iteration.
➤ Start/End Transaction. Indicates the start or the end of a transaction.
➤ Action. Displays the name and description of an action.
➤ Notifications. Provides action information.
➤ Errors. Indicates that the Vuser encountered a problem, but test
execution continued. Displays the error code and a description of the
error.

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Logging Execution Notes

The Controller provides you with a dialog box in which you can log
comments while a scenario is running.

To log execution notes:

1 Select Scenario > Execution Notes. The Execution Notes dialog box opens.
2 Enter the notes that you want to log.
3 Click OK to close the dialog box. LoadRunner saves the notes you recorded.

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Viewing the Agent Summary

When you run a scenario with non-GUI Vusers, the machine running the
Vusers invokes an agent that controls the Vuser execution on that load
generator. During scenario execution, the agent displays a summary of the
Ready, Running, and Paused Vusers.

The Agent window opens at the start of the scenario. You can minimize and
restore it at any time.

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21
Secure Host Communication

The need to secure communication channels from hackers attacking the

corporate networks is critical. The ability to secure communication channels
ensures confidentiality, integrity, and the user's authenticity within the
scope of the load testing application.

Since load generators and Controllers serve so many projects, it is essential

that the channels between Controllers and load generators remain opaque
to all machines except for the Controllers and load generators participating
in running load tests or collating load test run data after a load test run.

This chapter includes:

➤ Communication Between Hosts on page 318
➤ Configuring Host Security Settings on page 319
➤ Local Security Configuration on page 320
➤ Remote Security Configuration on page 322
➤ Host Security Best Practices on page 333
➤ Troubleshooting Secure Host Communication on page 333

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Communication Between Hosts

Secure communication is established between hosts (Controller or load
generator) using a security key. Each host in the system must be set up with
the same security key.

A host is in secure mode when it has a security key and security is enforced.

A host is in non-secure mode when:

➤ has no security key

➤ has a security key but allows non-secure communication

If a host is in secure mode and it tries to communicate with a host in

non-secure mode, security is automatically enforced on the non-secure
host—assuming their security keys match—allowing secure communication
to be established.

If security keys on the hosts do not match, secure communication cannot be

established.

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Note:

➤ When you run a load test, if secure communication cannot be

established between a host (Controller or load generator) in secure mode
and another host participating in the load test, the load test cannot run.
➤ By definition, hosts in non-secure mode can communicate with each
other and participate in load test runs over non-secure channels.

This can be summarized in the following table:

Both Hosts in Security Mode on Both Hosts in

Secure Mode Hosts Differ Non-Secure Mode

Security keys Load test runs over Load test runs over Load test runs over
match secure channel secure channel non-secure channel

Security keys Load test does no Load test does not Load test runs over
do not match run run non-secure channel

Configuring Host Security Settings

When you install the hosts (Controllers and load generators), by default no
security settings are defined, and communication channels between hosts
are not secure. In order to enforce secure communicate between the hosts,
you must configure security settings on each host machine immediately
after installing the hosts.

HP Host Security Manager is a utility installed on the Administration Site

server that enables you to configure security settings simultaneously across
all the hosts in the LoadRunner / Performance Center system.

In the case of initial security configuration, to avoid configuring security

settings over non-secure channels, we recommend configuring the security
settings on each host locally using the Host Security Setup utility (see “Local
Security Configuration” on page 320).

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After initial security configuration, you can update security settings locally
or simultaneously across all the hosts in the LoadRunner / Performance
Center system from a remote location using the Host Security Manager. For
details, see “Remote Security Configuration” on page 322.

Local Security Configuration

You can update a host’s security settings manually using the Host Security
Setup utility.

To update the security settings manually (Windows):

1 Launch the Host Security Setup utility on the host machine:
➤ Performance Center users: Select Start > Programs > Performance Center
> Tools > Host Security Setup.
➤ LoadRunner users: Select Start > Programs > LoadRunner > Tools > Host
Security Setup.

2 Select a security mode for the host:

➤ Allow non-secure communication. Allows the host to communicate with
other machines over a non-secure channel. (Deafult)
➤ Enforce secure communication. Enforces the host to communicate with
other machines over a secure channel.

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3 If you selected Enforce secure communication, you must provide the host
with a security key. This security key must match the security key on other
machines with which it needs to communicate.
In the Security Key box, enter the host security key. The key must be 6 - 16
characters long.
4 Enter the key a second time for confirmation.
5 Click OK to save the security settings and close the utility.

To update the security settings manually (UNIX):

1 Log in as root user and change for tcsh.
2 Go to the /opt/HP/HP_LoadGenerator directory and type:

>source ./env.csh

3 Run SecurityKeyConsole.exe, located in <Installation_folder>/bin/

directory.

4 In the Console window, enter an option as follows:

➤ To change the security mode, enter 1.
➤ To change the security key, enter 2.
5 If you are changing the security mode:
➤ To turn the security on, enter 1.
➤ To turn the security on, enter 0.
6 If you are changing the security key, enter the new key. A valid key is 6 - 16
characters long.

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Remote Security Configuration

You can align security settings across all the hosts in the LoadRunner /
Performance Center systems simultaneously from a remote location using
the HP Host Security Manager.

The utility lists all the hosts in the LoadRunner / Performance Center
system, as well as the MI Listeners required to connect to the hosts that are
over a firewall, where applicable.

Using Host Security Manager, you can update the security key on all the
hosts, or update the security mode on selected hosts.

This section includes:

➤ “Considerations for Updating UNIX Load Generators” on page 322

➤ “Launching Host Security Manager” on page 323
➤ “Setting Up the Master Security Key” on page 323
➤ “Host Security Manager at a Glance” on page 324
➤ “Adding Hosts to Host Security Manager” on page 325
➤ “Updating the Host Security Settings” on page 327
➤ “Update Errors” on page 331
➤ “Viewing Update History” on page 332

Considerations for Updating UNIX Load Generators

➤ UNIX load generators that use rsh (remote shell) to connect to the
Controller cannot be updated using the Host Security Manager utility. To
update security settings on such load generators, use the local Host Security
Setup utility. See “Local Security Configuration” for UNIX load generators
on page 321.
➤ To update security settings on a UNIX load generator using
Host Security Manager, you must launch the load generator daemon for a
user and manually grant write permissions to the user on <installation
folder>/config.

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Launching Host Security Manager

➤ Performance Center users. On the Administration Site server, select Start >
Programs > Performance Center > Tools > Host Security Manager.

➤ LoadRunner users. On the Controller machine, Host Security Manager,

select Start > Programs > LoadRunner > Tools > Host Security Manager.

Setting Up the Master Security Key

In order for Host Security Manager to update security settings on the hosts,
you must provide it with a key that matches the security key on the hosts.

Host Security Manager stores this key as a master key for communicating
securely with the hosts. If the master key and security key on a particular
host do not match, Host Security Manager cannot update security settings
on that host.

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When you open Host Security Manager for the first time, you are prompted
for the master key.

If you do not enter the key at this point, or you will be prompted for it again
when you try to update the security settings.

Host Security Manager at a Glance

Host Security Manager lists all of the hosts in the load testing system.

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The list displays the following information:

Host Name/IP The name or IP address of the host

Host Type The type of host: Controller / Load Generator

MI Listener When the host is over a firewall, the name of the

MI Listener through which the host
communicates with the other hosts

Last Key Update The last time the security key was updated

Key Update Status The status of the last security key update

Last Security Mode Update The last time the security mode was updated

Security Mode Update Status The status of the last security mode update

Tip: You can sort the details in ascending or descending order by clicking the
heading of the column by which you want to sort. Click the column
heading again to reverse the sort order.

Adding Hosts to Host Security Manager

In order for Host Security Manager to communicate with the LoadRunner /
Performance Center hosts, you must first import the list of hosts into
Host Security Manager.

Note: Every time you use Host Security Manager to update security settings,
make sure that the list of hosts is updated, that is hosts that were added to
the system must be added to the list of hosts, and those deleted, should be
deleted from the list.

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Performance Center Users

To add the Performance Center hosts to Host Security Manager, click Get
Performance Center Hosts. The hosts—and, where relevant, their associated
MI Listeners—are imported from the Performance Center database into the
utility.

LoadRunner Users
To register a host with Host Security Manager you must:

➤ Add the host to the list

➤ For a host over a firewall, provide the name of the MI Listener the host
uses to communicate over the firewall

To add a host to Host Security Manager:

1 Click Add Hosts. The Add Hosts dialog box opens.
2 In the Controller box, enter the name or IP address of the Controller host.
3 In the Load Generators box, enter the names or IP addresses of the load
generator hosts. You can enter more than one load generator at a time,
separated by commas.
4 Click Add. The hosts are added to the list of hosts, specifying the host type.
5 For hosts over a firewall, set the MI Listener as follows:
a Select the host in the list. If other hosts communicate through the same
MI Listener, select these hosts as well to set the MI Listener for all of the
hosts simultaneously.

Tip: To select multiple hosts, hold down the CTRL key on your keyboard
while selecting the relevant hosts.

b Click Set MI Listener.

c In the box that opens, enter the name / IP address of the MI Listener that
the host (or hosts) uses to communicate over the firewall.
d Click OK. The host details are updated with the relevant MI Listener.

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To delete a host from Host Security Manager:

1 Select the host in the list, and click Delete.

Tip: To select multiple hosts, hold down the CTRL key on your keyboard
while selecting the relevant hosts.

2 Click Yes to confirm that you want to delete the host.

The host is removed from the list.

Updating the Host Security Settings

This section describes how to update the host security settings on the
LoadRunner / Performance Center systems.

Note: You must provide Host Security Manager with a master security key
before you can update the security settings. See “Setting Up the Master
Security Key” on page 323.

Updating the Host Security Key

When you update the security key using Host Security Manager, the key is
updated on all of the hosts simultaneously. The master key of the
Host Security Manager is updated as well.

Note: To update the security key on a single host, use the

Host Security Setup utility on that host. For details, see “Local Security
Configuration” on page 320.

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To update the security key on the hosts:

1 Click Update Security Key. The Update Security Key dialog box opens listing
all of the hosts.
2 In the Security key box, enter the host security key. The key must be 6 - 16
characters long. Enter the key a second time for confirmation.
3 Click Update.
Host Security Manager attempts to update the security key on all of the
hosts. As it attempts to update each host, it displays the update status,
Updated or Failed, before attempting to update the next host.

If the update was unsuccessful, see “Update Errors” on page 331, for possible
reasons.

Note: You can stop the update process by clicking Stop.

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4 When Host Security Manager has finished updating all the hosts, click
Close.
Host Security Manager displays the time and status of the security key
update for each host.

Updating the Host Security Mode

You can update the security mode for selected hosts.

To update the security mode on a host:

1 Select the hosts whose security mode you want to update.

Tip: To select multiple hosts, hold down the CTRL key on your keyboard
while selecting the relevant hosts.

2 Click Update Security Mode. The Update Security Mode dialog box opens,
listing the selected hosts.
3 In the Security mode box, select the security mode with which to update the
hosts. The mode can be:
➤ Non-secure. Allows non-secure communication.
➤ Secure. Enforces secure communication.

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4 Click Update.
Host Security Manager attempts to update the security mode on the selected
hosts. As it updates each host, it displays the update status, Updated or
Failed, before moving on to the next host.

If the update was unsuccessful, see “Update Errors” on page 331, for possible
reasons.

Note: You can stop the update process by clicking Stop.

5 When Host Security Manager has finished updating the selected hosts, click
Close.
Host Security Manager displays the time and status of the security mode
update for each host.

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Update Errors
When updating security settings, if the master security key in
Host Security Manager does not match the security key of the host it is
trying to update, the update will not succeed. The following dialog box
opens:

Select one of the following options:

➤ Skip host. Skip updating this host.
➤ Establish a secure channel using this key. Use a different security key to
communicate securely with the host.
➤ Communicate over non-secure channel. Update the security setting over
a non-secure channel. This option is not recommended, especially when
updating the host security to secure mode. You should rather update the
security setting locally on the host (see “Local Security Configuration” on
page 320).
If you want to apply the selected option to all similar mismatches, select Use
this solution with all similar mismatches.

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Viewing Update History

When you update the host security settings, Host Security Manager logs the
details of the update operations in a history log file.

➤ To view the history of the security setting updates, in the main

Host Security Manager window click History.

The History window displays the following information:

Date The date on which the update operation was performed

Host The host (name/IP address) on which the update operation was
performed

Operation The update operation that was performed

Status The status of the update operation

Tip: You can sort the details in ascending or descending order by clicking the
heading of the column by which you want to sort. Click the column
heading again to reverse the sort order.

➤ To clear the History log, in the History window click Clear All.
➤ To close the History log, in the History window click Close.

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Host Security Best Practices

➤ To avoid sending security settings over a non-secure channel, perform initial
configuration of the security settings on each host locally using the Host
Security Setup utility (see “Local Security Configuration” on page 320).
➤ Security settings should be changed once a month.
➤ Security settings can be updated:
➤ Manually on each host, using the Host Security Setup utility
➤ Remotely on all hosts simultaneously, using the Host Security Manager
utility.
If, when using the Host Security Manager utility, updating a host’s settings
fails, update the settings manually using the Host Security Setup utility on
that particular host machine.

Troubleshooting Secure Host Communication

This section provides troubleshooting for problems that occur when using
secure host communication.

This section includes:

➤ “Cannot Run Load Test Over Secure Channels” on page 334

➤ “Load Test Run Fails. Load Generator Status is Changed to Resource Failure”
on page 334
➤ “When Opening Host Security Manager Get Unhandled Exception
(Performance Center Only)” on page 334

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Cannot Run Load Test Over Secure Channels

Problem description: When you try to run a load test over secure channels,
the load test cannot initialize because cannot connect to Controller or load
generator.

Troubleshooting
Verify that the load test cannot run due to a security mismatch by trying to
run the same load test with the same hosts from a local Controller.

If a Security Key Mismatch error is displayed in the error log, then the keys
do not match, and you need to align the security keys on all the machines.

Load Test Run Fails. Load Generator Status is Changed to

Resource Failure
Problem description: When trying to run a load test over secure channels,
the load test fails to run and the load generator status changes to Resource
Failure.

Troubleshooting
When trying to run a load test over secure channels, if the security keys on
the Controller and load generator do not match the load test run fails, and
the status of the load generators changes to Resource Failure. To re-enable
the load generators, you must manually reset the status on each affected
load generator to Operational.

When Opening Host Security Manager Get Unhandled

Exception (Performance Center Only)
Problem description: On the Administration Site server, when you open
Host Security Manager for the first time, a message displays the following
exception: Unhandled exception has occurred....

Troubleshooting
Click Continue to close the message window.

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Working with Firewalls
336
22
Working with Firewalls in LoadRunner

You can set up your LoadRunner system to run Vusers and monitor servers
over a firewall.

This chapter includes:

➤ About Using Firewalls in LoadRunner on page 337
➤ Example: Over Firewall Deployment on page 340
➤ Setting Up your System to Use Firewalls: Basic Steps on page 341
➤ Installing Over-Firewall Components on page 342
➤ Initial Configuration of the Over-Firewall System on page 343
➤ Running Vusers Over a Firewall on page 349
➤ Monitoring Over a Firewall on page 350
➤ Configuring LoadRunner Agents Over the Firewall on page 351
➤ Configuring the Controller for Running over a Firewall on page 357
➤ Checking Connectivity on page 359

About Using Firewalls in LoadRunner

Working with a firewall means that you can prevent unauthorized access to
or from a private network, on specific port numbers.

For example, you can specify that there is no access to any port from the
outside world, with the exception of the mail port (25), or you can specify
that there is no outside connection from any ports to the outside except
from the mail port and WEB port (80). The port settings are configured by
the system administrator.

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In a regular LoadRunner load test scenario (not over a firewall), the

Controller has direct access to the LoadRunner agents running on remote
machines. This enables the Controller to connect directly to those
machines.

When running Vusers or monitoring applications over a firewall, this direct

connection is blocked by the firewall. The connection cannot be established
by the Controller, because it does not have permissions to open the firewall.

LoadRunner solves this problem by using a communication configuration

based on HTTPS or secured TCP/IP. This configuration uses the standard SSL
port on the firewall (port 443). For more information on HTTPS and TCP/IP
system configuration, see “Setting up your Deployment (TCP or HTTPS)” on
page 344.

A LoadRunner agent is installed on load generators running Vusers over a

firewall, and on Monitor Over Firewall machines that monitor the servers
that are located over a firewall. The agent communicates with the MI
Listener machine through port 443 in the firewall.

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The MI Listener is a component that serves as a router between the

Controller and the LoadRunner agent.

When the LoadRunner agent connects to the MI Listener, the MI Listener

keeps a listing of the connection to the agent using a symbolic name that
the agent passed to it.

When the Controller connects to the MI Listener, it communicates to the

MI Listener through port 50500.

The Controller uses a symbolic name for the agent, and provides the MI
Listener machine’s name. If there has been a connection from the agent
with the same symbolic name to this MI Listener, the connection is made
between the Controller and the agent. Once you have a connection with the
agent, you can run or monitor Vusers over a firewall.

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Example: Over Firewall Deployment

The following diagram is a basic example of a LoadRunner deployment over
a firewall.

As explained in the previous section, the LoadRunner agent is installed on

both the load generator machine and the Monitor Over Firewall machine.
During installation, the LoadRunner agent is added as a Windows service.

The MI Listener serves as a router between:

➤ the agent on the load generator machine and the Controller, enabling
the Controller to run Vusers over a firewall.
➤ the agent on the Monitor Over Firewall machine and the Controller,
enabling the Controller to monitor the servers that are located over a
firewall.

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Note: You can connect the Controller to load generators over a firewall or
Monitor Over Firewall machines without using the MI Listener and
LoadRunner agent. To do so, open port 54345 on a firewall in the load
generator/Monitor Over Firewall machine’s LAN and in the Controller’s LAN
to allow incoming and outgoing data.

Setting Up your System to Use Firewalls: Basic Steps

Setting up your system to use firewalls involves the following stages of
configuration:

➤ Installation and initial configuration. Installing the necessary components

and doing initial configuration settings. See “Installing Over-Firewall
Components” on page 342 and “Initial Configuration of the Over-Firewall
System” on page 343.
➤ Running Vusers over a firewall. Setting up your system to run Vusers over a
firewall when there is a firewall between the Controller and load generator
host machines. See “Running Vusers Over a Firewall” on page 349.
➤ Monitoring over a firewall. Setting up your system to monitor the
application under test (AUT) when there is a firewall between the Controller
and AUT. See “Monitoring Over a Firewall” on page 350.
➤ Checking Connectivity. After installing and configuring all the necessary
components, check that you are be able to establish a connection between
the LoadRunner agent, MI Listener, and the Controller machine. See
“Checking Connectivity” on page 359.

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The following flow chart provides a general outline of the steps that you
need to carry out to set up your system to use firewalls.

Installing Over-Firewall Components

To enable over-firewall communication, ensure that you have installed the
following LoadRunner components:

➤ MI Listener. Serves as a router between the Controller and the

LoadRunner agent. You install the MI Listener component on a dedicated
machine. For installation instructions, refer to the HP LoadRunner
Installation Guide.
For instructions on configuring the MI Listener machine, see
“Configuring the MI Listener” on page 347.

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Note: You can also use the Controller machine as the MI Listener without
the need for a separate installation. When acting as the MI Listener, the
Controller machine cannot have Vusers running on it. In this case, the
Controller must be a pure Controller and not a Controller + Load
Generator.

➤ Monitor Over Firewall component. Used to monitor the servers that are
located over a firewall. You install the Monitors over Firewall component
on a dedicated machine. For installation instructions, refer to the HP
LoadRunner Installation Guide.
For information about configuring the Monitor Over Firewall machine,
see “Monitoring Over a Firewall” on page 350.

Initial Configuration of the Over-Firewall System

After you have installed the necessary components as described in
“Installing Over-Firewall Components” on page 342, you are ready to
configure your over-firewall system.

To perform initial configuration of your over-firewall system:

1 Configure your system according to TCP or HTTPS.
See “Setting up your Deployment (TCP or HTTPS)” on page 344.
2 Modify your firewall settings to enable communication between the
machines on either side of the firewall.
See “Configuring the Firewall to Allow Agent Access” on page 346.
3 Configure the MI Listener.
See “Configuring the MI Listener” on page 347.

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Setting up your Deployment (TCP or HTTPS)

To run Vusers or monitor servers over the firewall, configure your system
according to one of the following configurations. Note that these
configurations contain a firewall on each LAN. There may also be
configurations where there is a firewall for the Over-Firewall LAN only.

➤ TCP Configuration
The TCP configuration requires every LoadRunner agent machine behind
the customer’s firewall to be allowed to open a port in the firewall for
outgoing communication.

TCP Configuration

Running Vusers

Customer Server

Load Generators
with Agent
Customer Server
configuration
Controller

Internet
Customer Server

Monitoring
MI Listener
Firewall Firewall
Customer Server

Monitor Over
Firewall Machine
with Agent
configuration
Customer Server

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➤ HTTPS Configuration
In the HTTPS configuration, only one machine (the proxy server) is
allowed to open a port in the firewall. Therefore, it is necessary to tunnel
all outgoing communications through the proxy server.

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Configuring the Firewall to Allow Agent Access

You modify your firewall settings to enable communication between the
machines inside the firewall and machines outside the firewall.

TCP Configuration
The LoadRunner agent attempts to establish a connection with the MI
Listener using port 443, at intervals specified in the Connection Timeout
field in the Agent Configuration dialog box. To enable this connection,
allow an outgoing connection for HTTPS service on the firewall for port 443.
The agent can then connect to the MI Listener, and the MI Listener can
connect back to the agent. From this point on, the agent listens to
commands from the MI Listener.

HTTPS Configuration
The LoadRunner agent attempts to establish a connection with the MI
Listener, using the proxy port specified in the Proxy Port field, and at
intervals specified in the Connection Timeout field in the Agent
Configuration dialog box. When the connection is established, the proxy
server connects to the MI Listener. To enable this connection, allow an
outgoing connection for HTTPS service on the firewall for port 443. The
proxy server can then connect to the MI Listener, and the MI Listener can
connect back to the agent through the proxy server. From this point on, the
agent listens to commands from the MI Listener.

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Configuring the MI Listener

To enable running Vusers or monitoring over a firewall, you need to install
the MI Listener on one or more machines in the same LAN as the Controller
outside the firewall. For installation instructions, refer to the HP LoadRunner
Installation Guide.

Notes:

➤ The Controller installation automatically includes the MI Listener, so you

can designate the Controller as the MI Listener machine.
➤ The MI Listener can only be installed on Windows machines.

To configure the MI Listener:

1 Open incoming HTTPS service for port 443. The port settings are set by your
system administrator.
2 Stop the LoadRunner agent on the MI Listener machine by right-clicking its
icon in the system tray and selecting Close from the popup menu.
3 Run MI Listener Configuration from
Start > Programs > LoadRunner > Advanced Settings, or run <LoadRunner
root folder>\launch_service\bin\MILsnConfig.exe.

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4 Set each option as described in the following table:

Option Default Value Description

Check Client Certificates False Select True to request that the client
send an SSL certificate when
connecting, and to authenticate the
certificate.

Private Key Password None The password that may be required

during the SSL certificate
authentication process.

Click OK to save your changes, Cancel to cancel them, or Use Defaults.

5 Restart the LoadRunner agent by double-clicking the shortcut on the

desktop, or choosing Start > Programs > LoadRunner.

Note: Ensure that no Web Servers are running on the MI Listener or Monitor
over Firewall machine. These servers use port 443 and will not allow the
access required by the listening and monitoring processes.

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Running Vusers Over a Firewall

Important: Before you configure your system to run Vusers over the firewall,
ensure that you have completed the configuration steps described in “Initial
Configuration of the Over-Firewall System” on page 343.

To set up your system to run Vusers over a firewall:

1 On each load generator machine that will be running over a firewall,
configure the LoadRunner agent to communicate with the MI Listener.
For information on how to configure the LoadRunner agent, see
“Configuring LoadRunner Agents Over the Firewall” on page 351.
2 Configure the Controller machine to recognize the load generator and MI
Listener machines.
To run Vusers over a firewall, you need to create a unique connection
between the Controller and the load generator machines that will be
running over a firewall.
See “Configuring the Controller for Running over a Firewall” on page 357.

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Monitoring Over a Firewall

Important: Before you configure your system to monitor your servers over a
firewall, ensure that you have completed the configuration steps described
in “Initial Configuration of the Over-Firewall System” on page 343.

To set up your system to monitor servers over a firewall:

1 On each Monitor Over Firewall machine, configure the LoadRunner agent
to communicate with the MI Listener.
For information on how to configure the LoadRunner agent, see
“Configuring LoadRunner Agents Over the Firewall” on page 351.
2 Configure the Controller machine to recognize the Monitor Over Firewall
machines and MI Listener machines.
To monitor Vusers over a firewall, you need to create a unique connection
between the Controller and the Monitor Over Firewall machines.
See “Configuring the Controller for Running over a Firewall” on page 357.
3 Use the Server Monitor configuration tool to configure the servers to
monitor and to define specific measurements that LoadRunner collects for
each monitored server.
You configure the monitor settings from the Monitor Over Firewall
machine, using the Monitor Configuration tool
(Start > Programs > LoadRunner > Advanced Settings >
Monitor Configuration).

You select the type of monitors to run and the server whose resources you
want to monitor, add the measurements to monitor for each server, and
specify the frequency with which you want the monitored measurements to
be reported.

For detailed information about how to use the Monitor Configuration tool,
see Chapter 23, “Configuring Monitors Over a Firewall.”

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Configuring LoadRunner Agents Over the Firewall

On each load generator machine that will be running over a firewall and on
each Monitor Over Firewall machine, you configure the LoadRunner agent
to communicate with the MI Listener. The MI Listener serves as a router
between the LoadRunner agent and the Controller.

This section includes the following topics:

➤ “Configuring the Windows LoadRunner Agent” on page 351

➤ “Configuring and Running the UNIX LoadRunner Agent” on page 353

➤ “Agent Configuration Settings” on page 355

Configuring the Windows LoadRunner Agent

This section includes instructions on how to configure the LoadRunner
agent on Windows machines to communicate with the MI Listener.

To configure the LoadRunner agent on Windows machines:

1 Stop the LoadRunner agent by right-clicking its icon in the system tray and
selecting Close.
2 Run Agent Configuration from Start > Programs > LoadRunner > Advanced
Settings, or run <LoadRunner root>\launch_service\bin\AgentConfig.exe.
3 Select the Enable Firewall Agent check box, and then click Settings.

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The Agent Configuration dialog box opens.

4 Set each option as described in “Agent Configuration Settings” on page 355.

5 Click OK to save your changes, or Cancel to cancel them.
6 Restart the LoadRunner agent by double-clicking the shortcut on the
desktop, or select Start > Programs > LoadRunner > LoadRunner Agent
Service/Process.
7 Check the connection status between the LoadRunner agent and the MI
Listener.
A green light illuminated next to the LoadRunner Agent icon in the system
tray indicates a successful connection between the LoadRunner agent and
the MI Listener. A red light indicates that there is no connection between
the agent and the MI Listener.

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Configuring and Running the UNIX LoadRunner Agent

Load generator hosts can be installed on UNIX machines. This section
describes how to configure and run LoadRunner agents on UNIX machines.

To configure the LoadRunner agent on UNIX machines:

1 Open <LoadRunner root folder>/dat/br_lnch_server.cfg in a text editor.
2 In the Firewall section, set FireWallServiceActive to 1 and save your changes.
3 Run agent_config from the <LoadRunner root folder>/bin directory to
display the following menu:

4 Enter 1 to display the current settings:

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5 To change a setting, enter 2 to display the settings menu:

Enter the setting and continue according to the menu instructions. Set each
option according to the “Agent Configuration Settings” on page 355.
6 Restart the agent for the configuration changes to take effect.

To restart the LoadRunner agent:

1 To remove the LoadRunner agent, run the command m_daemon_setup -
remove from the <LoadRunner root folder>/bin directory.

Note: When the LoadRunner agent is configured to run over a firewall, and
the agent is connected to the MI Listener, a file called
<local_machine_key>_connected_to_MI_Listener is created in the temporary
directory of the LoadRunner agent machine. The file is removed when the
LoadRunner agent disconnects from the MI Listener.

2 To start the LoadRunner agent, run the command m_daemon_setup -install

from the <LoadRunner root folder>/bin directory.

For more information about running the LoadRunner agent, see “UNIX
Shell” on page 506.

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Agent Configuration Settings

The following table provides an explanation of the agent configuration
settings:

Setting Default Value Description

MI Listener name none The name, full name, or IP address

of the MI Listener.

Local Machine Key none A symbolic string identifier used

to establish a unique connection
between the Controller host and
the agent machine, via the MI
Listener machine.

Connection Timeout 20 seconds The length of time you want the

(seconds) agent to wait before retrying to
connect to the MI Listener
machine. If zero, the connection
is kept open from the time the
agent is run.

MI Listener User Name none The user name needed to connect

to the MI Listener machine.

MI Listener Password none The password needed to connect

to the MI Listener machine.

Server Domain none The domain name needed to

connect to the MI Listener
machine. This field is required
only if NTLM is used.

Connection Type - TCP Select either TCP or HTTP,

TCP/HTTP depending on the configuration
you are using.

Connection Type - none The name of the proxy server. This

HTTP Proxy Name field is mandatory if the
Connection Type setting is HTTP.

Connection Type - none The proxy server connection port.

HTTP Proxy Port This field is mandatory if the
Connection Type setting is HTTP.

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Setting Default Value Description

Connection Type - none The user name of a user with

HTTP Proxy User Name connection rights to the proxy
server.

Connection Type - none The password of the user with

HTTP Proxy Password connection rights to the proxy
server.

Connection Type - none The user’s domain if defined in

HTTP Proxy Domain the proxy server configuration.
This option is required only if
NTLM is used.

Use Secure Connection disabled Enable to connect using the

(SSL) Secure Sockets Layer protocol.

Use Secure Connection none Authenticates the SSL certificates

(SSL) - Check Server that are sent by the server. Select
Certificates Medium to verify that the server
certificate is signed by a trusted
Certification Authority. Select
High to verify that the sender IP
matches the certificate
information. This setting is
available only if Use Secure
Connection is set to True.

Use Secure Connection none The password that might be

(SSL) - Private Key required during the SSL certificate
Password authentication process. This
option is relevant only if the
Client Certificate Owner option is
enabled.

Use Secure Connection disabled Enable to load the SSL certificate

(SSL) - Use Client (if required by the server to allow
Certificate the connection to be made). This
option is relevant only if the Use
Secure Connection option is
enabled.

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Configuring the Controller for Running over a Firewall

To run or monitor Vusers over a firewall, you need to create a unique
connection between the Controller and the agent machines. Agent
machines include load generator machines that will be running over a
firewall and all Monitor Over Firewall machines.

This connection is made through the MI Listener, which serves as a router

between the Controller and the LoadRunner agent. To establish this
connection, you configure the Controller machine to define the agent
machine as a load generator.

To configure the Controller for running vusers or monitoring over the

firewall:
1 Run the Controller from
Start > Programs > LoadRunner > Applications > Controller and create a
new scenario, or load an existing one.
2 Click Generators to display the Load Generators window. In the Name field,
enter the symbolic name of the server. This is the same name that you
entered in the Local Machine Key setting in the Agent Configuration. (See
“Agent Configuration Settings” on page 355).
In the example below, the server name is gumbi.
If the server is a UNIX server, change the Platform field to UNIX.

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3 Select the Load Generator, and click Details to display the Load Generator
Information.

4 In the Security tab, enter the MI Listener machine's name in the MI Listener
field. This is the same name that you entered in the MI Listener Name
setting of the Agent Configuration dialog box. In this example, the MI
Listener is bunji.
5 In the Firewall Settings section, select one of the following options:
➤ Enable running Vusers over Firewall. To run Vusers over the firewall.
➤ Enable Monitoring over Firewall. To monitor Vusers over the firewall.
6 Click OK to return to the Load Generators dialog box.
7 Select the load generator and click Connect.

Note: Remember that you cannot change the temporary directory on the
host running or monitoring Vusers over the firewall.

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If you encounter connectivity problems, see “Checking Connectivity” on

page 359. For other firewall troubleshooting, see “Troubleshooting
Firewalls” on page 514.

Checking Connectivity
To run Vusers or monitor servers over a firewall, you must be able to
establish a connection between the LoadRunner agent, MI Listener, and the
Controller machine.

If you encounter connectivity problems after installing and configuring all

the necessary components, check the table below for troubleshooting tips.

For additional firewall troubleshooting, see “Troubleshooting Firewalls” on

page 514.

Check Solution

To check that the Firewall There should be a traffic light on the right
service was activated on the side of the LoadRunner Agent icon on the
agent machine: machine running/ monitoring Vusers over a
firewall. If there is no traffic light, this
indicates that the ‘FirewallServiceActive=1’ is
not set in the [FireWall] section of the Agent
Settings. See “Configuring LoadRunner
Agents Over the Firewall” on page 351.

To check that port 443 is open: On the agent machine, open a Command
Prompt window, and type the following:
telnet <MI_Listener_IP>443.
For example: telnet 111.111.111.1111 443.
If port 443 is open, a new Telnet window will
open. If port 443 is not open, contact your
network administrator.

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Check Solution

To check that port 443 is If a Web server is running on the MI Listener

available: or Monitor over Firewall machine, port 443
will not allow the access required by the
listening and monitoring processes. Contact
your network administrator to change the
Web server port.

To check connectivity between If there is a red light on the right side of the
the agent and the MI Listener, LoadRunner Agent icon when running the
when running the LoadRunner LoadRunner agent as a service, do the
agent as a service: following:
➤ Check that port 443 is open. See the
troubleshooting tip above.
➤ Check that the Agent Settings and Agent
Configuration are correctly set. See
“Configuring LoadRunner Agents Over the
Firewall” on page 351.
➤ Run the agent as a Process. Launch <
Installation>\Launch_service\bin\magent
proc.exe. If this works, this indicates an
authentication issue with the LoadRunner
Agent Service. Browse to the Service >
LoadRunner Agent Service, and change the
properties of this service to System User
Account or provide the user name and
password of someone who has
administrative privileges on this machine.

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Check Solution

To check connectivity between ➤ Check that you entered the servers that
the agent and the Controller, you want to monitor in the Monitor
when monitoring over a Configuration dialog box. (See
firewall “Configuring Server Monitor Properties”
on page 364).
➤ Start the LoadRunner Agent Process on the
Monitor Over Firewall machine. (See
“Configuring LoadRunner Agents Over the
Firewall” on page 351).
➤ On the Controller, enter the name of the
Monitor Over Firewall machine in the
Load Generators dialog box, and click
Connect. After about a minute, data should
start streaming in from the Monitor Over
Firewall machine through the MI Listener
to the Controller. (See “Monitoring Over a
Firewall” on page 350).
➤ If no data arrives at the Controller, try
connecting the Controller to the MI
Listener as if the Listener were used as a
load generator. This will help identify the
cause of the problem. Examine the log file
on the Monitor Over Firewall machine by
right-clicking the LoadRunner Agent icon.
There should be no error messages.
➤ Start the MI Listener, and then manually
start the LoadRunner Agent Process by
running <
installation>\launch_service\bin\magnetp
roc.exe on the Monitor Over Firewall
machine. Allow the Monitor Over Firewall
machine sufficient time to connect to the
MI Listener, then connect the Controller to
the Monitor Over Firewall machine. If the
LoadRunner Agent Process crashes, either
restart the agent or reboot the Monitor
Over Firewall machine.

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23
Configuring Monitors Over a Firewall

To monitor servers over a firewall, you need to configure the Monitor Over
Firewall machine. On the Monitor Over Firewall machine, you use the
Server Monitor configuration tool to select which servers to monitor and to
define specific measurements that LoadRunner collects for each monitored
server.

This chapter includes:

➤ About Monitoring over a Firewall on page 363
➤ Configuring Server Monitor Properties on page 364
➤ Configuring the Network Delay Monitor over a Firewall on page 371

About Monitoring over a Firewall

To enable monitoring of your servers over a firewall, you install the Monitor
Over Firewall component on a dedicated machine.

Important: Before you configure your system to monitor your servers over a
firewall, ensure that you have completed the configuration steps described
in “Initial Configuration of the Over-Firewall System” on page 343.

After you have set up your LoadRunner system to work with firewalls, you
need to configure the monitor settings on the Monitor Over Firewall
machine.

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You use the Server Monitor configuration tool to select which servers to
monitor and to define specific measurements that LoadRunner collects for
each monitored server. For more information, see “Configuring Server
Monitor Properties” below.

Configuring Server Monitor Properties

After you have installed and configured the LoadRunner agent, the
Monitors over Firewall component, the MI Listener, and the Controller
machine, you need to choose the server measurements that you want the
Monitor Over Firewall machine to monitor.

You configure the server monitor properties from the Monitor Over Firewall
machine, using the Monitor Configuration dialog box. You can select the
type of monitors to run and the server whose resources you want to
monitor, add the measurements to monitor for each server, and specify the
frequency with which you want the monitored measurements to be
reported.

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To configure server monitor properties:

1 Select Start > Programs > LoadRunner > Advanced Settings >
Monitor Configuration. For machines without the complete LoadRunner
installation, select Start > Programs > Server Monitor >
Monitor Configuration. The Monitor Configuration dialog box opens.

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2 Click the Add Server button. The New Monitored Server Properties dialog
box opens.

3 In the Monitored Server box, type the name or IP address of the server
whose resources you want to monitor.

Note: To add several servers simultaneously, separate the server names or IP

ranges with commas. For example: 255.255.255.0-255.255.255.5, server1,
server2.

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4 From the Available Monitors list, select the monitors appropriate for the
server being monitored.

Note: Data can only be viewed for the monitors that are enabled with your
LoadRunner license key. To preview your license key information, select
Start > Programs > LoadRunner. HP LoadRunner opens. Click the License
button to display the LoadRunner license information.

5 Click OK to close the New Monitored Server Properties dialog box. The
Monitored Servers list is displayed in the Monitor Configuration dialog box.

For certain monitors, LoadRunner displays default measurements in the

Measurements to be Monitored section. You can specify the frequency at
which LoadRunner reports the measurement in the Measurement Properties
section. For details on selecting measurements, see “Adding and Removing
Measurements” on page 368.
6 To add additional monitored servers to the list, repeat steps 1-5.
7 To edit the monitor configuration properties for a server, click the Edit
button. The Monitored Server Properties dialog box opens enabling you to
edit the monitors for the server whose resources you are monitoring.
8 Click Apply to save your settings.

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Adding and Removing Measurements

After you configure one or more server machines to monitor, you add
measurements to monitor for each server. If LoadRunner added default
measurements, you can edit them as required.

To add a measurement to monitor:

1 Select a server from the Monitored Servers list.
2 Click the Add Measurement button. Select the appropriate monitor. A
dialog box opens, enabling you to select measurements for the monitor you
selected.
3 Select the measurements that you want to monitor, and click OK.
4 Click Apply to save your settings.
For information on configuring measurements for each server monitor, see
the relevant chapter in the HP LoadRunner Monitor Reference.

To remove a measurement from the measurements list:

1 Select the measurement, and click the Delete button.
2 Click Apply to save your settings.

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Configuring Measurement Frequency

Once you have configured monitor measurements, you configure
measurement frequency.

In the Measurement Properties section, you set a measurement schedule for

each measurement to be reported.

To set a measurement schedule for a measurement:

1 Select the configured server measurement you want to schedule.
2 Specify the frequency at which you want LoadRunner to report the
measurement.
3 Click Apply to save your settings.

Cloning a Monitored Server’s Properties

If you want to monitor the same properties on different server machines,
you can clone a selected server’s properties using the Clone Monitored
Server Properties dialog box.

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To clone a monitored server’s properties:

1 In the Monitor Configuration dialog box, right-click the server you want to
clone, and select Clone. The Clone Monitored Server Properties dialog box
opens.

2 In the Monitored Server box, type the name or IP address of the clone server
you want to create.

Note: To create several servers simultaneously, separate the server names or

IP ranges with commas. For example: 255.255.255.0-255.255.255.5, server1,
server2.

3 The Available Monitors list displays the monitors that were selected for the
server being cloned. Select additional appropriate monitors for the clone
server.
4 Click OK to close the Clone Monitored Server Properties dialog box. The
cloned server is displayed in the Monitored Servers list.
5 Click Apply to save your settings.

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Configuring the Network Delay Monitor over a Firewall

To run the Network Delay Monitor when there are firewalls between the
Controller machine and the source machine, you must configure the
Network Delay Monitor (see “Configuring the Network Delay Time
Monitor” in the HP LoadRunner Monitor Reference), and add the following to
step 3:

In the Monitor the network delay from machine section, enter the server
name or IP address of the source machine according to the following format:

<MI Listener machine>:<source machine local key>.

where source machine local key is the Local Machine Key that you chose
when configuring the LoadRunner agent on the source machine. (See
“Agent Configuration Settings” on page 355.)

For example: 12.12.12.3:vds

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 Part V
Working with Diagnostics
374
24
LoadRunner Diagnostics Modules

LoadRunner's diagnostics modules provide detailed performance

information to help you rapidly identify and pinpoint performance
problems in Siebel, Oracle, SAP, J2EE, and .NET environments.

The diagnostics modules come with a set of customized Analysis reports.

Using these reports, you can communicate your insights to developers and
managers to accelerate resolution, while avoiding expensive hardware
upgrades.

Note: This section describes working with ERP/CRM diagnostics modules.

For information on working with Diagnostics for J2EE & .NET, see the HP
Diagnostics User Guide.

This chapter includes:

➤ About LoadRunner Diagnostics Modules on page 376
➤ LoadRunner ERP/CRM Diagnostics Types on page 377
➤ ERP/CRM Diagnostics Module Architecture on page 378
➤ Working with LoadRunner ERP/CRM Diagnostics on page 380
➤ Connecting to a Remote Server on page 381
➤ Enabling LoadRunner Diagnostics on page 385
➤ Viewing Diagnostics Results on page 388

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About LoadRunner Diagnostics Modules

During a performance test, LoadRunner’s diagnostics modules trace, time,
and troubleshoot individual transactions across the Web, application, and
database servers. You can drill-down from a slow end-user transaction all the
way to the bottle necked method or SQL statement. The LoadRunner
diagnostics modules enable organizations to:

➤ Trace the application components exercised by business processes.

➤ Rapidly isolate application components that have a significant impact on
end-user experience.
➤ Provide developers with precise data on how to make performance
improvements.

Such precision pinpointing of performance problems directly translates into

significant business value:

➤ Quicker and more efficient performance testing cycles

➤ Decreased time to problem resolution by development
➤ Better performing applications that are optimized to meet the needs of the
business

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LoadRunner ERP/CRM Diagnostics Types

LoadRunner provides the following ERP/CRM Diagnostics solutions:

➤ Siebel Diagnostics. The diagram below shows transaction breakdown on a

Siebel system.

LoadRunner’s Siebel Diagnostics are split into the following modules:

➤ Siebel Diagnostics Module. Enables you to break down Siebel

transactions into layers, areas, sub-areas, servers, and scripts. You can also
view the transaction chain of calls and call stack statistics to track the
percentage of time spent for each part of the transaction. Siebel-Web
Vusers support Siebel Diagnostics. For more information, see Chapter 25,
“Configuring Siebel Diagnostics.”
➤ Siebel DB Diagnostics Module. Helps you to rapidly identify and resolve
database performance problems. You can view the SQLs for each
transaction, identify the problematic SQL queries of each script, and
identify at what point problems occurred. Siebel-Web Vusers support
Siebel DB Diagnostics. For more information, see Chapter 26,
“Configuring Siebel DB Diagnostics.”
➤ Oracle 11i Diagnostics. Oracle 11i Diagnostics helps pinpoint performance
problems on Oracle NCA systems. The diagnostics information drills down
from the transaction, to the SQL statements and the SQL stages of each
statement. Oracle NCA Vusers support Oracle 11i Diagnostics. For more
information, see Chapter 27, “Configuring Oracle 11i Diagnostics.”

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➤ SAP Diagnostics. SAP Diagnostics enables you to pinpoint the root cause of a
certain problem (i.e. DBA, Network, WAS, Application, OS/HW) quickly and
easily, and engage with the relevant expert only, without having to present
the problem to a whole team of people. For more information, see
Chapter 28, “Configuring SAP Diagnostics.”

ERP/CRM Diagnostics Module Architecture

The ERP/CRM Diagnostics architecture is composed of the following
components:

➤ ERP/CRM Mediator. The ERP/CRM Mediator (“Mediator”) gathers and

correlates offline transaction data from the Web, database, and application
servers. For information on installing the Mediator, see the HP LoadRunner
Installation Guide.
By default, the Mediator agent is installed to run as a process. We
recommend configuring the Mediator agent to run as a service.
If you do run the agent as a process, you may encounter the following
Microsoft Windows networking limitation: Failed to establish connection.
System error 1219. You can do one of the following:
➤ Run the agent as a service. For more information, see “Running the
LoadRunner Agent as a Service” on page 522.
➤ Disconnect all previous connections to the server and try again.

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Note: For Siebel DB Diagnostics, it may take a long time to copy the files
from the application server to the Mediator, and then from the Mediator to
the results directory. During the first copying stage, the Summary Data
Processing window is displayed. To minimize copying time in the second
stage (if you are not working over a firewall), we recommend using localhost
as the Mediator machine. This reduces the time it takes to copy the
Siebel DB Diagnostics files to the results directory, since the diagnostics files
are already on the Controller machine.

➤ Controller. Before scenario execution, the Controller transfers all server

information to the Mediators and distributes the percentage of users that
will participate in the monitoring. After scenario execution, the Controller
collects the aggregated transaction data files from the Mediators and collates
the results. Siebel results are transferred to the \sbl_bd directory, and Oracle
11i Diagnostics are transferred to the \ora_bd directory. SAP results are
transferred to the \sap_bd directory. You can view the status of diagnostics
file collation in the Collate Results dialog box. For more information, see
“Collating Results” on page 249.
➤ Load Generator. When you execute a scenario, the Controller distributes
each Vuser to a load generator, and the load generator executes the Vuser
script.
➤ Analysis. Displays detailed diagnostics graphs and reports. For more
information about the diagnostics graphs, see the HP LoadRunner Analysis
User Guide.

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Working with LoadRunner ERP/CRM Diagnostics

To use LoadRunner’s ERP/CRM Diagnostics, follow these steps:

1 Prepare for generating diagnostics data.

Make sure that the ERP/CRM Mediator is installed. The Mediator collects
and processes the diagnostics data.
The ERP/CRM Mediator is installed on the Controller machine as part of the
LoadRunner Full Setup. For information on installing the ERP/CRM
Mediator on a dedicated machine, see the HP LoadRunner Installation Guide.
2 Configure the server machine to enable the diagnostics feature.
For more information, see “Configuring Siebel Diagnostics on the
Application and Web Servers” on page 390, “Enabling Server Logging on
the Siebel Server” on page 401, “Enabling Server Logging On the Oracle
Server” on page 407, and “Selecting the Oracle NCA Application Version”
on page 409.
3 Prepare the Controller machine to generate diagnostics data and
communicate with the Mediator machines.
For more information, see:
➤ Chapter 25, “Configuring Siebel Diagnostics”
➤ Chapter 26, “Configuring Siebel DB Diagnostics”
➤ Chapter 27, “Configuring Oracle 11i Diagnostics”
➤ Chapter 28, “Configuring SAP Diagnostics”
➤ “Enabling LoadRunner Diagnostics” on page 385
4 Collect and prepare the diagnostics data.
During the load test, the Mediator collects the data and processes the
diagnostics information.
5 Create the results.
After the load test, the Controller collects the aggregated data from the
Mediator machines and collates the results. For more information on result
collation, see “Collating Results” on page 249.

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6 Present the data.

Use the Analysis graphs to view the diagnostics data and drill down to the
problematic areas. For more information about ERP/CRM diagnostics
graphs, see the HP LoadRunner Analysis User Guide.

Connecting to a Remote Server

➤ Connecting to a Remote Windows Server
➤ Connecting to a Remote UNIX Server

Connecting to a Remote Windows Server

For Windows platforms, the user should have administrator privileges.

When working on a remote WINDOWS server, the Mediator first tries to add
a connection to that machine with the details supplied by the user. This
configuration should give administrator permissions to the remote
machine.

If the Mediator machine is already connected to the server machine with a

different configuration, it will use the existing connection to the server. This
may lead to an error if the user is a non-administrator. (See the
troubleshooting chapter - Error 1219.)

To solve this conflict you may select one of the following solutions:

➤ Change the LoadRunner Agent to work as a service and not as a process.

For more information, see “Running the LoadRunner Agent as a Service” on
page 522.
➤ Close existing connections from the Mediator to the server.
These connections can use \\servername\sharename in the Windows
Explorer, or a specified mount in My Computer.
To check that connections exist, open the Command prompt and run the
following from the command line:

net use

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To remove a connection, remove the mount, and, from the Command line,
run the following command:

net use \\servername\sharename /DELETE

➤ You may use your own created connection to the log directory by supplying
the UNC-path to the log directory and marking the OS as WINDOWS.
When the Mediator runs, it will not try to create a connection, but rely on
the given UNC-path instead.

Connecting to a Remote UNIX Server

When working with a UNIX platform, the Mediator supports two types of
connections:

➤ Remote Shell (RSH/RCP)

➤ Secured Shell (PLINK/PSCP)

Remote Shell (RSH/RCP)

Before using the remote shell (RSH) through the Mediator, please verify the
following:

➤ RSH and RCP daemons should be running on the UNIX server.

➤ The user should have permission to run remote shell commands. To
check this, type the following at the DOS command prompt:
rsh <server machine name> -l <UNIX user login name> -n <command>
For example: rsh my_unix -l my_name -n “cd ~;pwd”
Note: Only RSH commands that work from the DOS command prompt
window should work with LoadRunner.

If you encounter an “RSH command failed” error in LoadRunner, try to

run the same command from the DOS command prompt to determine if
it is a problem with the command or with LoadRunner. If it runs in the
DOS command prompt, the command is valid and you should contact
the HP Software Support Web site (www.hp.com/go/hpsoftwaresupport) for
further help.

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If you cannot run this command from the DOS command prompt either,
then contact your UNIX administrator. For more information about RSH
commands, see “UNIX Shell” on page 506.
➤ No output should be generated after executing the RSH command. Due
to a bug in the RCP UNIX command, you should not generate output
from the .login, .profile, and .cshrc files (for example, by echo, or in any
other way, including commands that generate output indirectly, such as
biff). Where an existing user generates output in the RSH step that
cannot be deleted, you should create a new user that does not generate
output, and who has permissions to run RSH and RCP commands on the
server machine.

Secured Shell (PLINK/PSCP)

The secured shell is based on the SSH protocol, which enables a secure way
of connecting to a remote machine by an authentication mechanism (using
RSA / DSA key pair) and encrypted communication.

The SSH protocol has a few levels of security:

➤ Using a user name and password.

➤ Using a user name and key pair without passphrase protection.
➤ Using a user name, key pair and a passphrase protected private key.

The Mediator uses the 'PuTTY' suite which is free implementation of SSH.

You can find the following PuTTY tools in the bin directory of the
installation:

PUTTY.EXE, PAGEANT.EXE, PLINK.EXE, PSCP.EXE, PSFTP.EXE,

PUTTYGEN.EXE and PUTTY.HLP

Using the Import command from the Conversions menu of PuTTYgen, you
can load private key in OpenSSH's format and ssh.com's format and save it
back out as a PuTTY-format key. For more information, please see the PuTTY
User Manual which resides in the bin directory of the installation.

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Before using the secured shell through the Mediator, please verify the
following:

➤ SSH daemon should be running on the UNIX server.

➤ No output should be generated after executing the PuTTY commands. You
should not generate output from the .login, .profile, and .cshrc files, (for
example, by echo, or by any other form including commands that generate
output indirectly, such as biff). Where an existing user generates output that
cannot be deleted, you should create a new user that does not generate
output.
To verify that the PuTTY commands are working without generating any
errors, type the following at the DOS command prompt under the bin
directory of the installation:
PLINK.EXE <server machine name> -ssh -l <UNIX user login name> -i <private
key full name if used> -pw <password or passphrase> <command>
For example:
Security Level A: PLINK.EXE my_unix -ssh -l my_name -pw "my_password" "ls"
Security Level B: PLINK.EXE my_unix -ssh -l my_name -i "my_private_key" -pw
"" "ls"
Security Level C: PLINK.EXE my_unix -ssh -l my_name -i "my_private_key" -pw
"my_passphrase" "ls"
Similarly check the PSCP.EXE command:
PSCP.EXE -scp -r -q <private key full name if used> -pw <password or
passphrase> <local file name> <UNIX user login name>@<server machine
name>:<remote file name>
If you encounter an “SSH command failed” error in LoadRunner, try to run
the same command from the DOS command prompt to verify if it is a
problem with the command or with LoadRunner. If it runs in the DOS
command prompt, the command is valid and you should contact the HP
Software Support Web site (www.hp.com/go/hpsoftwaresupport) for further
help.
If you cannot run this command from the DOS command prompt either,
then contact your UNIX administrator.

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Enabling LoadRunner Diagnostics

After setting up the diagnostics module and successfully testing the
connection between the Controller and the Mediators, you enable the
diagnostics module and specify the sampling percentage of transaction data
to include in the diagnostics graphs.

Note: The Diagnostics Distribution dialog box is disabled during scenario

execution. You must enable and configure the Diagnostics modules before
running the scenario.

To enable collection of diagnostics data:

1 From the Controller menu, select Diagnostics > Configuration. The
Diagnostics Distribution dialog box opens.

2 To enable diagnostics monitoring, select Enable the following diagnostics

and set the percent of Vusers to participate in the monitoring as described in
“Understanding the Diagnostics Distribution Dialog Box” on page 386.

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3 By default, Web Page Diagnostics is enabled.

To enable and configure other offline diagnostics, click the Configure
button next to the appropriate diagnostics type for which you want to
collect diagnostics data.
➤ To configure Siebel Diagnostics, see Chapter 25, “Configuring Siebel
Diagnostics.”
➤ To configure Siebel DB Diagnostics, see Chapter 26, “Configuring Siebel
DB Diagnostics.”
➤ To configure Oracle 11i Diagnostics, see Chapter 27, “Configuring Oracle
11i Diagnostics.”
➤ To configure SAP Diagnostics, see Chapter 28, “Configuring SAP
Diagnostics.”

4 To enable and configure online and offline diagnostics, click the Configure
button next to J2EE/.NET Diagnostics (Max. Vuser Sampling: 100%).
To configure J2EE/.NET Diagnostics, see Chapter 29, “Configuring
J2EE/.NET Diagnostics.”

Understanding the Diagnostics Distribution Dialog Box

➤ Enable the following diagnostics. Enables LoadRunner to generate offline
Web Page, Siebel, Siebel DB, Oracle 11i, and SAP Diagnostics graphs. Enables
LoadRunner to generate online and offline J2EE & .NET Diagnostics graphs.
➤ For X % of all the relevant Vusers in the current scenario. Specify the
percentage of Vusers for which you want to collect diagnostics data. This
value determines how many of the transactions on the application server
are reported to the Controller. Reducing this percentage will reduce the
overhead on the application server for Web Page, Oracle 11i, and J2EE &
.NET Diagnostics.
For example, if you enter a sampling value of 25% and run 12 Vusers in
group1, 8 Vusers in group2, and 1 Vuser in group3, diagnostics data will be
collected for 3 Vusers in group1, 2 Vusers in group2, and 1 Vuser in group3.

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Note: The minimum percentage of Vuser sampling allowed is 1%, or 1

virtual user per group, whichever is more. The maximum percentage of
vuser sampling allowed is the lowest of the Max. Vuser Sampling values
of all the selected diagnostics types.

➤ Offline Diagnostics. Click the appropriate Configure button to enable and

configure the offline diagnostics module as follows:
➤ Web Page Diagnostics. Generates Web Page Diagnostics graphs, which
provide you with performance information for each transaction and sub-
transaction defined in your script. The maximum percentage of Vusers
for which diagnostics data can be collected is 10%.
➤ Siebel Diagnostics. Generates Siebel Diagnostics graphs that allow you to
break down Siebel transactions into layers, areas, sub-areas, servers, and
scripts. This enables you to pinpoint the exact location where time is
consumed. You can also view the transaction chain of calls and call stack
statistics to track the percentage of time spent for each part of the
transaction. The maximum percentage of Vusers for which diagnostics
data can be collected is 10%, or not more than 100 Vusers.
➤ Siebel DB Diagnostics. Generates Siebel DB Diagnostics graphs that allow
you to break down transactions into their SQL statements and stages.
This enables you to pinpoint problem areas in any layer of the Siebel
database calls. The maximum percentage of Vusers for which diagnostics
data can be collected is 10%.
➤ Oracle 11i Diagnostics. Generates Oracle 11i Diagnostics graphs that
allow you to break down transactions into their SQL statements and
stages. This enables you to pinpoint problem areas in any layer of the
Oracle database calls. The maximum percentage of Vusers for which
diagnostics data can be collected is 5%.
➤ SAP Diagnostics. Generates SAP Diagnostics graphs that allow you to
break down transactions into DB, application processing, systems and
interface performance levels. This enables you to pinpoint problem areas
in any component of the SAP environment. The maximum percentage of
Vusers for which diagnostics data can be collected is 100%.

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➤ Online and Offline Diagnostics. Click the Configure button to enable and
configure the online and offline diagnostics module as follows:
➤ J2EE/.NET Diagnostics. Provides online and offline J2EE & .NET
Diagnostic graphs. In the online diagnostics, you can view the entire
chain of activity on the server side of the system. You can break down
J2EE/.NET layers into components and methods to enable you to
pinpoint the exact location where time is consumed. You can also view
the transaction chain of calls and call stack statistics to track the
percentage of time spent for each part of the transaction. The maximum
percentage of Vusers for which diagnostics data can be collected is 100%.
After a scenario run, you can use the J2EE & .NET Diagnostics graphs to
analyze server performance and generate reports. For more information,
refer to the HP Diagnostics User Guide.

Viewing Diagnostics Results

To view diagnostics results, in the Run tab of the Controller, select Results >
Analyze Results, or click the Analyze Results button. Analysis opens.

You can use the Analysis diagnostics graphs and reports to view the
performance data and drill down to pinpoint problem areas in any layer of
the application.

For more information about diagnostics graphs, see the HP LoadRunner

Analysis User Guide.

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Configuring Siebel Diagnostics

Siebel Diagnostics enable you to break down Siebel transactions into layers,
areas, sub-areas, servers, and scripts. You can also view the transaction chain
of calls and call stack statistics to track the percentage of time spent for each
part of the transaction. Siebel-Web Vusers support Siebel Diagnostics.

This chapter includes:

➤ Configuring Siebel Diagnostics on the Application and Web Servers
on page 390
➤ Configuring Diagnostics where the Web Server is Inside a DMZ on page 392
➤ Copying Files from the Siebel Application Server to the Mediator on page 393
➤ Setting Up the Siebel Diagnostics Module on page 394

Note: Siebel Diagnostics (Siebel Application Response Measurements)

supports Siebel application servers versions 7.53 and 7.7.

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Configuring Siebel Diagnostics on the Application and

Web Servers
To configure Siebel Application and Web servers for diagnostics data
collection, you perform the following:

➤ enable Siebel Diagnostics on all Siebel Application and Web servers

involved in the load test
➤ optimize server performance settings
➤ generate a list of Siebel server IDs (required for Siebel Application servers
only)

To enable Siebel Diagnostics:

1 Set the environment variable on the Siebel server to:
SIEBEL_SarmEnabled=true
2 Restart the server.

To optimize server performance:

You can change the maximum memory caching and file size using the
following variables:

SIEBEL_SarmMaxMemory= <bytes>

SIEBEL_SarmMaxFileSize = <bytes>

SIEBEL_SarmMaxMemory controls the size of the buffer that Siebel keeps in

the memory before writing the information to the Siebel log files. You can
improve server performance by increasing the parameter value. However,
information from the end of the run will be missing from the Analysis
graphs. We recommend setting SIEBEL_SarmMaxMemory= 50000 for low
loads on the server and SIEBEL_SarmMaxMemory= 1000000 for high loads
on the server. A low load on the server is 20 Vusers or less, and a high load is
more than 100 Vusers.

The recommended file size for SIEBEL_SarmMaxFileSize is from 5000000 for

low loads on the server to 25000000 for high loads on the server. If more
than one Siebel log file is generated on the server every 10 seconds, you
should increase the SIEBEL_SarmMaxFileSize.

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Notes:

➤ For Siebel 7.7 the parameters differ slightly.

➤ Before running a load test, delete Siebel Diagnostics logs (*.sarm files)
from all servers involved in the load test.

To generate Siebel Server IDs:

On the Siebel application server, open a command window and run the
command:

<Siebel bin directory>\srvrmgr /u <username> /p <password> /g <gateway

server> /e <entrpr server> /c "list servers show SBLSRVR_NAME, SV_SRVRID"

where:

/u <username> is the server administrator username

/p <password> is the server administrator password

/g <gateway server> is the gateway server address

/e <entrpr server> is the enterprise server name

/c <command> is the execute a single command

This command generates a list of all the Siebel application servers and their
IDs. Keep a record of the server IDs, since this information is required in the
Siebel Server Configuration dialog box. For more information, see step 9 of
“Setting Up the Siebel Diagnostics Module” on page 394.

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Configuring Diagnostics where the Web Server is Inside a

DMZ
If you are using an application server in the internal network and a Web
(file) server in a DMZ (a "neutral zone" that separates an internal network
from a public one that is used to prevent outside access to a company’s
private data), you must install the Mediator on the internal (over firewall)
LAN, and enable SMB/CIFS communication from the internal machine to
the file server in the DMZ. SMB/CIFS are the file sharing services that use the
NBT (NetBIOS over TCP/IP) as the transport protocol.

To enable the NBT protocol between the client (over firewall machine) and
the file server, use the following port configuration:

File Sharing Service Port

SMB/CIFS over NBT TCP 139 (SMB)

CIFS over TCP/IP (Direct SMB) TCP 445

For example, configure the firewall settings as follows:

Service enabled: "nbsession" for TCP 139 connection.

Service enabled: "Microsoft-ds" for TCP 445 connection.

Note: CIFS over TCP 445 (direct SMB over TCP/IP) is optional with Windows
2000 and above (since it is a more secure way of communicating with the
file server). To enable CIFS over TCP/IP, you must disable the NetBIOS over
TCP/IP protocol using the operating system configuration.

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Copying Files from the Siebel Application Server to the

Mediator
After configuring the application server, you need to copy the files listed
below from the Siebel Application server \bin directory to either the <LR
mediator installation>\bin directory, <Windows>\System32 directory, or any
other directory in PATH on the Mediator machine:

For Siebel 7.53, copy the following files:

➤ sarmanalyzer.exe ➤ sslcshar.dll
➤ sslcver.dll ➤ sslcosa.dll
➤ sslcsym.dll

For Siebel 7.7, copy the following files:

➤ sarmanalyzer.exe ➤ sslcosa.dll
➤ libarm.dll ➤ sslcosd.dll
➤ msvcp70.dll ➤ sslcrsa.dll
➤ msvcr70.dll ➤ sslcscr.dll
➤ sslcacln.dll ➤ sslcshar.dll
➤ sslccore.dll ➤ sslcsrd.dll
➤ sslcevt.dll ➤ sslcsym.dll
➤ sslcos.dll ➤ sslcver.dll

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Setting Up the Siebel Diagnostics Module

To generate diagnostics data, you set up the Siebel Diagnostics module to
communicate with the Mediator and define the servers that you want to
monitor. You can then enable the diagnostics module and specify the
sampling percentage of transaction data to include in the diagnostics
graphs, as described in “Enabling LoadRunner Diagnostics” on page 385.

Notes:

➤ The settings that you configure are per scenario. All scripts in the
scenario will run under the same diagnostics configuration.
➤ To ensure that valid diagnostics data is generated, manually define the
transactions in the Vuser script rather than using automatic transactions.
Make sure to disable the following options in the Run-Time Settings’
General : Miscellaneous node: Define each action as a transaction and
Define each step as a transaction.

To set up the Siebel Diagnostics module:

1 From the Controller menu, select Diagnostics > Configuration. The
Diagnostics Distribution dialog box opens.
2 Make sure that Enable the following diagnostics is selected.

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3 In the Offline Diagnostics section, click the Configure button next to Siebel
Diagnostics (Max. Vuser Sampling: 10%).
The Siebel Configuration dialog box opens.

4 Select Enable Siebel Diagnostics. This enables all the other fields in the
dialog box.

5 Enter the Mediator information as described in “Understanding the Siebel

Configuration Dialog Box” on page 397.
6 If you are monitoring over a firewall, select Enable Firewall and enter the
name or IP address of the MI Listener machine. For more information, see
Chapter 22, “Working with Firewalls in LoadRunner.”
7 To test the connection between the Controller and the Mediator, click Test
Connection. The Siebel Diagnostics module attempts to connect to the
Mediator.
If the connection is not successful, see the Output window for more
information. You can view the Output window by clicking the Errors link in
the status bar.

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8 Click Add to add Siebel servers. The Siebel Server Configuration dialog box
opens.

9 Enter the Siebel server information as described in “Understanding the

Siebel Server Configuration Dialog Box” on page 398, and then click OK to
close the Siebel Server Configuration dialog box.
10 In the Siebel Configuration dialog box, to show server information for a
selected Siebel server, click Details.
11 Click OK to close the Siebel Configuration dialog box. A check mark icon
appears next to Siebel Diagnostics (Max. Vuser Sampling: 10%) in the
Diagnostics Distribution dialog box, indicating that it is enabled.
12 Click OK to close the Diagnostics Distribution dialog box.

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Understanding the Siebel Configuration Dialog Box

You use the Siebel Configuration dialog box to define the Mediator, provide
details of the monitored servers, and test the connection between the
Controller and the Mediators.

➤ Enable Siebel Diagnostics. Select this option to enable Siebel Diagnostics

and to configure the Siebel Diagnostics settings.
➤ Mediator.
➤ Name. Enter the name of the Mediator used to collect and process the
Siebel diagnostics data. Only one Mediator is supported for each
diagnostics module.
Note: If you are using a Mediator that is over a firewall, enter the local
machine key of the Mediator instead of the Mediator machine name.

➤ Enable Firewall. Select if the Mediator is over a firewall.

➤ MI Listener. Enter the name, full name, or IP address of the MI Listener
machine if you are monitoring over a firewall.
➤ Test Connection. Tests the connections between the Siebel Diagnostics
module and the Mediator.
Note: The test connection does not check the connections to the Siebel
servers.

➤ Servers.
➤ Server Name. The name of the Siebel server.
➤ Server ID. The Siebel server ID (for Siebel application servers only).
➤ Platform. The platform of the Siebel server.
➤ Log Directory. The Siebel server directory where Siebel log files (*.SARM)
are written.
➤ Add. Opens the Siebel Server Configuration dialog box enabling you to
enter Siebel server information.
➤ Delete. Deletes a server from the server list.
➤ Details. Displays information for a selected server.

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Understanding the Siebel Server Configuration Dialog

Box
You use the Siebel Server Configuration dialog box to enter the Siebel server
information.

➤ Server Name. Enter the name of the Siebel server.

➤ Server Type. Select the Siebel server type.
➤ OS. Select the Siebel server platform.
➤ Use Secure Shell. Select if you are working with a Secure Shell connection.
➤ App Server ID. Enter the Siebel server ID (required for Siebel application
servers only). For information on generating a list of server IDs, see
“Configuring Siebel Diagnostics on the Application and Web Servers” on
page 390.
➤ Server Log Directory. Enter a location where the Siebel application saves the
log files (*.SARM). The log files can be saved in a shared log directory on the
Siebel server or in a separate folder.
➤ User Name. Enter the user name of the machine where log files are stored.

Note: For Windows platforms, the user should have administrator

privileges. See “Connecting to a Remote Windows Server” on page 381 for
more information.
For UNIX platforms, see “Connecting to a Remote UNIX Server” on
page 382.

➤ Password/Passphrase. Enter the user password or passphrase.

➤ Private Key File. Enter the name of the file where the Private Key is stored.
This can be found on the Mediator. If you specify the file name only
(without a path), the configuration will automatically look for the file in the
Mediator’s <LoadRunner>\bin directory.
➤ Domain. Enter the Siebel server domain.

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26
Configuring Siebel DB Diagnostics

Siebel DB Diagnostics help you to rapidly identify and resolve database

performance problems. You can view the SQLs for each transaction, identify
the problematic SQL queries of each script, and identify at what point
problems occurred. Siebel-Web Vusers support Siebel DB Diagnostics.

This chapter includes:

➤ Preparing the Script on page 399
➤ Synchronizing Clocks on page 400
➤ Enabling Server Logging on the Siebel Server on page 401
➤ Setting Up the Siebel DB Diagnostics Module on page 402

Preparing the Script

When preparing your script for collection of diagnostics data, it is
recommended that you add think time at the end of each transaction using
the ratio of one second per hour of testing.

To avoid session ID conflicts, make sure that the Vusers log off from the
Siebel system at the end of each session.

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Synchronizing Clocks
Synchronizing machine clocks before collecting diagnostics data ensures
that the correlation of SQLs to transactions is correct.

Ensure that all the machines’ clocks in the Siebel system are synchronized.

On a Windows Siebel server, synchronize the Siebel Gateway and load

generators’ clocks by running the following command from the load
generator:

net time \ <Gateway name> /set /y

Replace <Gateway name> with the name of the Siebel Gateway.

On Unix Siebel servers you can synchronize the clocks in one of the
following ways:

➤ Use the date command on the UNIX Siebel Gateway server to change the
time manually, so it will be synchronized with the Load Generator’s clock.
➤ Change the time on the load generator so that it will be synchronized with
the UNIX Siebel Gateway server.
➤ Configure the time difference in Analysis. For more information see the
chapter about Siebel DB Diagnostics Graphs in the HP LoadRunner Analysis
User Guide.

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Enabling Server Logging on the Siebel Server

Before you set up the Siebel DB Diagnostics module on the Controller, you
must configure the Siebel server to create the database log files.

To enable logging on the Siebel server:

1 On the Siebel server, open a command window and run the command:
<Siebel bin directory>\srvrmgr /g <gateway server> /s <Siebel server> /e
<enterprise server name> /u <username> /p <password>
where:
/u <username> is the server administrator username
/p <password> is the server administrator password
/g <gateway server> is the gateway server address
/e <entrpr server> is the enterprise server name
/c <command> is the execute a single command
2 Enter the following commands:
change evtloglvl ObjMgrsqllog=4 for comp <component name>

evtloglvl EventContext=3 for comp <component name>

evtloglvl ObjMgrSessionInfo =3 for comp <component name>

For example, for the Call Center component, enter sccobjmgr_enu as the
component name, as follows:
change evtloglvl ObjMgrsqllog=4 for comp sccobjmgr_enu

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To disable logging on the Siebel server:

On the Siebel server, enter the following commands:

change evtloglvl ObjMgrsqllog=0 for comp <component name>

change evtloglvl EventContext=0 for comp <component name>

change evtloglvl ObjMgrSessionInfo =0 for comp <component name>

Note: Before running a load test, delete log files from all servers involved in
the load test.

Setting Up the Siebel DB Diagnostics Module

To generate diagnostics data, you set up the Siebel DB Diagnostics module to
communicate with the Mediator and define the servers that you want to
monitor. You can then enable the diagnostics module and specify the
sampling percentage of transaction data to include in the diagnostics
graphs, as described in “Enabling LoadRunner Diagnostics” on page 385.

Notes:

➤ The settings that you configure are per scenario. All scripts in the
scenario will run under the same diagnostics configuration.
➤ To ensure that valid diagnostics data is generated, manually define the
transactions in the Vuser script rather than using automatic transactions.
Make sure to disable the following options in the Run-Time Settings’
General : Miscellaneous node: Define each action as a transaction and
Define each step as a transaction.

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To set up the Siebel DB Diagnostics module:

1 From the Controller menu, select Diagnostics > Configuration. The
Diagnostics Distribution dialog box opens.
2 Make sure that Enable the following diagnostics is selected.
3 In the Offline Diagnostics section, click the Configure button next to Siebel
DB Diagnostics (Max. Vuser Sampling: 10%). The Siebel DB Configuration
dialog box opens.

4 Select Enable Siebel DB Diagnostics. This enables all the other fields in the
dialog box.

5 Enter the Mediator information as described in “Understanding the Siebel

DB Configuration Dialog Box” on page 405.
6 If you are monitoring over a firewall, select Enable Firewall and enter the
name or IP address of the MI Listener machine. For more information, see
Chapter 22, “Working with Firewalls in LoadRunner.”

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7 To test the connection between the Controller and the Mediator, click Test
Connection. The Siebel DB Diagnostics module attempts to connect to the
Mediator.
If the connection is not successful, see the Output window for more
information. You can view the Output window by clicking the Errors link in
the status bar.
8 To add Siebel DB servers, click Add. The Siebel DB Server Configuration
dialog box opens.

9 Enter the Siebel DB server information as described in “Understanding the

Siebel DB Server Configuration Dialog Box” on page 406, and then click OK
to close the Siebel DB Server Configuration dialog box.
10 In the Siebel DB Configuration dialog box, click Details to show server
information for a selected Siebel server.
11 Click OK to close the Siebel DB Configuration dialog box.
In the Diagnostics Distribution dialog box, a check mark icon appears next
to Siebel DB Diagnostics (Max. Vuser Sampling: 10%), indicating that it is
enabled.
12 Click OK to close the Diagnostics Distribution dialog box.

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Understanding the Siebel DB Configuration Dialog Box

You use the Siebel DB Configuration dialog box to define the Mediator,
provide details of monitored servers, and test the connection between the
Controller and the Mediator machines.

➤ Enable Siebel DB Diagnostics. Select this option to enable Siebel DB

Diagnostics and to configure the Siebel DB Diagnostics settings.
➤ Mediator.
➤ Name. Enter the name of the Mediator used to collect and process the
Siebel DB Diagnostics data. Only one Mediator is supported for each
diagnostics module.
Note: It may take a long time to copy the Siebel DB diagnostics files from
the application server to the Mediator, and then from the Mediator to the
results directory. During the first copying stage, the Summary Data
Processing window is displayed. To minimize copying time in the second
stage (if you are not working over a firewall), we recommend using
localhost as the Mediator machine. This reduces the time it takes to copy
the Siebel DB diagnostics files to the results directory, since the
diagnostics files are already on the Controller machine.

If you are using a Mediator that is over a firewall, enter the local machine
key of the Mediator instead of the Mediator machine name.

➤ Enable Firewall. Select if the Mediator is over a firewall.

➤ MI Listener. Enter the name, full name, or IP address of the MI Listener
machine if you are monitoring over a firewall.
➤ Test Connection. Tests the connections between the Siebel DB
Diagnostics module and the Mediator machine.
Note: The test connection does not check the connections to the Siebel
servers.

➤ Servers.
➤ Server. The name of the Siebel server.
➤ Platform. The platform of the Siebel server.
➤ Log Directory. The directory where Siebel log files are written.

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➤ Add. Opens the Siebel DB Server Configuration dialog box enabling you to
enter Siebel server information.
➤ Delete. Deletes a server from the server list.
➤ Details. Displays information for a selected server.

Understanding the Siebel DB Server Configuration Dialog

Box
You use the Siebel DB Server Configuration dialog box to enter the Siebel
server information.

➤ Server Name. Enter the name of the Siebel server.

➤ Server Platform. Select the Siebel server platform.
➤ Use Secure Shell. Select if you are working with a Secure Shell connection.
➤ Server Log Directory. Enter a location where the Siebel application saves the
log files. The log files can be saved in a shared log directory on the Siebel
server or in a separate folder.
➤ User Name. Enter the user name of the machine where log files are stored.

Note: For Windows platforms, the user should have administrator

privileges. See “Connecting to a Remote Windows Server” on page 381 for
more information.
For UNIX platforms, see “Connecting to a Remote UNIX Server” on
page 382.

➤ Password/Passphrase. Enter the user password or passphrase.

➤ Private Key File. Enter the name of the file where the Private Key is stored.
This can be found on the Mediator machine. If you specify the file name
only (without a path), the configuration will automatically look for the file
in the Mediator’s <LoadRunner>\bin directory.
➤ Domain. Enter the Siebel server domain.

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27
Configuring Oracle 11i Diagnostics

Oracle 11i Diagnostics helps pinpoint performance problems on Oracle NCA

systems. The diagnostics information drills down from the transaction, to
the SQL statements and the SQL stages of each statement. Oracle NCA
Vusers support Oracle 11i Diagnostics.

This chapter includes:

➤ Enabling Server Logging On the Oracle Server on page 407
➤ Selecting the Oracle NCA Application Version on page 409
➤ Setting Up the Oracle 11i Diagnostics Module on page 410

Enabling Server Logging On the Oracle Server

To enable server logging on the Oracle server, verify that the trace
diagnostics are enabled and set the trace file size to unlimited. By default,
trace diagnostics are enabled on the Oracle server during installation. In
addition, to help LoadRunner deal with the Oracle application diagnostics
password, you can either set the diagnostics password in the Vuser script or
disable the password request on the application server.

To check that trace diagnostics are enabled:

1 Log on to the Oracle application server with administrator privileges, and
select the module you want in the Oracle Application. The Responsibilities
dialog box opens.
2 Select System Administrator and click OK.
3 In the Functions tab, select Profile > System and click Open. The System
Profile Values dialog box opens.

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4 In the Display section, select Site and Profiles with No Values, enter
%Diagnostics% in the Profiles field, and then click Find.
5 If any diagnostics profiles are disabled (denoted by a “Yes” in the Site
column), change the setting to “No”.
6 Save your settings.

To set the trace file size to unlimited:

For Oracle 9i:

On the Oracle server, run the following command in the SQL editor:

Alter system set max_dump_file_size=UNLIMITED scope=both;

For Oracle 8i:

1 On the Oracle server, run the following command in the SQL editor:
Alter system set max_dump_file_size=2048000;
2 Edit the init*.ora file on $ORACLE_HOME\admin\<sid>\pfile\init<sid>.ora.
Find the line of the parameter, change its value, and then save the file.

Note: Verify that you have enough disk space on the database server since
these trace files can be very large.

To set the diagnostics password in the Vuser script:

In VuGen, add the nca_set_diagnostics_password(<password>) function to
your script and select a password.

Note: The nca_set_diagnostics_password function must come after the

nca_connect_server function.

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To disable the diagnostics password request on the application server:

1 Log on to the Oracle application server with administrator privileges, and
select the module you want in the Oracle Application. The Responsibilities
dialog box opens.
2 Select System Administrator and click OK.
3 In the Functions tab, select Profile > System and click Open. The System
Profile Values dialog box opens.
4 In the Display section, select User, and enter the required user name. In the
Profile field, enter %Utilities:Diagnostics% and click Find. The
Utilities:Diagnostics profile values are displayed.
5 In the User column of the Utilities:Diagnostics profile, set the value to Yes.
6 Save your settings.

Selecting the Oracle NCA Application Version

The Oracle 11i diagnostics module supports Oracle NCA versions 11.5.0 and
later. Enter the version of your Oracle application server in VuGen’s run-
time settings to enable the built-in trace mechanism. To check the version of
your Oracle server, log in to the Oracle server and select Help > About
Oracle. The version of your Oracle server is displayed in the Oracle
Application field.

To enter your Oracle application version:

Open the script in VuGen and select Vuser > Run-Time Settings. In the
Oracle NCA: Client Emulation node, select the version of Oracle NCA that
you are using in the Diagnostics > Application Version field.

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Notes:

➤ If the Oracle 11i trace cannot be enabled using the built-in mechanism,
you can enable it manually in the Vuser script using the
nca_set_custom_dbtrace and nca_set_dbtrace_file_index functions. This
may occur if you are using a custom application that does not have a
standard UI.
➤ Before running a load test, delete trace log files from all servers involved
in the load test.
➤ No real or other virtual users should work on the Oracle server while the
diagnostics module is running, as this may affect diagnostics results.

Setting Up the Oracle 11i Diagnostics Module

To generate diagnostics data, you set up the Oracle 11i Diagnostics module
to communicate with the Mediator machine and define the servers that you
want to monitor. You can then enable the diagnostics module and specify
the sampling percentage of transaction data to include in the diagnostics
graphs, as described in “Enabling LoadRunner Diagnostics” on page 385.

Notes:

➤ The settings that you configure are per scenario. All scripts in the
scenario will run under the same diagnostics configuration.
➤ To ensure that valid diagnostics data is generated, manually define the
transactions in the Vuser script rather than using automatic transactions.
Make sure to disable the following options in the Run-Time Settings’
General : Miscellaneous node: Define each action as a transaction and
Define each step as a transaction.

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To set up the Oracle 11i Diagnostics module:

1 From the Controller menu, select Diagnostics > Configuration. The
Diagnostics Distribution dialog box opens.
2 Make sure that Enable the following diagnostics is selected.
3 In the Offline Diagnostics section, click the Configure button next to Oracle
11i Diagnostics (Max. Vuser Sampling: 5%).
The Oracle 11i Configuration dialog box opens.

4 Select Enable Oracle 11i Diagnostics. This enables all the other fields in the
dialog box.

5 Enter the Mediator information as described in “Understanding the Oracle

11i Configuration Dialog Box” on page 413.
6 If you are monitoring over a firewall, select Enable Firewall and enter the
name or IP address of the MI Listener machine. For more information, see
Chapter 22, “Working with Firewalls in LoadRunner.”
7 To test the connection between the Controller and the Mediator, click Test
Connection. The Oracle 11i Diagnostics module attempts to connect to the
Mediator.

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If the connection is not successful, see the Output window for more
information. You can view the Output window by clicking the Errors link in
the status bar.
8 Click Add to add Oracle servers. The Oracle 11i Server Configuration dialog
box opens.

9 Enter the Oracle server information as described in “Understanding the

Oracle 11i Server Configuration Dialog Box” on page 414, and then click
OK.
10 In the Oracle 11i Configuration dialog box, click Details to show server
information for a selected Oracle server.
11 Click OK to close the Oracle 11i Configuration dialog box.
In the Diagnostics Distribution dialog box, a check mark icon appears next
to Oracle 11i Diagnostics (Max. Vuser Sampling: 5%), indicating that it is
enabled.
12 Click OK to close the Diagnostics Distribution dialog box.

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Understanding the Oracle 11i Configuration Dialog Box

You use the Oracle 11i Configuration dialog box to define the Mediator
machine, provide details of monitored servers, and test the connection
between the Controller and the Mediator machines.

➤ Enable Oracle 11i Diagnostics. Select this option to enable Oracle 11i
Diagnostics and to configure the Oracle 11i Diagnostics settings.
➤ Mediator.
➤ Name. Enter the name of the Mediator machine used to collect and
process the Oracle 11i diagnostics data. Only one mediator machine is
supported for each diagnostics module.
Note: If you are using a mediator that is over a firewall, enter the local
machine key of the Mediator instead of the Mediator machine name.

➤ Enable Firewall. Select if the Mediator is over a firewall.

➤ MI Listener. Enter the name, full name, or IP address of the MI Listener
machine if you are monitoring over a firewall.
➤ Test Connection. Tests the connections between the Oracle 11i
Diagnostics module and the Mediator machine.
Note: The test connection does not check the connections to the Oracle
servers.

➤ Servers
➤ Server. The name of the Oracle server.
➤ Platform. The platform of the Oracle server.
➤ Log Directory. The directory where Oracle trace files (*.trc) are written.
➤ Add. Opens the Oracle 11i Server Configuration dialog box where you enter
Oracle server information.
➤ Delete. Deletes a server from the server list.
➤ Details. Displays information for a selected server.

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Understanding the Oracle 11i Server Configuration Dialog

Box
You use the Oracle 11i Server Configuration dialog box to enter the Oracle
11i server information.

➤ Server Name. Enter the name of the Oracle server.

➤ Server Platform. Select the Oracle server platform.
➤ Use Secure Shell. Select if you are working with a Secure Shell connection.
➤ Server Log Directory. Enter a location where the Oracle application saves
the trace files. The trace files can be saved in a shared directory on the
Oracle server or in a separate folder.
➤ User Name. Enter the user name of the machine where trace files are stored.

Note: For Windows platforms, the user should have administrator

privileges. See “Connecting to a Remote Windows Server” on page 381 for
more information.
For UNIX platforms, see “Connecting to a Remote UNIX Server” on
page 382.

➤ Password/Passphrase. Enter the user password or passphrase.

➤ Private Key File. Enter the name of the file where the Private Key is stored.
This can be found on the Mediator machine. If you specify the file name
only (without a path), the configuration will automatically look for the file
in the Mediator’s <LoadRunner>\bin directory.
➤ Domain. Enter the Oracle server domain.

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28
Configuring SAP Diagnostics

SAP Diagnostics enables you to pinpoint the root cause of a certain problem
(i.e. DBA, Network, WAS, Application, OS/HW) quickly and easily. Once you
have specific information, you can consult with the relevant expert only,
without having to present the problem to a whole team of people.

This chapter includes:

➤ SAP Diagnostics Supported Environments on page 415
➤ SAP Diagnostics Overview on page 416
➤ Setting Up the SAP Diagnostics Module on page 417

SAP Diagnostics Supported Environments

The following table outlines the supported versions and required Kernel
patches for the SAP Application Server and the SAPGUI Client:

Supported Version Required Kernel Patch

SAP Application 4.6C; 4.6D Kernel Patch 1984 (released

Server on 11/01/05, SAP note
0451251)

4.7 and higher No patch required.

SAPGUI Client SAPGUI for Windows 6.20 Minimal patch level: 48

SAPGUI for Windows 6.40 Minimal patch level: 2

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SAP Diagnostics Overview

Server-side Data Collection

SAP Diagnostics is based on SAP Distributed Statistical Records (DSR). For
each dialog step performed on application server, a statistical record is
generated, which includes information such as response time components,
database statistics, RFC times, and so forth.

The Mediator is responsible for collecting diagnostics data from the server
during a scenario run.

Vuser Coloring
SAP Diagnostics works for replay of the SAPGUI protocol. The user sets the
percentage of colored Vusers in the Configuration dialog (up to 100%
allowed). Coloring of SAPGUI users creates no overhead on the Application
server.

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Setting Up the SAP Diagnostics Module

To generate diagnostics data, you set up the SAP Diagnostics module to
communicate with the Mediator machine and define the servers that you
want to monitor. You can then enable the diagnostics module and specify
the sampling percentage of transaction data to include in the diagnostics
graphs, as described in “Enabling LoadRunner Diagnostics” on page 385.

Notes:

➤ The settings that you configure are per scenario. All scripts in the
scenario will run under the same diagnostics configuration.
➤ To ensure that valid diagnostics data is generated, manually define the
transactions in the Vuser script rather than using automatic transactions.
Make sure to disable the following options in the Run-Time Settings’
General : Miscellaneous node: Define each action as a transaction and
Define each step as a transaction.

To set up the SAP Diagnostics module:

1 From the Controller menu, select Diagnostics > Configuration. The
Diagnostics Distribution dialog box opens.
2 Make sure that Enable the following diagnostics is selected.

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3 In the Offline Diagnostics section, click the Configure button next to SAP
Diagnostics (Max. Vuser Sampling: 100%). The SAP Configuration dialog
box opens.

4 Select Enable SAP Diagnostics. This enables all the other fields in the dialog
box.
5 Enter the Mediator information as described in “Understanding the SAP
Configuration Dialog Box” on page 419.
6 If you are monitoring over a firewall, select Enable Firewall and enter the
name or IP address of the MI Listener machine. For more information, see
Chapter 22, “Working with Firewalls in LoadRunner.”
7 Enter the SAP and Client server properties in the Properties section.
8 Click Validate to ensure that the server is connected properly.
When you click Validate, the Controller produces a report of all the servers
that are available for diagnostics through the Server Host.
9 Click OK to close the SAP Configuration dialog box.
In the Diagnostics Distribution dialog box, a check mark icon appears next
to SAP Diagnostics (Max. Vuser Sampling: 100%) , indicating that it is
enabled.
10 Click OK to close the Diagnostics Distribution dialog box.

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Understanding the SAP Configuration Dialog Box

You use the SAP Configuration dialog box to define the Mediator machine,
provide details of monitored servers, and validate that the Mediator can
collect diagnostics data.

➤ Enable SAP Diagnostics. Select this option to enable SAP Diagnostics and to
configure the SAP Diagnostics settings.
➤ Mediator.
➤ Name. Enter the name of the Mediator machine used to collect and
process the SAP diagnostics data. Only one mediator machine is
supported for each diagnostics module.
Note: If you are using a mediator that is over a firewall, enter the local
machine key of the Mediator instead of the Mediator machine name.

➤ Enable Firewall. Select if the Mediator is over a firewall.

➤ MI Listener. Enter the name, full name, or IP address of the MI Listener
machine if you are monitoring over a firewall.
➤ Properties.
➤ SAP Server properties.
➤ Application server. The name of the SAP server.
➤ Router string. Enter the system router string of the SAP server
(optional).
➤ System number. Enter the system number of the SAP server.
➤ Client properties. The Mediator uses these details to connect to the SAP
server and collect diagnostics data.
➤ User name. The user’s unique name for logging on to the SAP Server.
➤ Password. The user’s password for logging on to the SAP Server.
➤ Client number. The client number of the selected user.
➤ Validate. Click to validate connection to the SAP server.

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29
Configuring J2EE/.NET Diagnostics

The HP Diagnostics integration with LoadRunner allows you to monitor and

analyze the performance of Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE), .NET-
connected, SAP, Oracle, and other complex environments.

Before you can access the Diagnostics UI from within LoadRunner, you need
to provide LoadRunner with the information it needs to communicate with
the Diagnostics components.

This chapter includes:

➤ Specifying the Diagnostics Server Details in the Launcher on page 421
➤ Configuring LoadRunner Scenarios to use HP Diagnostics on page 423
➤ Viewing Diagnostics Data in LoadRunner on page 426
➤ Analyzing Offline Diagnostics Data on page 427

Specifying the Diagnostics Server Details in the Launcher

The first time you use LoadRunner to capture J2EE or .NET diagnostics data,
you need to identify the machine on which the Diagnostics Server in
Commander mode is running, and the port that it is using for
communication with LoadRunner.

You must update this information if you want to integrate with a different
Diagnostics Server in Commander mode, or if you change the port it is
using.

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To update the LoadRunner configuration settings for HP Diagnostics:

1 Select Start > Programs > HP LoadRunner > LoadRunner to open the
LoadRunner launcher window.
2 From the LoadRunner launcher window menu, select Configuration >
Diagnostics for J2EE/.NET Setup to open the Diagnostics for J2EE/.NET
Setup dialog box.

3 Enter the details for the Diagnostics Server in Commander mode.

➤ Server Name. Enter the name of the machine that is host to the
Diagnostics Server in Commander mode.
➤ Port. Enter the port number used by the Diagnostics Server in
Commander mode. The default port number is 2006.
Note: LoadRunner does not support communication with the
Diagnostics Server in Commander mode using HTTPS.

➤ Login. Enter the user name with which you log on to Diagnostics. The
default username is admin.
➤ Password. Enter the password with which you log on to Diagnostics. The
default password is admin.
Note: The user name that you specify should have view, change, and
execute privileges. For more information about user privileges, see the HP
Diagnostics Installation and Configuration Guide.

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4 Click Test to verify that you entered the correct information for the
Diagnostics Server in Commander mode and that there is connectivity
between the Diagnostics Server in Commander mode and LoadRunner.
5 Click OK to complete the configuration process.

Configuring LoadRunner Scenarios to use HP Diagnostics

Each time you want to capture Diagnostics metrics in a load test scenario,
you need to configure the Diagnostics parameters for the scenario and select
the probes that will be included in the scenario. You configure your scenario
for Diagnostics from the Controller.

Note: If you have saved a scenario with the Diagnostics settings already
configured, you do not need to reconfigure the Diagnostics parameters each
time you run that scenario.

To configure the HP Diagnostics parameters for a load test scenario:

1 Before configuring your scenario for Diagnostics, ensure that the application
server that you are monitoring has been started.
2 In the Controller, open the relevant load test scenario (File > Open) or create
a new scenario (File > New).
3 Select Diagnostics > Configuration to open the Diagnostics Distribution
dialog box.
4 In Diagnostics Distribution dialog box, select Enable the following
diagnostics.

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5 Set the percentage of Vusers to participate in the HP Diagnostics (J2EE/.NET

Diagnostics) monitoring.
The maximum percentage of Vusers for which HP Diagnostics (J2EE/.NET
Diagnostics) data can be collected is 100%, unless you have enabled other
types of diagnostics. In this case, the percentage of Vuser participation in HP
Diagnostics (J2EE/.NET Diagnostics) cannot exceed the maximum of any of
the other types of diagnostics that you enabled.
For example, if you enabled Web Page Diagnostics, which has a maximum
user participation of 10%, the percentage of Vuser participation for HP
Diagnostics (J2EE/.NET Diagnostics) cannot exceed 10%.
The minimum amount of Vusers for which HP Diagnostics (J2EE/.NET
Diagnostics) data can be collected is 1% or 1 Vuser per script.
6 In the Online & Offline Diagnostics section of the Diagnostics Distribution
dialog box, next to J2EE/.NET Diagnostics, click Configure. The J2EE/.NET
Diagnostics Configuration dialog box opens.

Note: This dialog box is read-only while a scenario is running.

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7 Select Enable J2EE/.NET Diagnostics.

8 In the Select probes list, select the probes to be included in your load test
scenario.
➤ Select the check box adjacent to each probe that you want to monitor.
You must enable at least one probe in order to save the Diagnostics
configuration.
➤ To disable a probe for the duration of a scenario, clear the check box.
Note: If you upgraded your Diagnostics installation, probes from existing
scenarios may appear with a red status. Clear any probes that appear in
red.

9 If the Diagnostics Server (or a Diagnostics Server in Mediator mode in a

distributed environment) is located behind a firewall, select There is a
firewall between the mediator and the Controller, and enter the name of
the MI listener server in the MI listener server box.
If there is a firewall between the LoadRunner Controller and the Diagnostics
Server involved in a load test, you must configure the Controller and the
Diagnostics Server to use the MI Listener to enable the transfer of the offline
analysis file. For more information, refer to the HP Diagnostics Installation
and Configuration Guide.
10 To capture a percentage of server requests which occur outside the context
of any Vuser transaction, select Monitor server requests.
The server requests will be captured at the same percentage as was selected
for the percentage of Vusers in the Diagnostics Distribution dialog box.

Note: Enabling this functionality imposes an additional overhead on the

probe.

The benefit of enabling this functionality is that calls into a back-end VM

can be captured even in the case where:
➤ the probe is not capturing RMI calls.
➤ RMI calls cannot be captured (perhaps because an unsupported
application container is being used).

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➤ the application uses some other mechanism for communications

between multiple VMs.
11 To investigate any issues that you have with the connections between the
Diagnostics components, click the Troubleshoot Diagnostics for J2EE/.NET
connectivity link. This will open the HP Diagnostics System Health Monitor
in a new browser window.
12 Click OK to confirm your selections and close the J2EE/.NET Diagnostics
Configuration dialog box.
13 Click OK on the Diagnostics Distribution dialog box to save your settings
and complete the configuration.

Viewing Diagnostics Data in LoadRunner

During a LoadRunner load test scenario, you can view HP Diagnostics data
for the whole scenario or you can drill down to HP Diagnostics data from a
particular transaction.

To view a summary screen of the scenario in HP Diagnostics:

In LoadRunner, select the Diagnostics for J2EE/.NET tab at the bottom of the
window. HP Diagnostics opens, displaying the Scenario Summary
dashboard view.

The Scenario Summary dashboard view displays monitoring versions of the

transactions, server requests, load, and probe views for the current run.

Note: During the load test scenario, you can navigate to other views in HP
Diagnostics. If you move to another tab and then return to the Diagnostics
for J2EE/.NET tab, the last screen that you were viewing is displayed.

To drill down to HP Diagnostics data from a particular transaction:

In LoadRunner, select one of the Transaction graphs, for example,
Transaction Response Time, to open the graph.

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Right-click the line on the graph representing the transaction from which
you want to drill down to HP Diagnostics data and select Show J2EE/.NET
server side. Alternatively you can right-click the relevant transaction in the
graph legend, and select Show J2EE/.NET server side.

HP Diagnostics opens, displaying the Transactions view, which contains

performance metrics and drill down options for the relevant transaction.
For more information about interpreting data in the Diagnostics
Transactions view refer to the HP Diagnostics User Guide.

Analyzing Offline Diagnostics Data

After you have run your scenario, you can use HP LoadRunner Analysis to
analyze offline Diagnostics data generated during the scenario. For more
information, refer to the HP LoadRunner Analysis User Guide.

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Monitoring a Scenario
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Online Monitoring

You can monitor scenario execution using the LoadRunner online monitors.

This chapter describes the online monitor user interface. The specific
monitors are discussed in the HP LoadRunner Monitor Reference.

This chapter includes:

➤ About Online Monitoring on page 432
➤ Setting Up the Monitoring Environment on page 432
➤ Monitor Types on page 434
➤ Choosing Monitors and Measurements in the Controller on page 437
➤ Starting the Monitors in the Controller on page 452
➤ Opening Online Monitor Graphs in the Controller on page 454
➤ Customizing the Online Monitor Display View on page 455
➤ Setting Monitor Options on page 456

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About Online Monitoring

LoadRunner enables you to view data generated during scenario execution
using the online monitors. You specify the machines that the Controller will
monitor during a scenario execution, and view the data collected by the
monitors, using the LoadRunner online graphs.

A primary factor in a transaction’s response time is its resource usage. By

monitoring resources during a scenario run, you can determine why a
bottleneck occurred on a particular machine. LoadRunner’s server resource
monitors let you keep track of resources used during a scenario. LoadRunner
displays the selected resource monitors in real time during test execution.
You can select the server resource measurements to monitor both before and
during the scenario.

Setting Up the Monitoring Environment

Before monitoring a scenario, you need to set up and configure the
LoadRunner monitoring components. Each monitor has different
configuration requirements which are explained in the specific monitoring
chapters in the HP LoadRunner Monitor Reference. The diagram below shows
the LoadRunner monitoring process.

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Before monitoring a server, perform the following steps:

➤ Configure the monitoring environment on the server machine (if

necessary).
➤ Configure the monitor on the Controller machine.

Configuring the Monitoring Environment on the Server

Machine
To use the following monitors, you must first install or configure
monitoring components on the server machine:

➤ COM+ ➤ SAPGUI
➤ Citrix ➤ Siebel Server Manager
➤ DB2 ➤ Siebel Web Server
➤ IBM WebSphere MQ ➤ SiteScope
➤ iPlanet (NAS) ➤ Tuxedo
➤ J2EE ➤ UNIX
➤ J2EE & .NET Diagnostics ➤ WebSphere Application
➤ Network Delay Server
➤ Oracle
➤ PeopleSoft (Tuxedo)
➤ SAP CCMS
➤ SAP Portal

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Configuring the Monitor on the Controller Machine

To obtain performance data for a monitor, you need to enable the monitor
(from the Controller), and indicate which statistics and measurements you
want to monitor. You select these counters using the monitor’s Add
Measurements dialog box.

If you are configuring a SiteScope monitor, you need to configure the

remote machine. For details, see “Configuring the Remote Machine for
SiteScope Monitors” on page 444.

For more information on setting up the monitoring environment and

configuring a monitor, see the specific monitoring chapter in the HP
LoadRunner Monitor Reference.

Monitor Types
The online monitors are divided into the following categories:

➤ Run-Time Monitors. Display the number and status of Vusers

participating in the scenario, as well as the number and types of errors
that the Vusers generate. For more information, see the chapter “Run-
Time and Transaction Monitoring” in the HP LoadRunner Monitor
Reference.
➤ Transaction Monitors. Display the transaction rate and response time
during scenario execution. For more information, see the chapter “Run-
Time and Transaction Monitoring” in the HP LoadRunner Monitor
Reference.
➤ Web Resource Monitors. Provide information about the number of Web
connections, throughput volume, HTTP responses, server retries, and
pages downloaded to the Web servers during the scenario. For more
information, see the “Web Resource Monitoring” section in the HP
LoadRunner Monitor Reference.
➤ System Resource Monitors. Measure the Windows, UNIX, Tuxedo, SNMP,
and SiteScope resources used during a scenario. For more information,
see the “System Resource Monitoring” section in the HP LoadRunner
Monitor Reference.

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➤ Network Delay Monitor. Displays information about the network delays

on your system. For more information, see the “Network Monitoring”
section in the HP LoadRunner Monitor Reference.
➤ Firewall Monitor. Measures statistics of the firewall servers during the
scenario. For more information, see the “Firewall Server Performance
Monitoring” section in the HP LoadRunner Monitor Reference.
➤ Web Server Resource Monitors. Measure statistics of the Microsoft IIS,
iPlanet (SNMP), and iPlanet/Netscape Web servers during the scenario.
For more information, see the “Web Server Resource Monitoring” section
in the HP LoadRunner Monitor Reference.
➤ Web Application Server Resource Monitors. Measure statistics of the
Ariba, iPlanet (NAS), Microsoft ASP, WebLogic (SNMP), and WebSphere
application servers during the scenario. For more information, see the
“Web Application Server Resource Monitoring” section in the HP
LoadRunner Monitor Reference.
➤ Database Server Resource Monitors. Measure statistics of the SQL server,
Oracle, and DB2 databases during the scenario. For more information,
see the “Database Resource Monitoring” section in the HP LoadRunner
Monitor Reference.
➤ Streaming Media Monitors. Measure statistics of the RealPlayer and
Media Player client during the scenario. For more information, see the
“Streaming Media Monitoring” section in the HP LoadRunner Monitor
Reference.
➤ ERP/CRM Server Resource Monitors. Measure statistics of the SAP Portal,
SAP CCMS, SAPGUI, Siebel Server Manager, Siebel Web Server, and
PeopleSoft (Tuxedo) servers during the scenario. For more information,
see the “ERP/CRM Server Resource Monitoring”section in the HP
LoadRunner Monitor Reference.
➤ Java Performance Monitor. Measures statistics of Java 2 Platform,
Enterprise Edition (J2EE) objects, and Java-based applications, using J2EE
machines. For more information, see the “Java Performance Monitoring”
section in the HP LoadRunner Monitor Reference.

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➤ J2EE & .NET Diagnostics Monitors. Provide information to trace, time,

and troubleshoot individual transactions through J2EE & .NET Web,
application, and database servers. For more information, see the HP
Diagnostics User Guide.
➤ Application Component Monitor. Measures statistics of the Microsoft
COM+ server during a scenario run. For more information, see the
“Application Component Monitoring” section in the HP LoadRunner
Monitor Reference.
➤ Application Deployment Solutions Monitor. Measures statistics of the
Citrix MetaFrame XP server during a scenario run. For more information,
see the “Application Deployment Solutions” section in the HP
LoadRunner Monitor Reference.
➤ Middleware Performance Monitors. Measure statistics of the Tuxedo and
IBM WebSphere MQ servers during a scenario run. For more information,
see the “Middleware Performance Monitoring” section in the HP
LoadRunner Monitor Reference.
➤ Infrastructure Resources Monitor. Measures statistics of the network
client data points during a scenario run. For more information, see the
“Infrastructure Resources Monitoring” section in the HP LoadRunner
Monitor Reference.

For information on configuring graph settings and measurements, and

exporting graph data, see Chapter 31, “Configuring Online Graphs.”

All of the monitors allow you to view a summary of the collected data at the
conclusion of the scenario. Using Analysis, you can generate a graph for any
of the monitors. For more information, see the HP LoadRunner Analysis User
Guide.

Note: Application Component monitors are available only in the

Controller.

For a detailed list of LoadRunner’s monitors, see the HP Software Web site
http://www.mercury.com/us/products/performance-center/loadrunner/monitors/.

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Choosing Monitors and Measurements in the Controller

You specify the machines and measurements that the Controller will
monitor during a scenario execution, using the monitored server machine
dialog box.

To monitor a machine’s resources:

1 Open the graph that you want to monitor in the graph view area and select
Monitors > Add Measurements, or right-click the graph and select Add
Measurements. The monitored server machine dialog box opens.

2 Some monitors are native LoadRunner monitors (by default), but can also
monitor through the SiteScope monitor engine.
If you want to monitor a server through the SiteScope monitor engine, click
Advanced. The Choose Monitor Engine dialog box opens.
Select SiteScope, and click OK.
For more information, see the relevant monitoring section.

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3 In the Monitored Server Machines section, click Add. The Add Machine
dialog box opens.

For monitors that use SiteScope to monitor the server, the SiteScope Server
Information section is also displayed in the Add Machine dialog box:

4 Enter the server name or IP address of the machine you want to monitor,
and select the platform on which the machine runs.
For Sitescope monitors, enter the name and port number of the SiteScope
server, and specify whether you are using a Secure HTTP connection. To use
an account, fill in the relevant account information. For more information,
see “Understanding the Add Machine Dialog Box” on page 443.
Click OK.

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The machine is displayed in the Monitored Server Machines box of the

monitored server machine dialog box.

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5 Select the server machine that you want to monitor, and under the Resource
Measurements on: <machine> box, click Add.
The monitored server’s Add Measurements dialog box opens, displaying the
available measurements.

Note:

➤ The Add Measurements dialog box is different for each monitor. See the
relevant monitoring section for specific add measurement instructions.
➤ When you add new SiteScope monitors, you need to configure the
remote machine. For details, see “Configuring the Remote Machine for
SiteScope Monitors” on page 444.
➤ Some monitors need to be configured before adding the measurements.
See the relevant monitoring section for more specific configuration
instructions.

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6 Select the required measurements. You can select multiple measurements

using the CTRL key.
7 Click OK. The Add Measurements window closes, and the selected
measurements are displayed in the Resource Measurement on: <machine>
box of the monitored server machine dialog box.

8 Click OK in the monitored server machine dialog box to activate the

monitor.

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Understanding the Monitored Server Machine Dialog Box

➤ Monitored Server Machines. The machines whose resources are being
monitored.
➤ Add. Displays the Add Machine dialog box, which adds the machine that
you want to monitor to the existing list.
➤ Delete. Removes the selected machine from the list.

Note: In some cases, you can (or must) specify the server you want to
monitor using other formats. See the relevant monitoring section in the HP
LoadRunner Monitor Reference for more information.

➤ Resource Measurements on <machine name>. Displays the resource

measurements being monitored on the selected machine.
➤ Add. Opens a dialog box that lets you create a list of resources to monitor
on the selected machine.
➤ Delete. Removes the selected resource measurement from the list.
➤ Advanced. Opens the Choose Monitor Engine dialog box for selecting
native LoadRunner or SiteScope monitoring.
➤ To monitor a server through LoadRunner, select LoadRunner native
monitors.
➤ To monitor a server through SiteScope, select SiteScope.

Note: This button is enabled only for those monitors that can be either a
SiteScope monitor or a native LoadRunner monitor.

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➤ Description. Displays a description of the selected resource measurement.

Note: For information about setting up a specific server monitor before

configuring its measurements, see the relevant monitoring section in the HP
LoadRunner Monitor Reference.

Understanding the Add Machine Dialog Box

Adds the machine that you want to monitor to the Monitored Server
Machines list.

➤ Monitored Machine Information.

➤ Name. Enter the name or IP address of the machine that you want to
monitor.
➤ Platform. Enter the platform of the machine you want to monitor.
➤ SiteScope Server Information. For monitors that use SiteScope, enter the
following SiteScope server information:
➤ Name. Enter the name of the SiteScope server.
➤ Port. Enter the SiteScope port (default:8888).
➤ Use Secure HTTP. Select this to use a Secure HTTP connection.
➤ Use Account. Select this option to use a specific SiteScope user account.
Enter the following account details:
➤ Account. The SiteScope account name or number.
➤ Username. The username defined to log in to the SiteScope account.
➤ Password. The password defined to log in to the SiteScope account.

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Configuring the Remote Machine for SiteScope Monitors

You configure the remote machine according to the platform your machine
is running on.

Configuring the Windows Remote Machine

For machines on a Windows platform, when you add measurements to
monitor for the first time, the Configuring NT Remote Machine dialog box
opens.

Select settings for the remote machine as described in “Understanding the

Configuring NT Remote Machine Dialog Box” on page 445.

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Configuring the UNIX Remote Machine

For machines on a UNIX platform, when you add measurements to monitor
for the first time, the Configuring Unix Remote Machine dialog box opens.

Select settings for the remote machine as described in “Understanding the

Configuring Unix Remote Machine Dialog Box” on page 448.

Understanding the Configuring NT Remote Machine

Dialog Box
You configure the remote Windows machine from the Configuring NT
Remote Machine dialog box.

➤ NT Server Address. The IP address or UNC style name of the Windows server
you wish to monitor. An IP hostname will also work provided that the
SiteScope server has a way to resolve this common name into an IP address
(for example, by the use of a hosts file, DNS, or WINS/DNS integration).
➤ Connection Method. SiteScope can use one of two connection types for
monitoring remote Windows server resources. These are:

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➤ NetBIOS. The default server-to-server communication protocol for

Windows networks.
➤ SSH. Secure Shell, a more secure communication protocol that can be
installed on Windows based networks. This connection method
normally requires installing SSH libraries on each server to which you
want to connect.
➤ Login. The login for the remote server. If the server is within the same
domain as the SiteScope machine, include the domain name in front of the
user login name. For example: domainname\user. If you are using a local
machine login account for machines within or outside the domain, include
the machine name in front of the user login name. For example:
machinename\user.
➤ Password. The password for the remote server or the passphrase for the SSH
key file.

Note: When using SSH authentication with public/private key based

authentication, enter the passphrase for the identity file here.

➤ Title. (Optional) A name by which the remote machine should be known.

This name will appear in the drop-down list.
➤ Trace. Check this box to have trace messages to and from the subject server
recorded to the SiteScope RunMonitor.log file.
➤ SSH Connection Method. The method to use for this connection. The
currently supported methods are:
➤ Internal Java Libraries. Connect using the Java SSH client integrated with
SiteScope.
➤ Plink. Connect using an external SSH client. On Windows, SiteScope
ships with Plink. On UNIX or Linux, SiteScope will use an installed client
such as OpenSSH.
➤ Disable Connection Caching. Check this option to turn off connection
caching for this remote. By default, SiteScope caches open connections.

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➤ Connection Limit. Controls the number of open connections that SiteScope

will allow for this remote. If you have a large number of monitors
configured to use this connection, set this number high enough to relieve
the potential bottleneck.

Note: This setting does not affect the running of tests for a remote. Tests will
always create a new connection.

➤ SSH Authentication Method. The authentication method to use for SSH

connections. The currently supported methods are:
➤ Password. Authenticate using a password.
➤ Key File. Authenticate using public/private key authentication. When
this option is selected, SiteScope uses the private key in the file
SiteScope/groups/identity to authenticate. The corresponding public key
must be listed in the authorized_keys file on the remote host.
➤ Key File for SSH connections. Select the file that contains the private key for
this connection. The default key file is SiteScope\groups\identity. This
setting only applies when the authentication method is Key File .
➤ SSH Version 2 Only. Check this option to force SiteScope to use SSH protocol
version 2 only. This option only applies when using the integrated Java
Client in SiteScope.
➤ Custom Commandline. Enter a custom commandline for a remote using the
External Client. This option can be used when you need to pass specific
options to the external client being executed. Valid substitution variables
are:
➤ $root$ : This will be translated to the SiteScope directory.
➤ $user$ : This will be translated to the username entered into the remote.
➤ $password$ : This will be translated to the password entered into the
remote.
➤ $host$ : This will be translated to the host name entered into the remote.
➤ SSH Port Number. Enter the port that the remote SSH server is listening on.
By default, the port number is 22.

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Understanding the Configuring Unix Remote Machine

Dialog Box
You configure the Unix remote machine from the Configuring Unix Remote
Machine dialog box.

➤ Server Address. Displays the IP address or host name of the server that you
entered in the Add Machine dialog box.
➤ OS. Select the operating system running on the remote server. The following
versions of UNIX are supported:

AIX OPENSERVER

FreeBSD SCO

HP/UX SGI Irix

HP/UX 64-bit Sun Solaris

Linux Tru64 5.x

MacOSX Tru64 Pre 4.x (Digital)

➤ Connection Method. Select the method for connecting to the server. The
supported methods are:
➤ Telnet. Log in to the remote server using Telnet.
➤ SSH. Log in to the remote server using the SSH protocol. This may require
additional software and setup depending on the version of UNIX you are
working with.
➤ Rlogin. Log in to the remote server using the Rlogin protocol.
➤ HTTP. Connect to an HTTP server on the remote server and run the
command via a CGI. For this method, the Login and Password are
optional and are used for authorizing the log on to the remote machine,
if required.
➤ Login. The login for the remote server.
➤ Password. Enter the password for the remote server.
➤ Title. Enter a name by which the remote machine should be known. This
name will appear in the drop-down list in monitors that can connect to this
server.

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➤ Prompt. Enter the prompt to be displayed when the system is ready to

handle a command - the default is #.
➤ Login Prompt. Enter the prompt to be displayed when the system is waiting
for the login to be entered - the default is "login:"
➤ Password Prompt. Enter the prompt to be displayed when the system is
waiting for the password to be entered - the default is "password:"
➤ Secondary Prompt. Enter the prompt to be displayed if the telnet
connection to the remote server causes the remote server to prompt for
more information about the connection. Separate multiple prompt strings
by commas (,). For example, for Telnet connections to some remote servers,
the remote server may ask what terminal type should be emulated for the
connection. In this case, you might need to enter Terminal type? as the
secondary prompt. The response to the secondary prompt is entered in the
Secondary Response field below.
➤ Secondary Response. Enter the responses to secondary prompts required to
establish connections with this remote server. Separate multiple responses
with commas (,).
➤ Initialize Shell Environment. Enter any shell commands to be executed at
the beginning of the session. Separate multiple commands with a semicolon
(;). This option allows you to specify shell commands to be executed on the
remote machine directly after a Telnet or SSH session has been initiated.
These commands can be used to customize the shell for each SiteScope
remote.
Examples:

➤ The remote shell may not have the correct path set for SiteScope scripts
to run. The following command will add the directory /usr/local/bin into
the PATH of the current shell on the remote machine:
export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/sbin
➤ The remote shell may not be initializing the pseudo terminal correctly.
Enter the following command to increase the terminal width to 1024
characters:
stty cols 1024;${SHELL}
Note: Commands after a shell invocation will not be executed.

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➤ There have been cases where the remote Telnet Server does not echo back
the command line properly. This may cause strange behavior for
monitors that rely on this behavior.
Enter the following command to force the remote terminal to echo:
stty echo
➤ Certain UNIX shells have been known to behave erratically with
SiteScope. This includes bash, ksh, and csh. Enter the following
command to change the shell to sh for the SiteScope connection:
/bin/sh
➤ Trace. Select this option to trace messages to and from the remote server in
the RunMonitor.log file.
➤ SSH Connection Method. Select the method to use to connect to the remote
server.
➤ Internal Java Libraries. Connect using the Java SSH client integrated with
SiteScope.
➤ Plink. Connect using an external SSH client. On Windows, SiteScope
ships with Plink.
➤ Disable Connection Caching. Select this to disable SSH connection caching.
➤ Connection Limit. Enter the maximum number of connections for this
remote machine.
➤ SSH Authentication Method. Select the method to use to authenticate to the
remote server (for SSH connections only).
➤ Password. Authenticate using a password.
➤ Keyfile. Authenticate using public/private key authentication. When this
option is selected, SiteScope uses the private key in the file.
SiteScope/groups/identity to authenticate. The corresponding public key
must be listed in the authorized_keys file on the remote host.
➤ Connection Limit. Enter the maximum number of connections for this
remote machine.
➤ SSH Version 2 Only. Select this option to force SSH to only use SSH protocol
version 2. This option is only supported when using the internal Java
libraries connection method.

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➤ Custom Commandline. Enter the command for execution of the external

SSH client. For substitutions with options listed above, use $host$, $user$,
and $password$, respectively. This setting is supported only for connections
using an external process.
➤ SSH Port Number. Enter the port on which the SSH service is running.
After defining the server for SiteScope, you can test the settings by clicking
on the test link. SiteScope attempts to display the working directory of the
remote machine (the "pwd" command on UNIX, or "cd" on Windows), as a
test to ensure that the remote machine can be accessed and can run
commands properly.

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Starting the Monitors in the Controller

To start the online monitors:
1 Start the scenario. Select the Vuser groups you want to run and click Start
Scenario, or select Scenario > Start.
2 Select the Run tab. The default graphs are displayed below the Scenario
Groups window.

3 Double-click a graph to maximize it. Repeat the operation to restore the

tiled view.

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4 If the graph tree is not displayed, select View > Show Available Graphs. Click
the "+" in the left pane to expand the graph tree. To hide the graph tree view,
select View > Hide Available Graphs.
5 Select a graph from the tree and drag it into the right pane. You can also
drag graphs between panes.

Note: The Transaction Monitor graphs will not contain any data unless
transactions are being executed. In addition, the other graphs will not
contain any data unless you set up a list of resources to monitor before
running your scenario.

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Opening Online Monitor Graphs in the Controller

By default, LoadRunner displays four graphs in the Run view: Running
Vusers, Transaction Response Time, Hits per Second, and Windows
Resources. You can display the other graphs by clicking and dragging them
from the graph tree view to the graph view area. Alternatively, you can open
a new graph using the Open a New Graph dialog box.

To open a new graph using the Open a New Graph dialog box:
1 Select Monitors > Online Graphs > Open a New Graph, or right-click a graph
and select Open a New Graph. The Open a New Graph dialog box opens.

2 Click the "+" in the left pane to expand the graph tree, and select a graph.
You can view a description of the graph in the Graph Description box.
3 Click Open Graph, or drag the selected graph into the right pane of the Run
view. The graph appears in the graph view area.

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Understanding the Open a New Graph Dialog Box

The Open a New Graph dialog box enables you to open a new graph and
view its description.

➤ Select a graph. Click the "+" to the left of each category to expand the tree
view. Select a graph.

Note: You can open only one graph at a time.

➤ Display only graphs containing data. Select this option to view graphs that
contain data only. To view the entire list of Analysis graphs, clear this
option.
➤ Graph description. Displays the selected graph's description.
➤ Open Graph. Opens the selected graph and displays it in the graph tree
view.

Customizing the Online Monitor Display View

LoadRunner lets you display up to 16 online monitor graphs
simultaneously.

To customize your online monitor display:

1 Right-click a graph and select View Graphs, or select View > View Graphs.
2 Select the number of graphs you want to view. You can select from
Show One Graph, Show Two Graphs, Show Four Graphs,
Show Eight Graphs, or Custom Number.
If you select Custom Number, enter the number of graphs you want to view
in the View Graphs dialog box, and click OK. The selected number of graphs
open in the graph viewing area.
To display only one graph, double-click the graph pane. To return to the
previous view, double-click the graph again.

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Setting Monitor Options

Before running your scenario, LoadRunner lets you configure the settings
for your online monitors. You can set the data sampling rate, error handling,
debugging, and frequency settings for the online monitors.

When you save a scenario, the online monitor configuration settings are
saved as well.

To set monitor options:

1 Select Tools > Options and select the Monitors tab.

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2 Ensure that Enable Transaction Monitor is selected (default setting), and

specify the frequency at which the monitor should send updates to the
Controller for the Transaction, Data Point, and Web Resource graphs.
To conserve resources, you can disable the Transaction monitor by clearing
the Enable Transaction Monitor check box.

Note: You cannot modify these settings during scenario execution; you
must stop the scenario before disabling the monitor or changing its
frequency.

3 Enter a sampling rate.

4 Set the desired Error Handling option.
5 To display debug messages in the Output window, select the Display debug
messages check box. For the Network monitor, specify a Debug level from
1-9.
6 Click OK to save your settings and close the Options dialog box.

You can configure an additional monitor setting while working in Expert

mode. For information on working in Expert mode, see Appendix C,
“Working in Expert Mode.”

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Understanding the Options - Monitors Tab

The Monitors Tab lets you enable the Transaction monitor, configure the
behavior of the transaction data, and set the data sampling rate, error
handling, debugging, and frequency settings for the online monitors.

➤ Transaction Data. Configures the behavior of data for the Transaction, Data
Point, and Web Resource online graphs.
➤ Enable Transaction Monitor. Enables the online Vuser Transaction
monitor to begin monitoring transactions at the start of a scenario.
➤ Frequency. Select the frequency, in seconds, at which the online monitor
samples the data to produce the Transaction, Data Point, and Web
Resource online graphs. The default is 5 seconds. For a small scenario, it
is recommended that you use a frequency of 1. For a large scenario, it is
recommended that you use a frequency of 3-5. The higher the frequency,
the less network traffic there will be. The data is averaged for the
frequency period defined, and only one value is sent to the Controller.
For information on enabling and disabling the Transaction monitor and
Web Page Diagnostics, see the chapter “Run-Time and Transaction
Monitoring” in the HP LoadRunner Monitor Reference.
➤ Server Resource Monitors. Configures the behavior of the Server Resource
monitors.
➤ Data Sampling Rate. The sampling rate is the period of time (in seconds)
between consecutive samples. Enter the rate at which LoadRunner
samples the scenario for monitoring data. By default, the online monitor
samples the data at intervals of three seconds. If you increase the
sampling rate, the data is monitored less frequently. This setting applies
to all graphs. To set a sampling rate for a specific graph, see “Configuring
Graph Properties” on page 463.

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Note: The data sampling rate you set is applied to all server monitors that
you subsequently activate. It is not applied to server monitors that have
already been activated. To apply the new data sampling rate to activated
server monitors, save your scenario and reopen it.

Each monitor has a different minimum sampling rate. If the default

sampling rate or the rate set in the Options Monitors tab is less than a
monitor’s minimum sampling rate, the monitor will sample data at intervals
of its minimum sampling rate. For example, the minimum sampling rate for
the Oracle Monitor is 10 seconds. If the sampling rate in the Options
Monitors tab is set at less than 10 seconds, the Oracle Monitor will continue
to monitor data at 10 second intervals.

➤ Error Handling. Controls the way in which LoadRunner issues error

messages. Select one of the following options:
➤ Send errors to the Output window. Sends all errors to the Output
window.
➤ Pop-up an error message box. Sends errors to a message box (default). To
dismiss the message box, click OK.
➤ Debug. For debugging a scenario, you can set the following option:
➤ Display debug messages. Sends debug-related messages to the output
log. You can also specify a debug level from 1-9. The debug level is only
relevant to the Network monitor.

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31
Configuring Online Graphs

You can view the data collected by the monitors using the LoadRunner
online monitor graphs.

This chapter includes:

➤ About Online Monitor Graphs on page 462
➤ Configuring Graph Properties on page 463
➤ Configuring Graph Measurements on page 467
➤ Merging Graphs on page 473
➤ Exporting Online Monitor Graphs on page 474
➤ Viewing Data Offline on page 475
➤ Available Graphs Tree on page 475

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About Online Monitor Graphs

Online monitor graphs display performance measurements for those
resources being monitored during scenario execution. Each measurement is
represented on the graph by a colored line. Information about the
measurements is listed in the legend below the graph. The legend displays
the measurements for the selected graph only.

For more information on opening monitor graphs and customizing the

display, see “Opening Online Monitor Graphs in the Controller” on
page 454, and “Setting Monitor Options” on page 456.

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To get additional information about a measurement, right-click the

measurement and select Description.

To focus on a particular line, you can:

➤ Highlight a measurement. To highlight a specific measurement, select it

in the legend. The corresponding line in the graph is displayed in bold
print.
➤ Hide a measurement. To hide a measurement, right-click the
measurement and select Hide. To hide all measurements other than the
measurement selected, right-click the measurement and select Show Only
Selected. To show a hidden measurement, right-click the measurement
and select Show.
➤ Pause the monitor. To pause a specific graph during scenario execution,
select the graph and select Monitors > Online Graph > Freeze, or right-
click the graph and select Freeze. To resume, repeat the above action.
When you resume, the graph displays the data for the paused period.
To maintain the sort order after the legend is refreshed, right-click the graph
and select Keep Legend Sorted. Click again to remove the sort order. The
legend is refreshed every five seconds.

Configuring Graph Properties

LoadRunner lets you configure the settings for your online monitor graphs.
You can customize your graph in the following areas:

➤ Refresh Rate
➤ Time
➤ Graph Time
➤ Display Type
➤ Bar Values Type
➤ Y-Axis Scale
➤ Network Delay View

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Note: These settings can be set globally—to apply to all graphs—or per
graph.

To customize your graphs:

1 Select the online graph you want to configure (in either the right or left
pane) and select Monitors > Online Graphs > Configure. Alternatively, right-
click a graph and select Configure. The Graph Configuration dialog box
opens.

2 Enter the desired refresh rate—the time between graph updates—in the
Refresh Rate box.
3 Select a style for the x-axis from the Time box.

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4 Select a value from the Graph Time box. The graph time is the time in
seconds displayed by the x-axis.
5 Select a graph style from the Display Type box.
6 If the selected display type is Bar, select a value from the Bar Values Type
box. This determines the type of value that will be displayed in the bar
graph. You can select between Average, Last Value, Minimum, and
Maximum.
7 Select a maximum or minimum value for the y-axis, or select Automatic to
view graphs using the default y-axis scale.
8 To apply the dialog box settings to all graphs, select Apply to all graphs.
9 For the Network Delay Time graph, you can select the following options:
➤ SubPaths. Displays the delay measurements from the source machine to
each of the nodes along the network path.
➤ DNS name. Displays the DNS names of the measurements in the legend.
10 Click OK to save your settings and close the Graph Configuration dialog
box.

Understanding the Graph Configuration Dialog Box

The Graph Configuration dialog box lets you customize the online graph
settings.

➤ Refresh Rate. The interval at which the graph is refreshed with new data. By
default, the graph is refreshed every five seconds. If you increase the refresh
rate, the data is refreshed less frequently.

Note: In a large load test, it is recommended to use a refresh rate of three to

five seconds. This enables you to avoid problems with CPU resource usage.

Time: You can specify how the graph displays the x-axis time.

➤ Don’t Show. Instructs LoadRunner not to display values for the x-axis.
➤ Clock Time. Displays the absolute time, based on the system clock.

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➤ Relative to Scenario Start. Displays the time relative to the beginning of

the scenario.
Note: If no step is running, clock time is displayed.

In the following example, the graph is shown with the Don’t Show and
Clock Time options:

➤ Graph Time. Indicate the scale for a graph’s x-axis when it is time-based. A
graph can show 60 to 3600 seconds of activity. To see the graph in greater
detail, decrease the graph time. To view the performance over a longer
period of time, increase the graph time. The available graph times are:
Whole Scenario, 60, 180, 600, and 3600 seconds.
➤ Display Type. Specify whether LoadRunner displays a graph as a line graph
or a bar graph. By default, each graph is displayed as a line graph.

Note: For the Network Delay graph, if you select View Segments, you can
view the network segments of the graph as an area graph or a pie graph.

➤ Bar Values Type. Select a value from the Bar Values Type box (if the selected
display type is Bar). This determines the type of value that will be displayed
in the bar graph.

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➤ Y-Axis Scale. Instruct LoadRunner to display graphs using the default y-axis
scale, or you specify a different y-axis scale. Click Automatic if you want
LoadRunner to use the default y-axis values. Specify a maximum or
minimum value for the y-axis if you want to modify the y-axis scale.
➤ Network Delay View. This option only appears when you configure the
Network Delay Time graph. Click SubPaths to view the delay measurements
from the source machine to each of the nodes along the network path. Click
DNS name to view the DNS names of the measurements displayed in the
legend.

Configuring Graph Measurements

You can configure the following online measurement settings:

➤ Change Line Colors

➤ Set Measurement Scale
➤ Show and Hide Transactions

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Changing Line Colors

LoadRunner assigns a unique color to each measurement. You can modify
the color using the configuration interface.

To change the line color of a measurement:

1 In the legend below the graphs, select the measurement you want to
configure. Right-click and select Configure. The Measurement
Configuration dialog box opens.

2 To change the color of the line, select a color from the Color list.
3 Click OK to accept the settings and close the dialog box.
The specified color changes are reflected in the graph and in the legend
beneath the graph. The color is displayed in the first column of the legend.

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Setting the Scale of the Measurement

You can modify the scale of a measurement—the relationship between the
y-axis and the graph’s actual value. For example, a scale set at 1 indicates
that the measurement’s value is the value of the y-axis. If you select a scale
of 10, you must divide the y-axis value by 10 to obtain the true value of the
measurement.

To set the scale of a measurement:

1 Select the measurement you want to configure. Right-click and select
Configure. The Measurement Configuration dialog box opens.
2 Clear the Autoscale check box and select the desired ratio from the Scale list.
3 Click OK to accept the settings and close the dialog box.
In the following example, the same graph is displayed with a scale of 1 and
10:

The actual graph values range from 0-1, as shown in the left graph. You can
view the information more accurately using a larger scale for the display, as
shown in the right graph. However, to obtain the actual values, you need to
divide the displayed value by the scale. In the example above, the highest
value shown in the graph is 5. Since the scale is 10, the actual value is 0.5.

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The legend below the graph indicates the scale factor.

By default, LoadRunner uses the autoscale option, which automatically

scales the measurements by calculating the best ratio for displaying the
graph.

Hiding and Showing Transactions

By default, the Transaction Monitor displays a line for each item in the
transaction list. You can hide the line for any of the monitored transactions
to focus on a specific transaction.

To hide or show a transaction:

1 To hide a transaction, click Hide. To show a hidden resource, click Show. To
hide all transactions other than the transaction selected, right-click the
transaction and select Show Only Selected.
2 Click OK to accept the settings and close the dialog box.
You can also show and hide transactions without opening the Measurement
Configuration dialog box, by right-clicking a transaction in the legend and
selecting Show/Hide.

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In the following example, a line is shown for each transaction:

In this example, the second item in the legend is hidden:

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Understanding the Measurement Configuration -

Configuration Tab
The Measurement Configuration tab lets you change line colors, set the
scale of a measurement, and show or hide transactions.

➤ Measurement. Displays the type of resource being monitored.

➤ Machine. Displays the name of the machine whose resources are being
monitored (appears only in cases where a machine’s resources are being
monitored).

Note: When monitoring a network path, the Network Type will appear here
instead of Machine.

➤ Color. Select a color to be assigned to the selected measurement.

➤ Scale. Displays the relationship between the y-axis and the graph's actual
value. For example, a scale set at 1 indicates that the measurement's value is
the value of the y-axis. If you select a scale of 10, you must multiply the
y-axis value by 10 to obtain the true value of the measurement.
➤ Autoscale. Instructs LoadRunner to automatically scale the measurement by
calculating the best ratio for displaying the graph. For some graphs, this
option is not available.
➤ Show. Shows the selected resource. The line for the selected resource
reappears in the graph. By default, all resource measurements are displayed
in the chart.
➤ Hide. Hides the selected resource. The line for the selected resource
disappears from the graph. The hidden resources are displayed as unfilled
boxes.

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Understanding the Measurement Configuration -

Description Tab
The Measurement Description tab displays information about the
measurement.

➤ Measurement. Displays the type of resource being monitored.

➤ Machine. Displays the name of the machine whose resources are being
monitored (appears only in cases where a machine’s resources are being
monitored).
➤ Description. Displays a description of the selected measurement.

Merging Graphs
LoadRunner lets you merge the results of two graphs from the same scenario
into a single graph. The merging allows you to compare several different
measurements at once. For example, you can make a merged graph to
display the Web Throughput and Hits per Second, as a function of the
elapsed time. In order to merge graphs, the x-axis of both must be the same
measurement.

When you overlay the contents of two graphs that share a common x-axis,
the left y-axis on the merged graph shows the current graph's values. The
right y-axis shows the values of the graph that was merged.

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To overlay two graphs:

1 Right-click one of the graphs you want to overlay, and select Overlay
Graphs. The Overlay Graphs dialog box opens.

2 Select a graph with which you want to overlay the current graph. The drop-
down list shows only the active graphs that have a common x-axis with the
current graph.
3 Enter a title for the overlaid graph.
4 Click OK. The merged graph appears in the graph view area.

Exporting Online Monitor Graphs

LoadRunner allows you to export online graphs to HTML for viewing at a
later stage. When you export to HTML, the legend is also displayed with the
graph.

To export online graphs to HTML:

1 To export all graphs in the Online Monitor view, select Monitors > Export
Online Graphs to HTML. The Select Filename and Path dialog box opens.
2 Specify a filename and path and click Save.

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Viewing Data Offline

After monitoring resources during a scenario run, you can view a graph of
the data that was gathered using Analysis. When you run the Analysis
utility, it processes the data and generates a graph for each measurement
that was monitored.

To view a graph, select Graph > Add Graph in the Analysis window. For
more information about working with Analysis at the conclusion of the
scenario, see the HP LoadRunner Analysis User Guide.

Available Graphs Tree

The Available Graphs Tree displays the LoadRunner graphs.

To open a graph, click the graph in the graph tree, and drag it into the right
pane of the Run view.

To select the measurements that you want to monitor on the graph, see the
monitor configuration instructions for the specified monitor in the HP
LoadRunner Monitor Reference.

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Part VII
Appendixes
478
A
Interpreting LoadRunner Online Graphs

LoadRunner online monitor graphs present important information about

the performance of your scenario. This appendix describes some of the key
online graphs in greater depth, and shows how they can be used to identify
and pinpoint performance bottlenecks as your scenario is running.

Using the online monitor graphs, you can determine whether transactions
transpire within an acceptable amount of time, whether your bandwidth is
sufficient to keep download times to a minimum, and whether your
hardware and operating system can handle peak load.

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Question 1: Do all transactions in my scenario transpire within an

acceptable amount of time? Which particular transactions take too long?
Answer: The Transaction Response Time graph shows the amount of time it
takes for each transaction to be completed. In the graph below, the
transaction response time is quick, except for the login transaction. The
initial login did not take much time, but subsequent logins were quite slow.
This indicates that the database is unable to process more than one login at
a time, which may be due to inefficient database querying.

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Question 2: Is bandwidth sufficient to keep download times to a minimum?

Answer: The Throughput graph shows the amount of throughput on the
Web server during each second of the scenario run. Throughput represents
the amount of data received from the server at any given second.

In the above graph, the throughput scales upward as time progresses and the
number of users increases, indicating that the bandwidth is sufficient. If the
graph were to remain relatively flat as the number of users increased, it
would be reasonable to conclude that the bandwidth is constraining the
volume of data requested.

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Question 3: Can the hardware and operating system handle peak load?
Answer: The Windows Resources graph displays Windows resource usage in
real time. You use this graph to monitor the resources used during a scenario
and locate a bottleneck on a particular machine.

The % Total Processor Time in the above graph shows the amount of data
processed by the server. File Data Operations/sec shows the rate at which
the server is issuing Read and Write operations to file system devices. Page
Faults/sec counts the number of page faults in the processor, representing
virtual memory and caching algorithm opportunities.

It is commonly thought that newer and faster servers can resolve slow
download times. However, the above graph demonstrates that only a small
amount of data is processed by the server. The graph indicates that there is
adequate processor capacity, and additional server hardware will not result
in increased performance. There are cases, however, in which increased
performance can be achieved by optimizing the data file system.

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B
Performing Path Translation

When you run a scenario, LoadRunner gathers run-time data from the
participating Vusers. By default, LoadRunner stores the data in temporary
files on each Vuser machine. After the scenario, the data is collated in the
general results directory.

Alternatively, you can instruct LoadRunner to write the run-time data

directly to a shared network drive. (See Chapter 15, “Configuring a
Scenario.”) This method is not recommended, since it increases network
traffic and necessitates path translation.

This appendix includes:

➤ Understanding Path Translation on page 484
➤ Adding Entries to the Path Translation Table on page 485
➤ Editing the Path Translation Table on page 487
➤ Path Translation Examples on page 488

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Understanding Path Translation

Path Translation is a mechanism used by LoadRunner to convert a remote
path name for the Controller. A typical scenario might have the Controller
running on a Windows-based machine and include multiple Vusers running
on both Windows-based and UNIX load generators. One remote load
generator may map the network drive as F, while another load generator
maps the same drive as H. In a complex scenario such as this, you need to
ensure that all participating machines recognize the same network drive.

You instruct LoadRunner to store scripts and run-time data results on a

shared network drive from the Run-Time File Storage tab of the Options
dialog box.

Result and script files stored on a shared network drive require you to
perform path translation.

The Scenario Groups/Scripts pane in the Design view contains a list of all
the Vuser scripts associated with a scenario—and their locations. A script’s
location (path) is always based on the Controller machine’s mapping of that
location. If a Vuser load generator maps to the script’s path using a different
name, path translation is required.

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For example, assume that the Controller is running on a Windows-based

machine named pc2, and that a Vuser script is located on a network drive.
The Controller machine maps the network drive as m:\lr_tests. If the
remote Vuser machine (load generator) hosting the Vusers also maps the
path as m:\lr_tests, no translation is necessary. However, if the remote
machine maps the path as another drive or path, for example r:\lr_tests,
you must translate the path to enable the load generator to recognize the
script location.

Similarly, when saving run-time result files to a shared drive that is mapped
differently by the Controller and remote load generator, you must perform
path translation.

Path translation is also effective across platforms—between Windows and

UNIX. You use path translation to translate Windows-based paths (as seen
by the Controller) into paths recognized by the UNIX Vuser load generator.

Adding Entries to the Path Translation Table

To translate a path from one Windows-based computer to another, or
between Windows-based and UNIX machines, you create an entry in the
Path Translation table. This table contains a list of paths translated into
formats that can be recognized by different machines.

Each line of the Path Translation table has the following format:

<controller_host> <controller_path> <remote_path> [<remote_host>]

➤ controller_host. The name or type of the machine that is running the
Controller. For example, if the Controller is running on a Windows-based
computer, you could type win in the host field. Alternatively, you could
enter the name of the machine running the Controller (for example,
LOADPC1).

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The value of controller_host can be:

➤ hostname. The name of the machine running the Controller
➤ win. The Controller is running on a Windows-based computer
➤ unix. The Controller is running on a UNIX machine
➤ all. The Controller is running on a Windows-based or a UNIX machine
➤ controller_path. The path of a specific directory—as recognized by the
Controller. For example, if the directory scripts is located on the network
drive r—as mapped by the Controller—type the path r:\scripts in the
controller_path field.
➤ remote_path. The path of a specific directory—as recognized by the remote
machine. For example, if the directory scripts is located on the network
drive n—as mapped by the remote load generator—type the path n:\scripts
in the remote_path field.
If a Vuser on the remote UNIX load generator recognizes the above path as
/m/tests, you would type this path in the remote_path field.
➤ remote_host. The name or type of the remote load generator. For example,
if all the remote machines are UNIX workstations, you could type unix in the
remote_host field. The options for the remote_host field are the same as the
options for the controller_host field, listed above. The remote_host
parameter is optional.

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Editing the Path Translation Table

You maintain the Path Translation table using the Controller. LoadRunner
saves the Path Translation table as an ASCII file, ppath.mnt. This file, stored
in _directory/dat, has a one–line entry for each network path to translate.

To edit the Path Translation table:

1 Start the Controller.
2 Select Tools > Options and select the Path Translation Table tab. The Path
Translation Table view opens.

3 Before you enter path translation information, consider using the Universal
Naming Convention method. If your machines are Windows machines, you
can tell the Controller to convert all paths to UNC, and all machines will be
able to recognize the path without requiring path translation. An example
of UNC format is \\machine_a\results.
Select the Convert to UNC check box to tell LoadRunner to ignore the path
translation table and to convert all paths to the Universal Naming
Convention.
4 If your machines are not Windows machines and you require path
translation, type the path information into the table. You can insert
comments by typing the “#” symbol at the start of a line in the table.
5 Click OK to close the table and save the information.

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Path Translation Examples

The following section illustrates sample Path Translation Table entries.

Note: When you translate a Windows-based path to a UNIX path, you must
enter the appropriate slashes—forward slashes for UNIX and back slashes for
Windows-based paths.

The examples below show the use of the Path Translation table for a
Windows-based Controller called Merlin.

In the first example, Vusers are running on a Windows 2003 machine,

Oasis. Merlin maps the network drive as f:, while Oasis maps it as g:\loadtest.

merlin f:\ g:\loadtest\ Oasis

In the second example, Vusers are running on a UNIX machine, Ultra. Ultra
maps the networks drive as /u/tests/load.

merlin f:\ /u/tests/load/ Ultra

In the third example, the mapping of the network drive by the remote load
generator Jaguar, is identical to the Controller’s mapping, so no translation
is required. This line can be excluded from the Path Translation table.

merlin n:\ n:\ Jaguar

In the fourth example, all Windows-based Vuser load generators map the
network drive as m:\loadtest.

merlin l:\mnt\ m:\loadtest\ win

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C
Working in Expert Mode

Advanced users can fine-tune the LoadRunner configuration settings while

working in Expert Mode. In Expert mode, additional options are displayed
in the Options dialog box.

This appendix includes:

➤ Entering Expert Mode on page 489
➤ Options - General Settings on page 490
➤ Options - Debug Information Settings on page 492
➤ Options - Output Settings on page 494
➤ Options - Monitor Settings on page 496
➤ Load Generator Information - UNIX Environment Settings on page 497
➤ Load Generator Information - Connection Log Settings on page 498

Entering Expert Mode

The HP LoadRunner Controller Expert mode is intended to provide support
personnel with access to system information. When you work in the Expert
mode, the Controller dialog boxes contain additional options for fine
tuning the Controller operation.

To activate the Expert mode, select Tools > Expert Mode. An active Expert
mode is indicated by a check mark.

To exit the Expert mode, repeat the above process.

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Options - General Settings

The General tab in the Options dialog box allows you to specify global
settings for data table storage and multiple IP address allocation, and
instruct LoadRunner not to collate log files. This tab is displayed only when
you operate the Controller in the Expert mode.

To set the General Expert mode settings:

1 Select Tools > Options. The Options dialog box appears. Select the General
tab.

2 Select the Multiple IP address mode.

3 Enter the global directory for data tables.
4 If you want LoadRunner to collate only result files and not log files, select
Do not collate log files.
5 Click OK to accept the settings and close the dialog box.

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Understanding the Options - General Tab

The General tab allows you to specify global settings for data table storage,
log file collation, and multiple IP address allocation.

➤ Multiple IP address mode. The mode used to allocate IP addresses when the
multiple IP address option is enabled (Scenario > Enable IP Spoofer). The
Controller can allocate an IP address per process or per thread. Allocation
per thread results in a more varied range of IP addresses in a scenario.
➤ Data tables global directory. The network location for data tables used as a
source for parameter values. This setting is only required for scripts created
with earlier versions of LoadRunner.
➤ Do not collate log files. Instructs LoadRunner to collate only result files, and
not log files.

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Options - Debug Information Settings

The Debug settings in the Options dialog box allow you to determine the
extent of the trace to be performed during scenario execution. The debug
information is written to the Output window. This tab is displayed only
when you operate the Controller in the Expert Mode.

To set the Debug Information settings:

1 Select Tools > Options. The Options dialog box appears. Select the Debug
Information tab.

2 Select the check boxes for the desired trace flags.

3 To save the temporary run-time files, select Keep temporary files.
4 Click OK to accept the settings and close the dialog box.

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Understanding the Options - Debug Information Tab

Allows you to define the LoadRunner Debug configuration. This tab is
displayed only when you operate the Controller in the Expert Mode.

➤ Trace flags. For debugging purposes, you can configure the type of trace
performed by LoadRunner during test execution. Select the appropriate
check box(es) to enable the detailed trace. The trace information appears in
the log file located in the specified Agent log directory. The available trace
flags are: General, File Transfer, Incoming Communication, and Outgoing
Communication. Select only the flags relating to your problem. For example,
if you encounter specific problems with the transfer of files, select the File
Transfer flag.
➤ Keep temporary files. The Agent and Controller create temporary files that
collect information such as the parameter file sent to the Vuser, the output
compilation file, and the configuration file. The Agent files are saved in brr
folders in the TMP or TEMP directory of the Agent machine. The Controller
files are saved in lrr folders in the TMP or TEMP directory of the Controller
machine. At the end of the scenario, all these files are automatically deleted.
The Keep temporary files setting instructs the Agent and Controller not to
delete these files if you need them for debugging.

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Options - Output Settings

The Output tab in the Options dialog box allows you to configure how
running Vusers are displayed on the Controller machine. This tab is
displayed only when you operate the Controller in the Expert Mode.

To set the Output settings:

1 Select Tools > Options. The Options dialog box appears. Select the Output
tab.

2 In the Max. simultaneously displayed box, specify the maximum number of

Vuser logs to be displayed simultaneously.
3 In the Refresh timeout box, specify the frequency at which LoadRunner
refreshes the Vuser log.
4 To clear the messages in the Output window when you reset a scenario,
select the Delete Output window messages upon Reset check box.
5 Click OK to accept the settings and close the dialog box.

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Understanding the Options - Output Tab

The Output tab enables you to configure the display of running Vusers on
the Controller machine.

➤ Configuration of the ‘Show Vuser’ Operation.

➤ Max. simultaneously displayed. Specifies the maximum number of Vuser
logs that may be displayed simultaneously, as well as the maximum
number of active UNIX, GUI, RTE, or Web Vusers that the Controller
should display by opening up Run-Time Viewers on your machine. The
default number is ten.
➤ Refresh timeout (milliseconds). Defines how often to refresh the Vuser
log. The default is every 1000 milliseconds.
➤ Delete Output window messages upon Reset. Instructs LoadRunner to clear
all messages in the Output window when you reset a scenario.

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Options - Monitor Settings

Expert Mode provides the following additional monitor setting:

➤ Send Summary or Raw Data. Sends a summary of the collected data back to
the Controller, or sends all of the data in raw form. Sending the data in raw
form saves time because the data does not need to be processed. However,
since all of the data is being transferred to the Controller, it may cause more
network traffic. If the transfer speed is significant to you, it is recommended
that you select Summary.

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Load Generator Information - UNIX Environment Settings

Expert mode provides the following additional UNIX Environment setting:

➤ Local User. UNIX load generators that use the rsh shell establish a
connection as the current Windows user (due to security considerations). To
“mislead” rsh and log in as a user other than the current Windows login,
select the Local user check box and specify the desired UNIX login name.
Since modifying the local user name is a security breach for rsh, this option
should be used only when you encounter a problem connecting to the
remote machine.

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Load Generator Information - Connection Log Settings

The Connection Log tab in the Load Generator dialog box allows you to
view the standard output and standard errors generated as the Controller
connects to the selected UNIX load generator. You can also change the
command that the Controller sends to the remote bridge in order to
connect to the load generator.

➤ Rsh standard output. Displays rsh standard output as the Controller

connects to the selected UNIX load generator.
➤ Bridge cmd. Enter a new command if you want to change the default bridge
command being sent by the Controller to the remote bridge in order to
connect the UNIX load generator.
➤ Rsh standard errors. Displays rsh standard errors as the Controller connects
to the selected UNIX load generator.

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To set the Connection Log settings:

1 Click the Generators button, or select Scenario > Load Generators. The Load
Generators dialog box opens.
2 Click Connect to change the status of a load generator from Down to Ready.
3 Click the Details button. The Load Generator Information dialog box opens.
Select the Connection Log tab.
4 View the rsh standard output and rsh standard errors, or enter a new
command in the Bridge cmd box to change the default bridge command.

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D
Troubleshooting the Controller

LoadRunner enables you to test entire applications. If one of the

components of the application is not configured properly, LoadRunner
scenarios will not run.

This appendix includes:

➤ About Troubleshooting on page 502
➤ LoadRunner Communications on page 503
➤ Failure to Communicate with a Load Generator on page 504
➤ Failure to Connect to the AUT Database on page 507
➤ Failure to Access Files on page 507
➤ Failed Vusers or Transactions on page 509
➤ Increasing the Number of Vusers on a Windows Machine on page 513
➤ Troubleshooting Firewalls on page 514
➤ Working with the LoadRunner Agent on page 522

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About Troubleshooting
LoadRunner relies heavily upon communication between machines in a
network. If communication is not established properly, the Controller will
be unable to send commands to remote load generators and the scenario
will fail. By understanding the reason for the failure and determining when
the failure occurred, you can solve most network communication-related
problems.

To ensure that the problem lies with your scenario and not your Vuser
script, you should verify that your script runs properly on all remote load
generators in stand-alone mode:

➤ Test your GUI Vuser scripts on Windows platforms using WinRunner.

➤ Test your Vuser scripts on UNIX platforms by running them from the
command line.
➤ Test all other types of Vuser scripts on Windows platforms by running them
from VuGen, or by running a single user from the Controller.

Note: When a test runs in VuGen, the full browser is used. This differs from
a test run in the Controller, where only the browser basics are used. There
may be occasions when a test passes its run in VuGen, but fails when it is
run in the Controller. Before running a scenario in the Controller with
multiple Vusers, run a single Vuser to ensure the test is bug free.

For more information on running Vuser scripts in stand-alone mode, see the
appropriate guide for creating Vuser scripts.

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LoadRunner Communications
Most communication problems can be solved if you understand your
LoadRunner configuration. This knowledge helps you to determine the
source of the problem and perform the necessary actions to correct it.

The following diagram illustrates a sample network running. There are five
servers: The Controller, the Web server, the application server, the database
server, and the file server that stores the scenario results. (Result files can
also be saved on a non-dedicated server.) There are five remote load
generators, each running multiple Vusers.

The arrows indicate the type of communication necessary between the

elements of the network. The Vusers communicate with the Controller in
both directions (send/receive), but with the file server in one direction
(send). The Controller must have access to the file server. All Vusers
participating in the scenario must be able to communicate with the Web
server in both directions (send/receive). For a client machine to connect to
the server machine, it must be able to resolve the server machine name.

If any of the connections is broken, the scenario will fail.

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Failure to Communicate with a Load Generator

The most common communication error is the failure of the Controller
machine to connect with a remote load generator. To troubleshoot
communication errors, check the following:

➤ TCP/IP Connectivity
➤ Load Generator Connections
➤ UNIX Shell

TCP/IP Connectivity
Make sure that TCP/IP connectivity is functional on the Controller and
Vuser machines. Use a ping utility or type ping <server_name> from the DOS
command line to verify communication with a remote machine. Make sure
that the remote load generator and Controller machines can ping each
other by IP addresses and machine names.

If the ping does not respond, or fails with a timeout, then the machine
name is not recognized. To solve this problem, edit the hosts file located in
the WINNT\system32\drivers\etc directory, and add a line with both the IP
address and the name.

For example:

# 102.54.94.97 rhino.acme.com # source server

# 38.25.63.10 x.acme.com # x client host

Load Generator Connections

To verify the load generator connectivity, connect to each one of the remote
load generators from the Controller’s Load Generators dialog box. In the
load generator’s Platform field, select a Windows or UNIX platform. Select
the load generators and click Connect. The status changes to “Connecting”.

If the Connection fails, the status changes to “Failed” and details are written
to the Details box. Double-click the Details box for more information about
a failure.

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If a connection succeeds, the status changes to “Ready”, and the actual

platform name appears in the Platform box (such as WINNT, UNIX, etc.).

If your scenario uses several domains (for example, Vusers on a different

domain than the Controller), the Controller may have trouble
communicating with the load generators. This occurs because the Controller
uses the short load generator name—not including the domain—by default.
To solve this, you must tell the Controller to determine the full load
generator names, including the domains.

Modify the miccomm.ini file in the Controller machine’s Windows directory

as follows:

[tcpnet]
LocalHostNameType= 1

The possible values for LocalHostNameType are:

0 - Attempt to use the full machine name.

1 - Use the short machine name. This is the default.

Note: In certain environments such as WINS, load generators are unable to

resolve machine names.

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Connecting to a Controller with Multiple IP Addresses

If the load generator does not recognize the Controller machine by its short
name or full name, and the Controller machine has more than one IP
address, you can define an alias name for the Controller machine in the load
generator’s hosts file, located in the WINNT\system32\drivers\etc
directory. The alias name should point to the IP address you want the load
generator to recognize. For example: 255.0.0.1 delta.

UNIX Shell
For UNIX Vusers, make sure that the Windows Controller can execute a
remote shell command. Type the following at the DOS command prompt:

rsh -l <UNIX user login name> <load generator name> <command>

If you get a message indicating that permission is denied, make sure the
.rhosts file in your UNIX home directory contains Controller machine
permission for the user login name. In some cases, a plus (+) character must
be added at the end of the .rhosts file. For example, if you log on to the
Controller as bill and connect to the UNIX load generator as mike, you must
ensure that mike allows bill to log on using his name. This can be done by
adding the line + bill at the beginning of mike’s .rhosts file.

For more information on setting user login names, see “Configuring

Additional Load Generator Settings” on page 92.

By default, the HP LoadRunner Controller connects remotely to the UNIX

load generator using rsh (remote shell). You can also connect to the UNIX
load generator without using RSH. In this case, you need to activate the
agent daemon on the load generator manually. For more information, see
“Connecting to a UNIX Load Generator Without Using RSH” on page 98.

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Failure to Connect to the AUT Database

If you are running a database application, you must ensure that all remote
clients can connect with the database server. If network or configuration
errors occur when the client accesses the server, you must correct them
before running a scenario. To ensure that your client application can
connect with the database server, perform the following tests:

➤ Ping. Ensure that the client can communicate with the database server using
TCP/IP. Use a ping utility or type ping <server_name> from the DOS
command line.
➤ SQL Utilities. Use a simple utility such as ISQL or SQLPLUS to log on to the
database server and perform several basic operations.

Failure to Access Files

A LoadRunner scenario will fail if the result path or Vuser script is
inaccessible to one or more of the participating machines. Check the
following items:

➤ Path Translation
➤ Vuser Script
➤ Result Path

Path Translation: A script’s location (path) is always based on the Controller

machine’s mapping of that location. If a Vuser load generator maps to the
script’s path using a different name, path translation is required. Path
translation translates the Controller’s mapping of a given location to the
Vuser load generator’s mapping. For example, if one machine maps the
script directory as g:\test, while another maps it as h:\test, the paths should
be translated.

Path translation is also effective across platforms—between Windows and

UNIX. You use path translation to translate the Windows Controller paths
into paths recognized by UNIX.

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Note: Path translation is required only if you chose to save all scripts and
results to a shared network drive. In the default setup, LoadRunner saves
files locally and collates them to the Controller machine; no path
translation is required.

Suppose that your script is in the /usr/jon/lr_test1 directory and runs on the
UNIX machine, sunny. To translate it from the Windows Controller
machine, pc1, where your UNIX directory is mapped as r, enter the
following line in the path translation table:

pc1 r:\ /usr/jon sunny

To translate the f:\qa Controller directory to all load generators running

/m/qa/lr_test2/lr_test2.usr on a UNIX platform, type:

win f:\qa /m/qa UNIX

If the paths are not translated properly, the scenario will fail. For more
information about path translation, see Appendix B, “Performing Path
Translation.”

➤ Vuser Script. Make sure that the Vuser script is accessible to all load
generators participating in the scenario through path translation and
permissions. View or run the Vuser script in stand-alone mode on each of
the participating load generators.
➤ Result Path. Make sure that the result path is accessible to all load generators
participating in the scenario through path translation and permissions.
Check the permissions of the result directory files and modify them if
necessary.

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Failed Vusers or Transactions

LoadRunner Vusers or transactions may fail for a variety of reasons relating
to the network, database, or actual script. You can find information about
scenario runs from the following sources:

➤ Run View
➤ Output Window
➤ Output File (excluding GUI Vusers)
➤ Analysis Reports and Graphs

Run View
The Run view is part of the Controller. The Scenario Groups pane in the
upper-left corner of the view indicates the status of the Vuser groups during
and after the scenario run. During the scenario run, the columns will show a
Pending, Initializing, Ready, Running, or Rendezvous status. You can also
view the status of each individual Vuser in the Vusers dialog box. If a Vuser
fails and does not complete the script execution, LoadRunner displays an
error status. If a Vuser completes the script execution, LoadRunner indicates
the transaction status of a completed script run using the Done.Failed or
Done.Passed status.

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For more information about the Vuser states, see Chapter 20, “Viewing
Vusers During Execution.”

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Output Window
View the Output window from the Controller. The output window contains
useful information for debugging a scenario. The output window lists five
types of messages: errors, warnings, notifications, debug, and batch. An
error message usually results in a failed script. A warning message indicates
that the Vuser encountered a problem, but test execution continued. A
notification provides useful information such as recorded think time values
and other run-time information. A debug message is sent if you enable the
debugging feature in Tools > Options > Debug Information (Expert Mode).
Batch messages are sent instead of message boxes appearing in the
Controller, if you are using automation.

For more information about the Output window, see Chapter 20, “Viewing
Vusers During Execution.”

Output File
You can view information about script execution in an output file located in
the Vuser results directory. The output file, output.txt, contains:

➤ a list of the primary functions called during the scenario

➤ error messages from the database server
➤ transactions and rendezvous information

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The extent of the information sent to the output file depends on the output
file settings. In the VuGen’s run-time settings, you specify a Brief or
Extended log. For the Extended log, you can specify a full trace, returned
data, or current parameter value. An extended log is helpful for debugging a
script, but if you are not debugging, Extended log is not recommended as it
introduces extra overhead. For more information about configuring run-
time settings, see the HP Virtual User Generator User Guide.

Analysis Reports and Graphs

You can generate graphs and reports to view information about the scenario
run. For example, the Summary report displays a table containing the
scenario’s run-time data and provides links to the following graphs:
Running Vusers, Throughput (Web), Hits per Second (Web), HTTP Responses
per Second, Transaction Summary, Total Errors, and Average Transaction
Response Time.

For more information on the available graphs and reports, see the HP
LoadRunner Analysis User Guide.

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Increasing the Number of Vusers on a Windows Machine

Under the normal settings of a Windows machine, you are limited to several
hundred Vusers. This limitation is related to the operating system and not to
the CPU or memory.

To work around the limitation of the Windows operating system, modify

the Windows kernel as follows:

1 Save a copy of the registry file in case you have trouble with these
modifications.
2 Run Regedit.
3 Go to following key in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE:
System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\SubSystems

4 Select the Windows key. The following is an example of the Windows key
Value data field:

%SystemRoot%\system32\csrss.exe ObjectDirectory=\Windows
SharedSection=1024,3072
Windows=On SubSystemType=Windows ServerDll=basesrv,1
ServerDll=winsrv:UserServerDllInitialization,3
ServerDll=winsrv:ConServerDllInitialization,2
ProfileControl=Off MaxRequestThreads=16

The SharedSection=1024,3072 key has the format xxxx,yyyy where:

xxxx defines the maximum size of the system-wide heap (in KB).
yyyy defines the size of the per desktop heap.

5 Increase the SharedSection parameter by changing the yyyy settings from

3072 to 8192 (which is 8 MB).

This setup successfully allowed 1250 Oracle Vusers to run on a Windows

machine using 2 Pentium PRO 200 MHz with 1 GB RAM.

Each Vuser in this setup used approximately 2MB memory. Other Vusers
may require more memory.

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LoadRunner was able to load over 2500 Vusers when the Windows terminal
server was run as the Operating System and the above registry setting was
changed.

The above registry changes enable you to run more threads, allowing you to
run more Vusers on the machine. This implies that you are not bound by
the Windows operating system; you are only bound by hardware and
internal scalability limitations.

Troubleshooting Firewalls
There are three log files that provide additional information about activity
over the firewall.

The LoadRunner agent log file contains information about communication

activity between the LoadRunner agent and the MI Listener.

➤ To open the file on Windows machines, right-click the LoadRunner agent

icon in the system tray of the LoadRunner agent machine, and select View
Log. Alternatively, open the latest
<temp_directory>\LoadRunner_agent_startup<unique identifier>.log file (if
the LoadRunner agent is a process), or
<temp_directory>\LoadRunner_agent_service<unique identifier>.log file (if
the LoadRunner agent is a service) in a text editor.
➤ To open the file on UNIX machines, open the
<temp_directory>/m_agent_daemon<unique identifier>.log file in a text
editor.

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The MI Listener log file contains information about MI Listener

communication with the LoadRunner agent and the Controller.

To open the file, right-click the MI Listener Agent icon in the system tray of
the MI Listener machine, and select View Log. Alternatively, open the latest
<temp_directory>\LoadRunner_agent_startup<unique identifier>.log file (if
the LoadRunner agent is a process), or
<temp_directory>\LoadRunner_agent_service<unique identifier>.log file (if
the LoadRunner agent is a service) in a text editor.

The Controller log file contains information about communication activity

between the Controller and the MI Listener.

To open the file on Windows machines, open the

<temp_directory>\drv_log.txt file in a text editor.

Verifying Connection Between LoadRunner Agent and MI

Listener
If there is a proper connection between the LoadRunner agent and the MI
Listener:

➤ On Windows platforms, the agent icon’s light in the system tray will turn
from red to green.
➤ On UNIX platforms, a file called
<Local_machine_key>_connected_to_MI_Listener will be created in the
temporary directory of the LoadRunner agent machine. Local_machine_key
is the value set in the Agent Configuration, as described in Chapter 22,
“Working with Firewalls in LoadRunner.” The file will be removed when the
LoadRunner agent disconnects from the MI Listener.
➤ On both UNIX and Windows platforms, the following message will appear
in the LoadRunner agent log file: Notify Connected to MI Listener.

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Note: The LoadRunner agent tries to connect to the MI Listener machine

every Timeout seconds (as defined in the Agent Configuration). After a
successful connection, if no Controller has connected through this MI
Listener to the agent after another Timeout, LoadRunner will disconnect
from the Controller.
On a Windows machine, the agent icon’s light in the system tray will turn
from green to red. On UNIX machines, the file
<Local_machine_key>_connected_to_MI_Listener will be removed from the
temporary directory in the LoadRunner agent machine.
In both Windows and UNIX, the message Disconnected from MI Listener will
appear in the LoadRunner agent log file.

UNIX Connection Errors

After installing the m_agent_daemon as described in Chapter 22, “Working
with Firewalls in LoadRunner.” you should receive a message:
m_agent_daemon installed successfully.

Agent Daemon Errors

ERROR: File m_agent_daemon doesn't exist.

This error means that you are not in the same directory as the file (meaning
not in <LR_root>/bin directory, or the file really doesn't exist, which
indicates a problem with the installation).

WARNING: Could not install m_agent_daemon, reason - user <user_name> is

already running m_agent_daemon on this machine.

This warning message occurs when a daemon of this name is already being
run by the same user.

ERROR: Could not install m_agent_daemon. Check log file

m_agent_daemon[xxx].log in your temp directory.

This error indicates that some error has occurred when loading the daemon.
You should check the log file and consult the following troubleshooting
tips.

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LoadRunner Agent Log File Errors

Error - 10344 : Communication Error: -59961 : Failed to bind a socket while

calling bind function.

Error -10344 : Communication Error: -59927 : Failed to create a TCP server for
the HTTP channel's server.

Warning -29974 : Failed to create "router" server.

These messages appear because the LoadRunner agent always tries to open
port number 443 (because any agent can be a MI Listener, and the MI
Listener always listens to this port), and in UNIX machines, this port cannot
be opened by any user except for the root user. However, this will not
interfere with using this agent for the load generator.

Error -10343 : Communication error : -59981 : Failed to connect to remote host -

<MI_Listener_name>.

The MI Listener is not being run at the time of the connection attempt on
the machine set in MI Listener Name in the Agent Configuration.

Error -10343 : Communication error: -59928 : Unresolved server name.

The name passed in MI Listener Name in the Agent Configuration is not a

name, full name, or IP address of a valid machine, or no value was set.

Error -10343 : Communication error: -59928 : Unresolved server name.

The name passed in Proxy Name in the Agent Configuration is not a name,
full name, or IP address of a valid machine.

Error -10343 : Communication error: -59945 : Client failed to connect to a

PROXY Server with the following settings:
(-server_port=<proxy_server_port>)(-server_fd_primary=2)(-server_type=8)(-
allowed_msg_size=0)(-allowed_msgs_num=0)(-proxy_configuration_on)(-
tcp_tunnel_configuration_on).

The Proxy Name field is empty.

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Error -10343 : Communication error: -59982 : Failed to connect to remote host -

<MI_Listener_Name>. The remote address is not a valid address.

Error -10343 : Communication error: -59945 : Client failed to connect to a

PROXY Server with the following settings:
(-server_name=<proxy_server_name>)(-server_port=<proxy_server_port>)(-
server_fd_primary=2)(-server_type=8)(-allowed_msg_size=0)(-
allowed_msgs_num=0)(-proxy_configuration_on)(-tcp_tunnel_configuration_on).

The Proxy Port set in Agent Configuration has been set to the wrong port
number.

Error -10343 : Communication error: -59913 : NTLM authentication to proxy

server error - connection to proxy refused.

The proxy server is configured for NTLM authentication, and the Proxy User
Name, Proxy Password and/or Proxy Domain are not set correctly in the
Agent Configuration.

Error -10343 : Communication error: - 59880 : Basic authentication to proxy

server error - connection to proxy refused.

The proxy server is configured in for Basic authentication and the Proxy
User Name and/or Proxy Password are not set correctly in the Agent
Configuration.

Error -10343 : Communication error: -59907 : SSL connect error : verify host failed
: wrong DNS test.

This error occurs when you have set the Check Server Certificates setting to
True, and have not issued a new certificate to the MI Listener machine (see
Appendix G, “Working with Digital Certificates” for more details).

Error -10343 : Communication error: -59907 : SSL connect error : certificate verify
failed.

Error -10343 : Communication error: -59907 : SSL connect error : sslv3 alert
handshake failure.

Error -10343 : Communication error: -59907 : SSL connect error : sslv3 alert bad
certificate.

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 Appendix D • Troubleshooting the Controller

Error -10343 : Communication error: -59907 : SSL connect error : sslv3 alert
certificate expired.

These errors occur when you set the Check Server Certificates setting to
True. See Appendix G, “Working with Digital Certificates” to learn how to
issue a valid certificate.

Error -10343 : Communication error: -59910 : SSL initialization error : Certificate

not found.

Error -10343 : Communication error: -59910 : SSL initialization error : No such

file or directory.

Error -10343 : Communication error: -59910 : SSL initialization error : system lib.

These errors occur when the Client Certificate owner setting in the Agent
Configuration is set to True, but no certificate was installed in the
LoadRunner agent machine (see Appendix G, “Working with Digital
Certificates” for more details).

MI Listener Log File Errors

Error - 10344 : Communication Error: -59961 : Failed to bind a socket while

calling bind function.

Error -10344 : Communication Error: -59927 : Failed to create a TCP server for
the HTTP channel's server.

Warning -29974 : Failed to create "router" server.

This error means that another process on the MI Listener machine is

occupying port 443 (for instance, the IIS service).

Error -10343 : Communication error: -59904 : SSL accept error : sslv3 alert
certificate expired.

These errors occur when you have set the Check Server Certificates setting to
True, and the MI Listener's certificate is expired.

Error -10343 : Communication error: -59904 : SSL accept error : sslv3 alert bad
certificate.

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Appendix D • Troubleshooting the Controller

These errors occur when you have set the Check Server Certificates setting to
True, and either:

➤ the MI Listener’s certificate does not have a signature that is included in

the LoadRunner agent’s CA List
➤ the MI Listener’s certificate has a future verification date
See Appendix G, “Working with Digital Certificates” to learn how to issue a
valid certificate and how to add a Certification Authority to a CA list, or
how to create a certificate with a new validation date.

Error -10343 : Communication error: -59904 : SSL accept error : peer did not
return a certificate.

These errors indicate that the Check Client Certificates setting in the MI
Listener Configuration is set to True, but the Client Certificate owner setting
in the Agent Configuration is set to False.

Error -10343 : Communication error: -59904 : SSL accept error : no certificate

returned.

These errors indicate that the Check Client Certificates setting in the MI
Listener Configuration is set to True, and the Client Certificate owner
setting in the Agent Configuration is set to True, but either:

➤ the LoadRunner agent’s certificate does not have a signature that is

included in the MI Listener's CA List
➤ the LoadRunner agent’s certificate has a future verification date.
See Appendix G, “Working with Digital Certificates” to learn how to issue a
valid certificate and how to add a Certification Authority to a CA list, or
how to create a certificate with a new validation date

Error -10343 : Communication error: -59904 : SSL accept error : no certificate

returned.

These errors indicate that the Check Client Certificates setting in the MI
Listener Configuration is set to True, and the Client Certificate Owner
setting in the Agent Configuration is set to True, but the LoadRunner agent’s
certificate has expired.

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General Connection Errors

These errors can occur when using all configurations.

If no errors appear both in the LoadRunner agent log and the MI Listener
log, but the agent does not connect to the MI Listener, make sure that the
FireWallServiceActive attribute in the Firewall section in the
<LR_Installation>\dat\br_lnch_server.cfg file on the LoadRunner agent
machine, is set to 1.

Verifying Connection Between the Controller and Agent

through the MI Listener
When there is a successful connection between the LoadRunner agent and
the MI Listener, and the Controller machine fails to connect, you should
check the following:

➤ The Name field in the Load Generators dialog in the Controller should
match the name set in the Local Machine Key in the Agent Configuration.
➤ The MI Listener box in the Load Generators > Details > Security tab of the
above host matches the name set in the MI Listener Name in the Agent
Configuration.
➤ In the Tools menu of the Controller, in the Options > Timeout tab, the Load
Generator Connect timeout might need to be increased because the
Firewalls may slow down the communication.
➤ Make sure that the Controller machine recognizes the LoadRunner agent
machine (e.g., by using the ping utility). If this fails, there is a configuration
problem in the system not related to LoadRunner, and it must be solved
before the connection can be made.
➤ Make sure that the Controller has successfully connected to the MI Listener
by checking port 50500 on the MI Listener machine (you can use the netstat
utility on the MI Listener machine).

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Working with the LoadRunner Agent

The LoadRunner Agent runs on the load generators and enables
communication between the Controller, load generators, and MI Listeners
(in firewall configurations). The agent receives instructions from the
Controller to initialize, run, pause, and stop Vusers. At the same time, the
agent also relays data on the status of the Vusers back to the Controller.

To check the agent’s current configuration, move your mouse over the
Agent’s icon in the Task bar area, and read the description. The description
will say either “LoadRunner Agent Process” or “LoadRunner Agent Service.”

Running the LoadRunner Agent as a Process

In some cases, such as SAPGUI replay, running GUI Vusers on remote
machines, or Terminal Services sessions, the LoadRunner Agent must run as
a process.

To change the LoadRunner Agent from a service to a process:

1 To uninstall the service, run
<LR_dir>\launch_service\bin\magentservice.exe -remove
2 To install the process, make a shortcut of
<LR_dir>\launch_service\bin\magentproc.exe and place it in your system
startup folder.
3 To run the process, run magentproc.exe from the startup folder or from
<LR_dir>\launch_service\bin, or restart your machine.

Running the LoadRunner Agent as a Service

In most cases, the LoadRunner Agent runs as a service.

To change the LoadRunner Agent from a process to a service:

1 Stop the agent process by right-clicking its icon in the system tray and
selecting Close.
2 To uninstall the process, delete its shortcut from the system startup folder.

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3 To install the service, run <LR_dir>\launch_service\bin\magentservice.exe -

install <user_domain>\<user_name> <password>
This also runs the agent service.
In the Services dialog the LoadRunner Agent Service will run under the
name Local System, so that it can be interactive with the Desktop. However,
it still uses the supplied user credentials. All of the Agent’s child processes
(such as lr_bridge.exe and mdrv.exe) will run under the supplied user
credentials.
4 To run the service later, after stopping it, start it from the Services dialog
box.

Changing the LoadRunner Agent Password

To change the password of the LoadRunner Agent service you first need to
uninstall the service, and then reinstall it with the new user name and
password.

1 To uninstall the service, run

<LR_dir>\launch_service\bin\magentservice.exe -remove
2 To reinstall the service, run
<LR_dir>\launch_service\bin\magentservice.exe -install
<user_domain>\<user_name> <password>
This command also runs the agent service.
Do not change the user name or password in the services dialog.

Mapping Network Drives when Running the Agent as a

Service
For all Windows platforms, when the user is logged out, the service cannot
resolve the mapping of network drives. For Windows XP, the service also
cannot resolve the mapping of network drives when the user is logged on.

In cases when the service cannot work with mapped network drives, use the
full path to the directory, for example, <\\<machine-name>\<directory>\> .

523
Appendix D • Troubleshooting the Controller

524
E
Configuring Multiple IP Addresses

When you run a scenario, the Vusers on each load generator use the
machine’s IP address. You can define multiple IP addresses on a load
generator to emulate a real-life situation in which users sit on different
machines.

This appendix includes:

➤ About Multiple IP Addresses on page 526
➤ Adding IP Addresses to a Load Generator on page 527
➤ Using the IP Wizard on page 528
➤ Configuring Multiple IP Addresses on UNIX on page 532
➤ Updating the Routing Table on page 534
➤ Enabling Multiple IP Addressing from the Controller on page 535

525
Appendix E • Configuring Multiple IP Addresses

About Multiple IP Addresses

Application servers and network devices use IP addresses to identify clients.
The application server often caches information about clients coming from
the same machine. Network routers try to cache source and destination
information to optimize throughput. If many users have the same IP
address, both the server and the routers try to optimize. Since Vusers on the
same load generator have the same IP address, server and router
optimizations do not reflect real-life situations.

LoadRunner’s multiple IP address feature enables Vusers running on a single

machine to be identified by many IP addresses. The server and router
recognize the Vusers as coming from different machines and as a result, the
testing environment is more realistic.

Applicable Protocols
The multiple IP address feature is applicable to the following protocols:

➤ Client/Server. DNS, Windows Sockets

➤ Custom. Javascript Vuser, VB Vuser, VB Script Vuser
➤ E-business. FTP, Palm, SOAP, Web (HTTP/HTML), Web Services,
WinSock\Web Dual Protocol
➤ ERP/CRM. Oracle NCA, Oracle Web Applications 11i, PeopleSoft Enterprise,
SAP-Web, Siebel-Web
➤ Legacy. RTE
➤ Mailing Services. Internet Messaging (IMAP), POP3, SMTP
➤ Streaming Data. Real
➤ Wireless. i-Mode, VoiceXML, WAP
This feature can be implemented on Windows and UNIX platforms.

526
 Appendix E • Configuring Multiple IP Addresses

Adding IP Addresses to a Load Generator

LoadRunner includes an IP Wizard program that you run on Windows load
generators to create multiple IP addresses. You add new IP addresses to a
machine once and use the addresses for all scenarios. For information about
adding IP addresses on UNIX machines, see “Configuring Multiple IP
Addresses on UNIX” on page 532.

The following procedure summarizes how to add new IP addresses to a

load generator:
1 Run the IP Wizard on the load generator to add a specified number of IP
addresses. Manually configure the new IP addresses for UNIX load
generators.
2 Restart the machine.
3 Update the server’s routing table with the new addresses, if necessary.
4 Enable this feature from the Controller. See “Enabling Multiple IP
Addressing from the Controller” on page 535.

527
Appendix E • Configuring Multiple IP Addresses

Using the IP Wizard

The IP Wizard resides on each load generator. You run this process once to
create and save new IP addresses on Windows machines. The new addresses
can be a range of addresses defined by the Internet Assignment Numbers
Authority. They are for internal use only, and cannot connect to the
Internet. This range of addresses is the default used by the IP Wizard.

To add new IP addresses to a load generator:

1 Invoke the IP Wizard from the LoadRunner program group.

2 If you have an existing file with IP address settings, select Load previous
settings from file and choose the file.
3 If you are defining new settings, select Create new settings.

528
 Appendix E • Configuring Multiple IP Addresses

4 Click Next to proceed to the next step. If you have more than one network
card, choose the card to use for IP addresses and click Next.
The optional Web server IP address step enables the IP Wizard to check the
server’s routing table to see if it requires updating after the new IP addresses
are added to the load generator.

5 To check the server’s routing table directly after adding the addresses, enter
the server IP address. See “Updating the Routing Table” on page 534 for
more information.

529
Appendix E • Configuring Multiple IP Addresses

6 Click Next to see a list of the machine’s IP address(es). Click Add to define
the range of addresses.

IP addresses include two components, a netid and hostid. The submask

determines where the netid portion of the address stops and where the
hostid begins.
7 Select a class that represents the correct submask for the machine’s IP
addresses.
8 Specify the number of addresses to create. Select Verify that new IP
addresses are not already in use to instruct the IP Wizard to check the new
addresses. The IP Wizard will only add the addresses not in use.
Click OK to proceed.

530
 Appendix E • Configuring Multiple IP Addresses

9 After the IP Wizard creates the new addresses, the summary dialog box lists
all of the IP addresses.

10 Click Finish to exit the IP Wizard. The IP Wizard Summary dialog box is
displayed.

531
Appendix E • Configuring Multiple IP Addresses

11 Note the address of the .bat file, and see “Updating the Routing Table” on
page 534 for information about using the batch file to update the routing
table, if necessary.
12 After you update the routing table, check Reboot now to update routing
tables to initialize the Windows device drivers with the new addresses.
13 Click OK.

Configuring Multiple IP Addresses on UNIX

To configure multiple IP addresses on UNIX, manually configure the
addresses on the load generator.

➤ Solaris 2.5, 2.6, 7.0, 8.0

➤ Linux
➤ HP 11.0 or higher
➤ IBM AIX

Solaris 2.5, 2.6, 7.0, 8.0

To configure the hme0 device to support more than one IP address:
1 Create entries in /etc/hosts for each hostname on your physical machine:

128.195.10.31 myhost
128.195.10.46 myhost2
128.195.10.78 myhost3
Create /etc/hostname.hme0:n files that contain the hostname for the
virtual host n.

Note: hostname.hme0:0 is the same as hostname.hme0.

532
 Appendix E • Configuring Multiple IP Addresses

/etc/hostname.hme0 (Contains name myhost)

/etc/hostname.hme0:1 (Contains name myhost2)
/etc/hostname.hme0:2 (Contains name myhost3)

The above changes will cause the virtual hosts to be configured at boot time.
2 You can also directly enable/modify a logical hosts configuration by running
ifconfig directly on one of the logical hosts, using the hme0:n naming
scheme:

% ifconfig hme0:1 up
% ifconfig hme0:1 129.153.76.72
% ifconfig hme0:1 down

To verify the current configuration, use ifconfig –a.

Linux
To define multiple IP addresses for a single Ethernet card, you need IP
Aliasing compiled into the kernel. To do this, use the ifconfig command:

/sbin/ifconfig eth0:0 x.x.x.x netmask 255.255.x.x up

Substitute the new IP address for x.x.x.x, and insert the correct information
for subnet mask. Place this command in the rc.local file so that it executes
upon boot.

HP 11.0 or higher
To define multiple IP addresses for a single Ethernet card, you need IP
Aliasing compiled into the kernel. To do this, use the ifconfig command:

/sbin/ifconfig lan1:0 x.x.x.x netmask 255.255.x.x up

Substitute the new IP address for x.x.x.x, and insert the correct information
for subnet mask. Place this command in the rc.local file so that it executes
upon boot.

533
Appendix E • Configuring Multiple IP Addresses

IBM AIX
To define multiple IP addresses for a single Ethernet card, you need IP
Aliasing compiled into the kernel. To do this, use the ifconfig command:

/usr/sbin/ifconfig [int] [ip address] alias netmask [mask]

For example, if you want to add IP address 10.0.0.1 to the main interface,
you need to run, as root, the following:

/usr/sbin/ifconfig ne0 10.0.0.1 alias netmask 255.255.255.0

To execute this line upon boot, create a standard script in the appropriate
run level (/etc/rc.d/rc#.d).

Updating the Routing Table

Once the client machine has new IP addresses, the server needs the
addresses in its routing table, so that it can recognize the route back to the
client. If the server and client share the same netmask, IP class, and network,
the server’s routing table does not require modification.

Note: If there is a router between the client and server machines, the server
needs to recognize the path via the router. Make sure to add the following to
the server routing table: route from the Web server to the router, and routes
from the router to all of the IP addresses on the load generator.

534
 Appendix E • Configuring Multiple IP Addresses

To update the Web server routing table:

1 Edit the batch file that appears in the IP Wizard Summary screen. An
example .bat file is shown below.

2 For each occurrence of [CLIENT_IP], insert your IP address instead.

3 Run the batch file on the server machine.

Enabling Multiple IP Addressing from the Controller

Once you define multiple IP addresses, you set an option to tell the
Controller to use this feature.

To enable multiple IP addressing from the Controller:

1 In the Controller Design view, select Scenario > Enable IP Spoofer.

Note: You must select this option before connecting to a load generator.

2 Use the General Options of the Controller Expert Mode to specify how the
Controller should implement this feature.
For more information, see Appendix C, “Working in Expert Mode.”

535
Appendix E • Configuring Multiple IP Addresses

536
F
Controller Command Line Arguments

When you invoke the Controller from the command line, you can pass
arguments to instruct the Controller how to behave. By passing arguments
in the command line, you configure Controller scenario settings without
the need to manually define them using the Controller UI.

This appendix includes:

➤ About Controller Command Line Arguments on page 537
➤ Invoking the Controller from the Command Line on page 538
➤ Quality Center Arguments on page 539
➤ Run-Time Arguments on page 540

About Controller Command Line Arguments

When invoked, the Controller checks all of the received arguments and sets
its start-up environment accordingly. If no arguments are passed, the
Controller uses its default settings.

For example, you can instruct Controller to Connect to Quality Center on

start-up, save results to a directory other than the directory defined in the
scenario, and invoke Analysis upon scenario termination.

537
Appendix F • Controller Command Line Arguments

Invoking the Controller from the Command Line

To invoke the Controller, type wlrun in the command line, followed by the
arguments. Each argument should be preceded by a dash.

Note: The arguments are case-sensitive.

For example:

wlrun -TestPath C:\LoadRunner\scenario\Scenario.lrs -Run

When you invoke the Controller from the command line, the following
rules apply:

➤ If the Controller is invoked with no arguments in the command line, the

Controller uses its default settings.
➤ The Controller will always overwrite results.
➤ The Controller will automatically terminate upon scenario termination and
results will be collected. If you don’t want the Controller to automatically
terminate upon scenario termination, add the flag -DontClose to the
command line.
➤ The Controller launched through the command line behaves normally
except when using the -Run option. Using the -Run option, dialogs and
message boxes that usually open and require the user to close them in a
usual launch, do not open in a command line launch.
➤ The Controller’s settings are loaded from wlrun5.ini, located in Windows
directory.

538
 Appendix F • Controller Command Line Arguments

Quality Center Arguments

These arguments define the LoadRunner integration with Quality Center.
For more information about the LoadRunner Quality Center integration, see
Chapter 17, “Managing Scenarios Using Quality Center.”

ConnectToQC Specifies whether the Controller should connect to

Quality Center on startup (0/1 or ON/OFF)

QCServer Quality Center server name. Must be a machine

where Quality Center is installed

QCDB Quality Center database name. Use the format:

"<Domain name>.<Project name>".

UserName User name for connecting to Quality Center

Password Password corresponding to the user name

TestPath Path to scenario in Quality Center database. For

example,
"[TD]\Subject\LoadRunner\Scenario1"
If path includes blank spaces, use quotation marks.

TestId Test ID (used by Quality Center only)

ResultCleanName For use with ResultCycle only. Example: "Res1"

ResultCycle Quality Center cycle. For example,

"LR_60_SP1_247"
Note: The ResultCycle and ResultCleanName arguments
are required if you wish to store the results within the
Quality Center database.

539
Appendix F • Controller Command Line Arguments

Run-Time Arguments
These arguments specify the run-time related scenario settings. For more
information on scenario settings, see Chapter 16, “Preparing to Run a
Scenario.”

TestPath Path to the scenario, for example,

C:\LoadRunner\scenario\Scenario.lrs
This argument can also be used for a scenario
residing in a Quality Center database. For example,
"[TD]\Subject\LoadRunner\Scenario1"
If the path includes blank spaces, use quotation
marks.

Run Runs the scenario, dumps all output messages into

res_dir\output.txt and closes Controller

InvokeAnalysis Instructs LoadRunner to invoke Analysis upon

scenario termination. If this argument is not
specified, LoadRunner uses the scenario default
setting.

ResultName Full results path. For example, "C:\Temp\Res_01"

ResultCleanName Results name. For example, "Res_01"

ResultLocation Results directory. For example, "C:\Temp"

Note: If the scenario doesn’t specify a results directory, and one of the
results arguments was not passed, the scenario will not run.

540
G
Working with Digital Certificates

A Digital Certificate is an electronic “credit card” that establishes your

credentials when doing business or other transactions on the Web. It is
issued by a Certification Authority (CA). It contains the IP address of the
machine for which it was issued, a validation date, and the digital signature
of the certificate-issuing authority.

This appendix includes:

➤ Using Digital Certificates with Firewalls on page 541
➤ Creating and Using Digital Certificates on page 542

Using Digital Certificates with Firewalls

When the MI Listener sends its Public Key to the LoadRunner agent, it
always sends its certificate as well (this is the server-side certificate). The
LoadRunner agent can be configured to authenticate the certificate which it
received, as described in Chapter 22, “Working with Firewalls in
LoadRunner.” If the agent is configured to authenticate the certificate, it can
verify whether the sender is really the machine that it claims to be by:

➤ Comparing the certificate's IP address with the sender’s IP address.

➤ Checking the validation date.
➤ Looking for the digital signature in its Certification Authorities list.

541
Appendix G • Working with Digital Certificates

The MI Listener may also require the LoadRunner agent to send a certificate
at any point in the session. This is called the client-side certificate, as
described in the MI Listener Configuration Settings in Chapter 22, “Working
with Firewalls in LoadRunner.” If the LoadRunner agent owns a certificate, it
sends it to the MI Listener for the same authentication process. If the
LoadRunner agent does not own a certificate, the communication might not
be continued.

An SSL CA list and an SSL Certificate are included in each LoadRunner

installation. This certificate is the same for all LoadRunner installations,
which means that it can be obtained by third parties. Therefore, if you are
interested in a more secure process, you should create your own Certificate
Authority and include it in the list, and issue matching certificates for your
machines.

Creating and Using Digital Certificates

You create a Certification Authority using the gen_ca_cert.exe (on UNIX
platforms gen_ca_cert) utility, and a Digital Certificate using the
gen_cert.exe (on UNIX platforms gen_cert) utility. Both utilities can be used
on UNIX and Windows platforms, using a command-line interface.

To create a Certificate Authority using gen_ca_cert:

1 To view the format and usage, run the gen_ca_cert utility from the
<LoadRunner root folder>\launch_service\bin directory.

542
 Appendix G • Working with Digital Certificates

2 Create a new Certificate Authority by running the gen_ca_cert command

with at least one of the options: -country_name <country name>
-organization_name <organization name> and -common_name <the name of
the CA>.
This process creates two files in the directory from which the utility was run:
the CA Certificate (cacert.cer), and the CA Private Key (capvk.cer). To
provide different file names, use the -CA_cert_file_name and the
-CA_pk_file_name options respectively.
By default, the CA is valid for three years, from the time that the CA is
generated. To change the validation dates, use the options -nb_time
<beginning of validity in dd/mm/yyyy format> and/or -na_time <ending of validity
in dd/mm/yyyy format>.
The following example creates two files: ca_igloo_cert.cer and
ca_igloo_pk.cer in the current directory:

3 To install this CA, use the -install <name of certificate file> option. This option
replaces any previous CA list and creates a new one that includes only this
CA.
To add the new CA to the existing CA list, use the -install_add <name of
certificate file>.

4 The -install and -install_add options install the certificate file only. Keep the
private key file in a safe place and use it only for issuing certificates.

543
Appendix G • Working with Digital Certificates

To create a Digital Certificate using gen_cert:

1 To view the format and usage, run the gen_cert utility from the
<LoadRunner root folder>\launch_service\bin directory.

2 Create a new Digital Certificate by running the gen_cert command with at

least one of the options: -country_name <country name>,
-organization_name <organization name>, -organization_unit_name
<organization unit name>, -eMail <email address> and -common_name <the
name, full name or IP address of the machine>.
The CA Certificate and the CA Private Key files are necessary for the creation
of the certificate. By default, it is assumed that they are in the current
directory, and are named cacert.cer and capvk.cer respectively. In any other
case, use the -CA_cert_file_name and -CA_pk_file_name options to give the
correct files and locations.
In this process, the certificate file is created in the directory from which the
utility was run. By default, the file name is cert.cer. To provide a different
name, use the -cert_file_name option.
By default, the CA is valid for three years, from the time that the CA is
generated. To change the validation dates, use the -nb_time <beginning of
validity in dd/mm/yyyy format> and/or -na_time <ending of validity in
dd/mm/yyyy format> options .

544
 Appendix G • Working with Digital Certificates

The following example creates the igloo_cert.cer file in the current

directory:

3 If you wish to install this certificate, use the -install <name of certificate file>
option. This option replaces any previous certificate, as it is possible to own
only one certificate per machine.

545
Appendix G • Working with Digital Certificates

546
Index
A connecting
to database 507
Add Group dialog box 69
to Quality Center 254
Add New Load Generator dialog box 89
Connection Log tab 499
Add Script dialog box 210
Controller 53
Add Vusers dialog box 81
invoking 50
adding measurements 368
managing scenario files 55
Adobe Reader 15
overview 53
agent
quick tour 49
daemon 97, 99
running from the command line 538
defined 25
sending messages to (GUI) 276
summary window 315
Controller window
troubleshooting 522
Design view 53
application
Run view 58
analyzing 36
status bar 53
configuration 37
title bar 53
usage model 38
Toolbar 54
controller_host 485
B controller_path 486
Basic schedule 151 converting a scenario
to Percentage mode 134
to Vuser Group mode 146
C creating
CA (Certification Authority) 541 goal-oriented scenario 195
Certification Authority (CA) 541 manual scenario 63
Collate Results dialog box 250 manual scenario in Percentage Mode
collating scenario results 249 133
command line Vuser scripts 31
arguments 537
options, Vuser script 127 D
configuring
load generator 90 database
scenario 229 connecting to 507
script 125 debug
script (goal-oriented scenario) 210 information settings 492
script (Percentage Mode) 140 level 459
Vusers 76 declare_rendezvous function 275

547
Index

declare_transaction function 275 F

default scheduler 151, 240
files, Vuser script 128
Design tab
firewalls
manual scenario 67
configuring agent to operate over 355
Percentage mode 135
configuring the Controller 357
Details button 309
installing MI Listener 347
diagnostics
installing, configuration 344
enabling Oracle 11i logging 407
monitoring over 363
enabling Siebel DB logging 401
running Vusers over 337
ERP/CRM Mediator 378
troubleshooting 359, 514
digital certificate
functional testing scripts
overview 541
integrating into LoadRunner 265
disabling
See also GUI Vuser scripts
Vuser groups 72
functions, GUI 275
Vuser scripts (goal-oriented) 215
Vuser scripts (manual scenario) 144
disconnecting from Quality Center 257 G
documentation, online 15 get_host_name function 277
get_master_host_name function 277
E goal-oriented scenario 195
assigning load generators to scripts
Edit Scenario Goal
208
Load Behavior tab 204
assigning percentage of target to
Load Preview 200
scripts 207
Scenario Settings tab 203
defining goals 200
Edit Scenario Goal dialog box 200
Design tab 198
end_transaction function 275
Select Scenario Type 51
ERP/CRM Diagnostics 375
Graph Configuration dialog box 464
about 376
graph time 466
breakdown distribution 385
graphs, See online graphs
enabling 385
Group Information dialog box 73
mediator 378
group schedules 150
module architecture 378
copying settings 163
module types 377
viewing 172
setting up 380
GUI functions 275
ERP/CRM Mediator 378
GUI Vuser scripts
error handling 459
creating in QuickTest 269
error_message function 275, 276
integrating into LoadRunner 265
Execution Notes dialog box 314
using GUI functions 275
Expert mode 489
GUI Vusers, defined 26
connecting to UNIX load generator
498
debug settings 492 H
general settings 490 hardware, checking communications 503
monitor settings 496 hme0 device 532
output settings 494 Host Security Manager utility

548
 Index

adding hosts 325 K

history log 332
Knowledge Base 17
introduction 322
master key 323
updating security settings 327 L
Host Security Setup utility 320 Linux, configuring IP addresses 533
hostid, IP address component 530 lists 31
hosts file 504 load generator list 87
HP Software Support Web site 17 rendezvous list 217
HP Software Web site 17 script list 125
HP, configuring IP addresses 533 script list (Percentage Mode) 140
Vuser group list 67
I load balancing 209
load generator configuration 87
increasing number of Vusers 513
checking Controller communication
initialization quota 100
504
Initialize 291
connecting load generators 91
integration
disabling load generators 88
QuickTest into LoadRunner 269
disconnecting load generators 91
Interactive Schedule graph 169
enabling load generators 88
adding actions 176
Expert mode 497
deleting actions 178
firewall 102
Edit/View modes 175
initializing quota 100
editing actions 177
limiting of Vusers 101
full view 173
run-time files 95
managing schedule actions 175
selecting load generators 82
toolbar 170
Terminal Services 109
viewing group schedules 172
UNIX shell 96
viewing schedule progress in 179
WAN emulation 113
viewing schedules
Load Generator Information dialog box 93
zooming in and out 174
Firewall tab 102
interpreting online graphs 479
Run-Time File Storage tab 95
invoking the Controller 50
Run-Time Quota tab 100
IP addresses
Status tab 94
adding to a load generator 527
Terminal Services tab 109
class 530
Unix Environment tab 96
configuring multiple 525
Vuser Limits tab 101
configuring on HP 533
Vuser Status tab 104
configuring on Linux 533
WAN Emulation tab 116
configuring on Solaris 532
load generators 24
enabling from the Controller 535
adding 89
hostid 530
adding an IP address 527
IP Wizard 528
balancing 209
load generator machine 525
configuration 87, 90
netid 530
defined 24
submask 530
modifying 89

549
Index

multiple IP addresses 491 368

selecting 82 configuring measurement frequency
selecting (Percentage Mode) 138 369
setting attributes 92 configuring properties 364
viewing load generator details 91 multiple IP addresses 491
Load Generators window 90 connecting to Controller 506
load testing, defined 21 enabling 491
LoadRunner
application testing 21
N
emulating human users with Vusers
23 netid, IP address component 530
implementation planning 41 Network Delay options 467
testing process, See testing process New Monitored Server Properties dialog box
working with LoadRunner 24 365, 369
LoadRunner agent New Scenario dialog box 50
configuring over firewall 351
UNIX 353 O
LoadRunner Analysis User’s Guide 16
LoadRunner Controller User’s Guide 16 online documentation 15
LoadRunner Installation Guide 16 online graphs
LoadRunner Monitor Reference 16 bar value 466
local security configuration 320 configuring 461
lr_whoami function (GUI Vusers) 275 configuring measurements 467
customizing display view 455
exporting 474
M interpreting 479
manual scenario line color 468
creating 63 merging two graphs 473
defined 51 modifying a measurement scale 469
Design tab 67 opening graphs 454
Measurement Configuration dialog box refresh rate 465
Configuration tab 468 sampling rate 458
Description tab 468 transaction data 458
measurement frequency, setting 369 viewing data offline 475
messages x-axis style 465
sending to Controller (GUI) 276 y-axis style 467
MI Listener 347 online monitors 431
middleware debugging 459
response time measurements 43 display type 466
system configuration 37 error handling 459
Monitor Configuration dialog box 365 graph time 466
monitoring over a firewall 363 graphs 462
monitors interpreting online monitoring
online 431 graphs 479
monitors over firewall 363 pausing 463
adding and removing measurements show/hide lines 470

550
 Index

starting 452 Vusers 292

viewing data offline 475 Percentage mode
Open a New Graph dialog box 454 assigning load generators to scripts
Options dialog box 138
Debug Information tab 492 assigning percentage of total Vusers to
General tab 490 scripts 138
Path Translation Table tab 487 converting a scenario to Percentage
Run-Time File Storage tab 237 Mode 134
Run-Time Settings tab 234 converting to Vuser Group mode 146
Scheduler tab 151, 240 creating a scenario 133, 134
Timeout tab 231 defining the total number of Vusers
Oracle 11i Diagnostics 407 136
disabling diagnostics password Design tab 135
request 409 performance measurement scope 41
enabling logging 407 planning load tests 35
enabling trace diagnostics 407
setting diagnostics password 408
Q
setting trace file limits 408
setting up on the Controller 410 Quality Center
Oracle Configuration dialog box 411 adding Vuser scripts 262
Oracle Server Configuration dialog box 412 command line arguments 539
output file 511 connecting to 254
Output window disconnecting from 257
clearing 309 integration 253
debugging information 511 managing scripts 253
drilling down on log information 307 opening a scenario 258
filtering messages 309 saving results to Quality Center 261
refreshing 308 saving scenarios to Quality Center
saving messages to a file 309 259
sorting messages 310 QuickTest
viewing message detail 309 integrating into LoadRunner 269
output_message function 275 using QuickTest to create GUI scripts
Overlay Graphs dialog box 474 269

P R
path translation Real-world schedule 151
debugging file locations 507 Refresh button 126
defined 484 registry, modifying 513
editing the Path Translation Table 487 relative script paths 130
examples 488 Remote Agent Dispatcher (Process) 25
scenario configuration 240 remote security configuration 322
script path 131 remote_host 486
using the Path Translation Table 485 remote_path 486
pausing removing measurements 368
monitors 463 rendezvous 217

551
Index

attributes 219 S
disabling Vusers 224
sampling rate 458
enabling Vusers 224
SAP Configuration dialog box 417
information 225
SAP Diagnostics
manually releasing Vusers 293
setting up on the Controller 417
overview 217
scenario
setting release policy 222
closing 57
setting the attributes 219
collating results 249
setting timeout policy 222
configuring 229
Rendezvous Information dialog box 226
conversion to Percentage mode 134
resetting Vuser IDs 292
conversion to Vuser Group mode 146
response time measurement
creating a goal-oriented scenario 195
end-to-end 41
creating a manual scenario 63
GUI 42
creating a manual scenario in
middleware-to-server 43
Percentage Mode 133
network and server 42
creating a new scenario 55
server 42
defining scenario goals 200
results 244
goal-oriented scenario defined 51
collating 249
managing scenario files 55, 58
directory file structure 247
manual scenario defined 51
files for debugging 507
New Scenario dialog box 65
location in Quality Center project 261
opening 56
naming 244
opening from Quality Center 258
specifying location for 244
overview 64
routing table 534
preparing to run 243
rsh
result directory 247
checking Controller connection 506
running 281
running UNIX without 98
running GUI Vuser scripts 278
run modes
running QuickTest tests 278
Scheduler 151
running WinRunner tests 278
Run/Stop Vusers dialog box 294
saving 57
running over firewall 337
saving to Quality Center 259
Run-Time graphs
Scenario Goal window 198, 200
interpreting 479
Scenario Scripts pane 198, 200
run-time settings
summary information 252
configuring 83
viewing output messages 305
setting in a goal-oriented scenario 212
scenario configuration
setting in a manual scenario 126
path translation 240
shared 84
run-time file location 236
Run-Time Viewer
run-time settings 234
view replay from Controller 292
specifying results location 244
timeout intervals 231
scenario execution 281
activating additional Vusers 294
controlling individual Vuser groups
284

552
 Index

controlling individual Vusers 291 editing in grid 168

loading Vuser groups 284 editing in schedule graph 177
loading Vusers 292 edting in grid 167
manually releasing Vusers from a grid toolbar 164
rendezvous 293 Initialize 154
messages 305 managing in interactive schedule
monitoring active Vusers 302 graph 175
overview 58, 60, 281 Start Group 153
pausing Vuser groups 285 Start Vusers 155
running scenarios unattended 283 Stop Vusers 157
running Vuser groups 285 Schedule graph, See Interactive Schedule
stopping Vuser groups 286 graph
Scenario Scheduler 147 Scheduler, See Scenario Scheduler
scenario schedules Script Information dialog box 212
actions 164 script paths, relative 130
adding Vusers during scenario run scripts, See Vuser scripts
180 secure host communication
basic or real-world 151 best practices 333
by group 150 configuring security settings 319
by scenario 150 local security configuration 320
configuring default scheduler 151, overview 318
240 remote security configuration 322
copying group schedule settings 163 troubleshooting 333
creating 158 UNIX load generator 322
deleting 163 updating security key 327
Duration action 156 updating security mode 329
Initialize action 154 security key, updating 327
initializing all Vuser groups before a security mode, updating 329
run 154 sending messages
managing 157 GUI Vusers 276
managing in schedule graph 175 server monitors
modifying 163 adding and removing measurements
renaming 163 368
setting start time 162 cloning a server 369
Start Group action 153 configuring properties 364
Start Vusers action 155 setting a measurement frequency 369
Stop Vusers action 157 server routing table 534
viewing 149 service level agreements, defining 181
viewing progress during scenario run Set Results Directory dialog box
179 local or remote location 245
scenario start time 162 Quality Center project 261
schedule actions 164 settings
adding in grid 165 debug 492
adding in schedule graph 176 general 490
deleting in schedule graph 178 load generator 92
Duration 156 measurement frequency 369

553
Index

monitors 496 analyzing test results 33

output 494 creating the scenario 31
timeout 231 creating the Vuser scripts 31
show/hide a measurement monitoring a scenario 33
online monitors 463 planning the test 31
Transaction monitor 470 running the scenario 32
Siebel Configuration dialog box 394 timeout
Siebel DB Configuration dialog box 403 Controller settings 231
Siebel DB Diagnostics 399 toolbar
enabling logging 401 Interactive Schedule graph 170
setting up on the Controller 402 Schedule Actions grid 164
Siebel DB Server Configuration dialog box Toolbar, Controller 54
404 transaction data 458
Siebel Diagnostics 389 transactions 24
configuring application server 390 deciding which to define 43
configuring where Web server inside a failed 509
DMZ 392 Including in QuickTest scripts 269
copying files from the application Transactions dialog box 304
server to the Mediator 393 troubleshooting
enabling Siebel diagnostics 390 agent 522
generating application server IDs 391 Controller 501
optimizing server performance firewalls 514
settings 390 Troubleshooting and Knowledge Base 17
setting up on the Controller 394
Siebel Server Configuration dialog box 396
U
SLA
defining 181 UNIX
Solaris connection to load generator 498
configuring IP addresses 532 LoadRunner agent 353
SSL rsh 506
overview 541 shell 506
start_transaction function (GUI) 275 without rsh 98
statements, adding in QuickTest 270 user_data_point function 275
Status bar 53
stopping V
Vuser groups 286
Vusers 292 viewing diagnostics results 388
Summary Information dialog box 252 viewing Vusers
agent summary 315
Output window 305
T overview 301
Terminal Services 105 Virtual users, See Vusers
distributing Vusers 109 Vuser functions
launching a client 108 GUI 275
LoadRunner Agent 107 Vuser groups
testing process adding Vusers to 81, 82

554
 Index

deleting 72 emulating maximum user load 217

enabling/disabling 72 error, warning, and notification
list 67 messages 305
loading 284 GUI Vusers 26
modifying 72 initializing before run 154
pausing 285 loading 292
running 285 monitoring 302
stopping 286 pausing 292
Vuser scripts 23 resetting IDs 292
adding (goal-oriented scenario) 210 running 292
adding (Percentage Mode) 140 status in Scenario Groups window
adding from Quality Center 262 302, 303
assigning load generators to (goal- stopping 292
oriented scenario) 208 types of 26
assigning load generators to viewing 301
(Percentage mode) 138 Vuser Information dialog box 129
assigning percentage of defined target Vuser Log 311
to (goal-oriented scenario) 207 Vuser script log 293
assigning percentage of total Vusers to Vuser window 59
(Percentage mode) 138 Vusers window 76
command line options 127
configuring 125
W
creating 31
deleting (goal-oriented scenario) 215 WAN emulation 113
deleting (Percentage Mode) 144 best practices 123
editing 129 configuring 115
enabling/disabling (goal-oriented configuring settings 115
scenario) 215 emulated locations 118
enabling/disabling (manual scenario) excluding Hosts 119
144 excluding machines 119
files 128 limitations 122
modifying script details 126, 129 monitoring 119
obtaining GUI Vuser information 277 typical network settings 117
selecting for group 82 WinRunner
selecting for load generator 70 using WR to create GUI scripts 272
selecting for scenario 52
Vuser statuses 77, 302
Vuser types
GUI 272
Vusers
activating additional during scenario
execution 294
adding to a group 81, 82
configuring 76
deciding how many to run 44
defined 23

555
Index

556