Running a Test

---

Running a Test enables you to simulate real end user Web activity and to generate the results data you need in order to analyze and assess the performance of target WAEs.

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

Dynamic Tests

In OpenSTA Tests are dynamic, which means that the Test contents and settings can be modified while it is running, giving you control over a Test-run and the results that are generated.

New Task Groups can be added and the contents and settings of the existing Task Groups that comprise a Test can be individually edited by temporarily stopping the Task Group, making the changes required, then restarting them. These facilities give you control over the load generated and enable you to modify the type of performance data you monitor and record without stopping the Test-run.

Note: It is not possible to remove a Task Group from a Test during a Test-run.

While a Test is running you can:

• Add a new Task Group.

  Scripts and Collectors can be added to a Test and the Task Groups that contain them started.

• View the settings and status of Task Groups using the Properties Window and the Status column of the Configuration Tab.
• Modify Task Group settings when the selected Task Group has stopped.

  These settings are:

  Schedule settings

  Host settings

  Virtual User settings (Script-based Task Groups only)

  Task settings (Script-based Task Groups only)

• Stop/Start a Task Group.

  Task Groups can be stopped and started during a Test-run using the Stop and Start buttons in the new Control column of the Configuration Tab. The Stop button is displayed if the Task Group is Active and a Start button is displayed if the Test is running and the Task Group is stopped, otherwise no button is displayed.

Run a Test

1. In the Repository Window, double-click Tests to open the folder and display the Tests contained.
2. Double-click the Test, PRESIDENT_SEARCH , you want to run, which launches the Test Pane in the Commander Main Window.
3. Check the Test contains the Scripts and Collectors you want and that the Task Group settings are correct, then click in the toolbar to run the Test.

   Note: When you click , the Test is automatically compiled. If there is an error during compilation the Compile Errors dialog box appears with a description of the fault(s) to assist you in resolving any problems.

   After your Test has been compiled successfully, the Starting Test dialog box appears which displays a brief status report on the Test-run.

   Tip: Click on the Monitoring Tab within the Test Pane during a Test-run and select a Collector or Task Group, to monitor the performance of target Web sites and Hosts used to run the Test, in graph and table format.

Monitoring a Test-run

Task Groups and the Scripts and Collectors they contain can be monitored using the Monitoring Tab of the Test Pane during a Test-run. When you run a Test that includes Collectors you can monitor:

• A summary of current Test-run activity.
• Script-based Task Groups: All the Scripts in a Task Group and the Virtual Users currently running each Script.
• Collector-based Task Groups: All the data collection queries defined in a Collector.

Monitor Scripts and Virtual Users

1. Make sure the PRESIDENT_SEARCH Test is open and running with the  Monitoring Tab of the Test Pane displayed.

   Note: Ensure that the entry in the Status column of the Configuration Tab reads ACTIVE, indicating that the Test is running.

2. In the Monitoring Window click , next to a Script-based Task Group folder to open it. The Script-based Task Group folder lists the Script Tasks it contains.
3. Select a Script from the Monitoring Window to track Virtual User activity.

   Data for all the Virtual Users running the selected Script-Task are displayed in the Test Pane. The data categories are Virtual User ID, Duration, Current Script-Task iteration and Note Text connected with each Virtual User. Note text is included for the last NOTE command executed by a Virtual User.

   Note: When a Test-run is complete, the entry in the Test Status box at the top of the Monitoring Window reads INACTIVE and the display options in the Monitoring Window are cleared.

Monitoring Collectors

1. Make sure the PRESIDENT_SEARCH Test is open and running with the  Monitoring Tab of the Test Pane displayed.

   Note: Ensure that the entry in the Status column of the Configuration Tab reads ACTIVE, indicating that the Test is running.

2. In the Monitoring Window click , to open a Task Group folder that contains an NT Performance or an SNMP Collector.

   The data collection queries defined in the selected folder are listed below. They represent the display options available.

3. Select one or more of the data collection queries you want to monitor from the Monitoring Window.

   Note: When a Test-run is complete, the entry in the Test Status box at the top of the Monitoring Window reads INACTIVE and the display options in the Monitoring Window are cleared.

Next...

After you have run your Test, use the results display functions to view the data collected during the Test-run. Or move on to the next section for details on how to run a Test in single stepping mode.

Next Section: Single Stepping HTTP/S Load Tests

Back to Contents