Introduction

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• What is HTTP/S Load?
• Documentation Conventions

What is HTTP/S Load?

HTTP/S Load supplies performance testing software for evaluating Web Application Environments (WAEs). It is built on the OpenSTA Architecture which is a distributed testing architecture that enables you to create and run versatile production monitoring and HTTP/S load Tests. It can be employed at all stages of WAE development as well as being used to continuously monitor system performance once an WAE goes live.

Use HTTP/S Load to develop Tests which monitor and collect performance data from live WAEs within a production environment and to create load Tests which include an HTTP/S load element, known as Scripts, to help assess the performance of WAEs during development. HTTP/S Load enables you to run Tests against the same target system within both load testing and production monitoring scenarios. This means that you can directly compare the performance of the target system within these two environments.

Within HTTP/S Load, use Commander to create Collectors and Scripts, then create and run the Tests which incorporate them in order to generate the performance data you need.

HTTP/S Load Test

HTTP/S Load is designed to create and run HTTP/S load Tests to help assess the performance of WAEs. Tests can be developed to simulate realistic Web scenarios by creating and adding Scripts to a Test to reproduce the activity of hundreds to thousands of users. Resource utilization information and response times from WAEs under test can be monitored and collected during a Test-run and then displayed. This enables you to identify system limitations or faults before launch, or after Web services have been modified, in order to help you create reliable Web sites that meet your load requirements.
Load Tests can also incorporate Collectors which monitor and record the performance of target components that comprise the system under test.

The Scripts used in a Test can be disabled when the WAE goes live allowing you to use the same Test and the Collectors it includes, to monitor and record performance data during a production-based Test-run. Test results can then be directly compared to assess the performance of the target system within a load Test and production environment.

Production Monitoring Test

HTTP/S Load supports the creation of Collector-only Tests. The ability to develop Tests without an HTTP/S load element enables you to create and run Tests which monitor and collect performance data from target systems in a production scenario. In this environment Tests are used to monitor and collect performance data within a production system where the load is generated externally by the normal use of the system.

See also:

Getting Started

HTTP/S Load

Documentation Conventions

This guide uses the following conventions to indicate specific actions. Most of these relate to procedural text and are listed below:

Example	Describes
Click OK	Pressing the left mouse button to select the OK button. Bold text represents menu options, dialog box selections and key presses.
Right-click	Pressing the right mouse button.
Control-click	Holding down the Control key and pressing the left mouse button.
Select File > New Test	Choosing the New Test option from the File menu. The > character indicates the requirement to select each option in sequence.
Alt + 2	Holding down the Alt key and pressing 2.
Fixed-Pitch type	Program code.

Note: Most procedures in Commander are supported by keyboard shortcuts.

Feedback

If you have any comments or suggestions relating to this help system or any other product documentation, please e-mail them to docs@opensta.org.

See also:

Getting Started