Creating a Test

---

After you have planned your Test you need to develop it by adding the Collectors you want to include. Use Commander to coordinate the Test development process by selecting the Collectors you need and combining them into a new Test with the required Task Group settings applied.

Task Group settings control which Host is used to run a Task Group and when it starts and stops during a Test-run. Select a Collector-based Task Group in the Test table then use the Properties Window below to apply your settings.

Tests can be developed and then run using remote Hosts across a network to execute the Task Groups that comprise a Test. In order to do this, OpenSTA must be installed on each Host and the OpenSTA Name Server must be running on each and configured to specify the Repository Host for the Test.

Tasks and Task Groups

Work from the Repository Window, located by default on the left of the Commander Main Window, to create new Tests and to open existing ones.

The Repository Window displays the contents of the Repository and functions as a picking list from where you can select the Collectors and Scripts you want to include in a Test. Use it in conjunction with the Configuration tab of the Test Pane to develop the contents of a Test. Select a Collector or Script from the Repository Window then drag and drop it on to a Task column of a Test to create a new Task within a new Task Group.

The Collectors you add to a Test are referred to as Tasks. A Collector Task is represented by a Collector-based Task Group. When you add a Collector to a Test you can apply the Task Group settings you require, or you can accept the default settings and return later to edit them.

Some of the Task Group cells in the Test table are dynamically linked to the Properties Window below, select them one at a time to display and edit the associated Task Group settings in the Properties Window.

Select the Start or Host cells in a Task Group row to control the Schedule and Host settings. Script-based Task Groups and the Script Tasks they contain have additional settings associated with them. Select the VUs and Task cells to control the load levels generated when a Test is run.

Use the Disable/Enable Task Group function to control which Task Groups are executed when a Test is run by clicking the check box in the Task Group column cell. This is a useful feature if you want to disable Script-based Task Groups to turn off the HTTP/S load element. The Test can then be used to monitor a target system within production scenario.

Note: For Production Monitoring you will not need to add a Script. The load element is supplied by the production input to the system.

Collector-based Task Group Settings include:

• Schedule Settings: Control when a Task Group starts and stops to determine the period of data collection during a Test-run.
• Host Settings: Specify the Host computer you want to use to run a Task Group during a Test-run.

The Test Pane

Use the Test Pane to create and edit a Test, then apply the Task Group settings you require to control how they behave during a Test-run. Run and monitor the Test-run then display your results for analysis.

The Test Pane is displayed in the Main Window when you open a Test by double-clicking a new Test , or an existing Test , in the Repository Window.

The Test Pane comprises three sections represented by the following tabs:

• Configuration: This is the default view when you open a Test and the workspace used to develop a Test. Use it in combination with the Repository Window to select and add Scripts and Collectors. It displays the Test table which has categorized column headings that indicate where Script and Collector Tasks can be placed and the Task Group settings that apply to the contents of the Test.
  Select a Task Group cell to view and edit the associated settings using the Properties Window displayed below the Test table.
• Monitoring: Use this tab to monitor the progress of a Test-run. Select the display options you want from the Monitoring Window, including a Summary and data for individual Task Groups.
• Results: Use this tab to view the results collected during Test-runs in graph and table format. Use the Results Window to select the display options available which are dependent on the type of Test you are running.

Test Pane Features

The Configuration tab view of the Test Pane is displayed below:

The Test Development Process

The Test development process typically includes the following procedures:

• Create a Test
• Add a Collector to a Test
• Define Task Group settings, these include:
• Edit the Task Group Schedule Settings
• Select the Host used to Run a Task Group
• Save and Close a Test

Create a Test

1. In Commander select File > New Test > Tests.

   Or: In the Repository Window, right-click Tests, and select New Test > Tests.

   The Test appears in the Repository Window with a small crossed red circle over the Test icon , indicating that the file has no content. As soon as you open the Test and add a Collector or a Script, the icon changes to reflect this and appears .

2. In the Repository Window give the Test a name, in this example PRODUCTION_MONITOR, then press Return.

   Note: The new Test is saved automatically in the Repository when you switch to a different function or exit from Commander.

Add a Collector to a Test

1. In the Repository Window, locate your new Test and double-click  PRODUCTION_MONITOR, to open it with the Configuration tab of the Test Pane displayed.

   The Configuration tab displays the Test table where you can add Tasks, and the Properties Window which is used to apply Task Group settings.

2. Double-click Collectors, in the Repository Window to open the folder and display the contents.
3. In the Repository Window, click on the NT_PERFORMANCE Collector, then drag it across to the Test table and drop it in a new row under the Task 1 column.

   The selected Collector NT_PERFORMANCE, appears in the first empty row under the first Task column, in a new Task Group.

   Note: Collector-based Task Groups can only contain a single Task.

• The Task Group name is taken from the Test name and includes a number suffix which is automatically incremented for each new Task Group added to the Test.

  Use the Task Group cell to disable and enable a Task Group.

  Note: Uniquely naming Task Groups enables you to select and monitor them during a Test-run from the Monitoring tab.

• The Start column indicates the Task Group Schedule settings. For more information on Task Group scheduling, see Edit the Task Group Schedule Settings.
• The Status column displays Task Group activity and status information.
• The Host column defaults to localhost, which refers to the computer you are currently working on.
  The Host you select here determines which computer or device will run the Task Group during a Test-run. For more information on selecting a Host, see Select the Host used to Run a Task Group.

4. Repeat steps 1-4 this time add the SNMP Collector you created.

   Note: Your changes are saved automatically in the Repository when you switch to a different function or exit from Commander.

Edit the Task Group Schedule Settings

1. Open a Test with the Configuration tab of the Test Pane displayed.
2. Click on the Start cell in a Task Group.

   The current Schedule settings are displayed in the Properties Window at the bottom of the Configuration tab. The default setting is for an Immediate start when the Test is run.

3. In the Start Task Group section of the Properties Window, click to the right of the selection box and choose a Start option:

• Scheduled: The Task Group starts after the number of days and at the time you set.
  Enter a time period using the Days and Time text boxes.
• Immediately: The Task Group starts when the Test is started.
• Delayed: The Task Group starts after the time period you set, (days: hours: minutes: seconds), relative to when the Test was started.
  Enter a time period using the Days and Time text boxes.

  Note: Your settings are displayed in the Test table.

4. In the Stop Task Group section of the Properties Window, click to the right of the text box and select a stop option:

• Manually: The Task Group will run continuously until you click the Stop button in the Status column of the Task Group that activates during a Test run.
• After fixed time: The Task Group is stopped after a fixed period of time.
  Enter a time period using the Time Limit text box.
• On Completion: The Script-based Task Group is stopped after completing a number of iterations.
  Enter the number of Task Group iterations in the Iterations text box.

  Note: Your changes are saved automatically in the Repository when you switch to a different function in or exit from Commander.

  Note: During a Test-run Schedule settings cannot be edited, but they can be overridden manually using the Start and Stop buttons in the Status column of each Task Group.

Select the Host used to Run a Task Group

Note: Collector-based Task Groups include a Collector which defines a set of data to be recorded from one or more target Hosts during a Test-run. The Host you select in the Test table determines which computer or device will run the Task Group during a Test-run, not the Host from which data is collected.

1. Make sure the PRODUCTION_MONITOR Test is open with the Configuration tab of the Test Pane displayed.
2. Click on the Host cell , in a Task Group.

   The current Host settings are displayed in the Properties Window at the bottom of the Configuration tab. The default setting is localhost, which refers to the computer you are currently using.

3. In the Host Name text box of the Properties Window, enter the name of the Host to run the Task Group. Your settings are then displayed in the Test table.

   Note: The Host you select must have the OpenSTA Name Server installed and running with the Repository Host setting pointing to the local Host.

   Note: Your changes are saved automatically in the Repository when you switch to a different function in or exit from Commander.

Save and Close a Test

• The Test related work you perform is automatically saved in the Repository and the Test is closed when you switch to a different function or exit Commander.

After you have created a Test, by adding Collectors, and applying the Task Group settings required, you are ready to run it against the target production system. Move on to the next chapter for details on how to do this.

Next Section: Running a Test

Contents