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In our last blog article, we went through setting up an Amazon AWS account for EC2, and configuring AWS and LoadRunner in preparation for using Load Generators from the Cloud. At this point, we are ready to use them in a load test scenario.

Let’s first look at using an existing machine. I installed a Micro instance of Windows 2012 Server (Standard Edition) in EC2. It’s really slow and won’t do much. HP does not recommend a Micro account, so keep in mind we’re only trying to demonstrate the features at this time. Read Entire Entry

Let’s explore using Load Generators from the Amazon EC2 Cloud in LoadRunner 12.  Many people have asked me about it, wondering about any “gotcha’s” that might be out there. I have found a couple. In this blog entry, I want to focus on the configuration and setup of LoadRunner. There is quite a bit to consider.

First, set up an account instance on Amazon EC2. I was able to set up a free account with a Micro instance of a Windows 2012 Standard machine in less than thirty minutes.  However, using the Micro instance is no Read Entire Entry

This is a visual walk-through of the LoadRunner 12 installation screens. This will allow you to preview installation so that you can know what to expect.

After selecting the option to install the software, the following screens are presented:

You may need to unblock the ports within the Windows Firewall so the LoadRunner Agent can run on the machine:

Once installed, you should see the Community license bundle:

If you are installing a stand-alone Generator, there is a choice for Performance Cen Read Entire Entry

Considering installing or upgrading to LoadRunner 12? Below are the latest specifications for the Controller, Generator, MI Listener, VUGen, and Analysis.
Controller

Processor
CPU Type: Intel Core, Pentium, Xeon, AMD or compatibleSpeed: 1.6 GHz or faster

Memory (RAM)
Minimum: 2GB  Recommended: 4GB

Free  Hard Disk Space
Minimum: 40 GB

Screen Resolution
Minimum: 1024 x 768

Operating System

Windows 7 (SP1) 32 bit or 64 bit
Windows 8 64 bit
W Read Entire Entry

A brand spanking new version of LoadRunner is out, and Northway has the dirt! Buckle up, there is some cool stuff in this new version.
New LoadRunner Licensing
Probably one of the biggest changes to the product is HP’s new “Community License Bundle”. This replaces the old “Instant-on License” where LoadRunner would work with a minimum number of Vusers for a limited amount of time. This new bundle includes 50 Vusers for almost every protocol. It excludes Vusers for the GUI (UFT integration), COM/DCOM, and templa Read Entire Entry

HP’s May 2013 release of LoadRunner 11.52 was more than just a simple patch. While there are general performance improvements in VUGen and Analysis for general user functions, it also has several new features. This article will cover many of them so you can determine if it is time to upgrade.
Replay Statistics Summary
HP deployed multiple changes within the VUGen IDE.  A Replay Statistics Summary is now available for connection information made between each iteration, after a replay.  To disable/enable Replay Statistics go Read Entire Entry

Every few days I get a general report from our web site analytics showing basic information about who is on our site and how the information is being used. I generally look at this to see if we are actually helping people. If there are pages on are site that are not providing value, then why are they out there? We constantly try to improve any pages that are rarely viewed, and sometimes we remove the page altogether. We recently started the Northway Navigators Club so that technical users can access our growing knowledge base.

I Read Entire Entry

Recently one of our LoadRunner consultants was experiencing Vugen recording issues using the Citrix/Xenapp protocol. After some investigation into the configuration settings on the Xenapp server, a focus was placed on the “Linger” setting. When it was turned on, the session could not be properly hooked into by the recording engine of Vugen. Here is what Citrix says about this setting:

Linger settings
A user session ends after user processes and visible windows end (for example, when a user exits from an application, the sessio Read Entire Entry

On 8/22/13, we hosted a webinar on “Preparing Applications for Heavy Load”. HP’s Performance Evangelist, Wilson Mar, and Scott Moore, CEO of Northway Solutions Group, reviewed the importance of Performance Test planning and strategies to reduce the risk of your application failing under “point load” – expected or unexpected. We discussed:

What’s needed to be sure your online application crash is not in the news
Resources required to effectively test your applications
What tool provides the most robust testing platform Read Entire Entry

This is the sixth installment in a multi-part series to address the basics of performance testing applications. It’s for the beginner, but it is also for the experienced engineer to share with project team members when educating them on the basics as well. Project Managers, Server Team members, Business Analysts, and other roles can utilize this information as a guide to understanding performance testing process, the typical considerations, and how to get started when you have never embarked on such a journey.
One key area of Read Entire Entry