Adding Rate Runner Groups

By defining Rate Runner Groups, you can group related tests. The tests within a group run in a sequence and the tests across the groups are run in parallel.

About this task

For example, there are two Rate Runner Groups, such as Rate Runner Group A and Rate Runner Group B. Each group contains one test. When you run the Rate Schedule, both the tests run in parallel. If there are more tests in the groups, those tests will run after the first test completes.

Procedure

  1. From the Test Navigator view, double-click the Rate Schedule.
  2. In the Rate Schedule editor, select the schedule and click Add > Rate Runner Group.
  3. In the Group name, type a descriptive name for the user group.
  4. In the table, click Show Advanced check box and click Edit.
  5. You can modify the following options for the Rate Runner Group:
    Iteration Rate
    Specify the rate at which a transaction needs to be executed.
    Constant: The workload of the rate generator occurs exactly at the rate you specify. For example, if the iteration rate is 4 per minute, the workload starts at 15 seconds, 30 seconds, 45 seconds, and 60 seconds, which is exactly 4 every minute, evenly spaced, with a 15-second interval.
    Uniform: The time between each workload is not constant. However, the workload that occurred over time averages out to the rate that you specified. The time between the start of each workload is chosen randomly with a uniform distribution within the selected range.
    Negative Exponential: This type of distribution emulates the spike of activity followed by a lean period that is typical of user behavior. Therefore, if the rate is 4 every minute, the probability that the workload starts immediately is high but decreases over time. Test Performance maintains the desired average rate.
    Change Rate
    Click this option to set a delay between starting and stopping each iteration. The All iterations over option produces a slight variance that is representative of human behavior. The One iteration every option adds the same delay to each iteration, which prevents many iterations from performing an action simultaneously if the system under test has limitations.
    Min Clients
    Specify the minimum number of clients to be used to achieve the desired rate of execution. This option is typically used by an advanced user if the default number of clients do not meet the desired rate.
    Max Clients
    Specify the maximum number of clients to be used to achieve the desired rate of execution.
  6. Define the scope of the tests in the Rate Runner Group.

    Define Locally: Click this button to use the tests from the Rate Schedule.

    Use compound test: Clkick this button to define the group from the compound test. You can click Browse to add an existing compound test to the Rate Runner group or click Create to create a compound test. The definition of the compound test is then applied to the Rate Runner group.

  7. In the Options tab, define the protocol-specific options.
    Select Override think time options to specify a think time behavior for the current group.
    Use the recorded think time
    Select to play back a test at the same rate that it was recorded. This option has no effect on the think time.
    Specify a fixed think time
    Each think time is exactly the same value that you specify. Although this does not emulate users accurately, it is useful if you want to play a test back quickly.
    Increase/decrease the think time by a percentage
    Type a percentage in the Think time scale. Each think time is multiplied by that percentage. A value of 100 causes no change in think times. A value of 200 doubles the think times, therefore the schedule plays back half as fast as it was recorded. A value of 50 reduces the think times by half, therefore the schedule plays back twice as fast. A value of 0 indicates no delays.
    Vary the think time by a random percentage
    Each think time is randomly generated within the upper and lower bounds of the percentages that you supply. The percentage is based on the recorded think time. For example, if you select a Lower limit of 10 and an Upper limit of 90, the think times will be between 10 % and 90 % of the original recorded think time. The random time is uniformly distributed within this range.
    Limit think times to a maximum value
    Setting a maximum think time is useful with tests that emulate actual think times. By setting a maximum, you do not have to search for and edit each long think time within a test, if, for example, you are interrupted during recording. No think time used will be greater than the maximum limit you set, even if you have chosen to vary the think time by a percentage that would exceed this maximum. To restore the original think times, clear this check box.
  8. Click the Edit Options button to edit certain options that apply to specific test extensions.
  9. In the Variable Initialization tab, create or select the existing variables to be used by all the tests in a Rate Runner group. For more information, see Assigning variables to schedule and groups
  10. Save the schedule.