HP Performance Center Around LoadRunner

Why HP Performance Center?

Most people get HP Performance Center (abbreviated PC) when they want to simulate more Vusers than several LoadRunner Controller can run at the same time. HPPC enaables load testers, from a single central dashboard, to:

Reserve Time Slots and have have runs autostart at their time.
Coordinate multiple Load Controllers simultaneously
Allocate Load Generators among load generators
Reset servers remotely.
Send emails when alert levels are reached.
Response Time SLAs (Service Leel Agreements).

Performance Center does NOT:

Provide a website to display results during runs.

Product Versions

Version 12 UI adopts the same "flat" design as other new sites around the internet.

Version 10 databases are integrated into ALM database.

Version 9.1 0 (9.10) docs are all dated June 27, 2008.

Version 9.0 became available July, 2007. It introduced use of IIS web services communication protocols with the Controller.

Version 8.1 became available May, 2006.

Version 7.8 became available Nov, 2004.

Document Name [file]

Pages

System Configuration and Installation Guide [PCIG910_01.pdf]

234

Administrator's Guide [PCAG910_01.pdf]

370

Troubleshooting Guide [PCTSG910_01.pdf]

130

User Guide
[PCUG910_01.pdf]

982

Version 9 Architecture Overview

Back in Version 9, HP Performance_Center_Servers consisted of 4 IIS "servers" (each with virtual directory PCWS).

The Utility_Server hosts the Performance Center License Manager and provides a centralized location for specific (singleton) information that can exist only once within the system. So the utility server is also used to configure Monitor Profiles, AutoRun schedules, and maintenance services.

The Administration_Site_Server (https://198.162.0.1/Admin) is used to assign user roles and privileges, create and administer projects, and manage resource usage.

The User_Site_Server (https://198.162.0.2/LoadTest) is used to create, manage, and run load tests. Results are collated and analyzed through this server. With it, you can perform tasks such as designing and configuring load tests, configuring monitors, reserving resources, running and monitoring test runs, and analyzing test results.

The File_Server stores (as files in Windows network shares) test scripts and test results for access (via Windows NetBIOS protocol) by the User Site via NetBIOS. Default paths to folder names stored in the database are listed here:

5. The Database Server (Oracle 9i, 10g, or Microsoft SQL Server 2000) stores information on users, projects, host information, and load tests in MI_LRDB databases managed with with db_owner permissions to user OrchidUser, which also has an identify in server security logins. orchidtmp

These 5 above can be installed on the same machine.

Performance_Center_Host machines can be configured to serve one of 3 purposes -- Controller, Load Generator, or Data Processor. (It cannot be installed on a machine with LoadRunner installed).

Controller

7. Load generators generate load on servers under test by running Vusers iterating emulation scripts based on scripts and instructions from the Controller. There can be any number of load generators for a given load test. There are Regular, Unix, and Standalone load generators. But Load Generators cannot be on a machine that has IIS installed.

Load Generators are installed Standalone within the same subnet as the Controller. Alternately, they can operate over a firewall which divides the subnet of servers under test from the Controller through a MI_Listener_Component for monitoring over firewall (MOFW) on a machine that does not have IIS installed. (The "MI" is for Mercury Interactive, so it's been around before version 8).

Each Load Generator can emulate 50-100 Vusers, depending on the complexity of the script, the size of parameter files in memory, and the amount of think time between requests.

8. The Data Processor host is used for publishing information to the Performance Center Dashboard, a feature LoadRunner does not provide.

9. Analysis of results. This machine can also house Snapshot Viewer used to view snapshots captured on error from virtual Web users during load test runs. These .SOE files contain one or more snapshots in .INF format.

Optionally,

Monitors_over_FireWall

12. The ERP_and_CRM_Mediator of SAP, Siebel, Siebel DB, and Oracle DB environments.

13. Installing a Performance Center Host on a Terminal Server machine (before enabling the Terminal Server agent in Advanced settings) enables Performance Center to control (through Windows Remote Desktop Connection) several Windows-based single-user UFT/QuickTestPro (previously WinRunner) GUI Vuser Sessions at once (at 1 Vuser per terminal session).

Phase

Task

Tool

Admin

PTL

Engr.

Advisor

Guest

Prep

Test Plan & Procedures

E/W/P

Size and Design hardware and Network

Build machines and Config. OS

Get & Install COTS

IE/Setup

License Mgmt.

LoadTest Resource Management

User Acct & Password Mgmt.

Edit personal details

Install Agents on servers under test

Configure Monitor Profiles & Measurements

Host Configuration

Set Project Options

Prepare Test Data & Run Parm Files

E/SQL

Set Scenario RunTime Settings

Upload Scripts, etc. from VuGen

Phase

Task

Tool

Admin

PTL

Tester

Advisor

Guest

Run

Run/Control Script/Parm Validation

Run/Control Load Test

View Running Load Test graphs

Enable run result publishing

Publish Results to Dashboard

Asset share/import/export

Collect & Archive server logs

Host Machine reboot

Set Alert Levels and SLA Targets

Backup/Restore data

Remove Load Tests from Dashboard

Delete Load Tests from DB

Test Report

E/W/P

Assess License Usage

Phase

Task

Tool

Admin

PTL

Tester

Advisor

Guest

Installation and Configuration

Here are explanations of the steps to a clean, hassle-free installation. This list in a Microsoft Project file.

Configure and Order machines and software.
Obtain IP addresses, ports, and names to machines.
Request access to IP addresses and ports within the network.
Identify a hostname and request a DNS entry for it.
Request SSL certificate based on host name.
Schedule daily backups of the database and LRFS (LoadRunner File System).
Request a local administrator account to perform installation. This is needed bacause
- Performance Center automatically creates the IUSR_METRO local system user with admin. priviledges. A crypto key is defined for IUSR_METRO in files starting with f9416f003254e6f10da1fbad8e4c383_ from C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\Crypto\RSA\MachineKeys
When no tests are running, use the System Identity Utility on the Performance Center Administration Site server to propagate to all servers changes to passwords.
- Although the manual suggests changing the Performance Center default user IUSR_METRO,
- Forcing use of a different user with elevated rights ensures that changes to sensitive areas such as Web services, HP file system, and registry are made consicously.
  However, I personally don't think the confusion and lost time such lock-down causes is (if adequate backups exist) worth the additional security protection within a development environment usually run by one person.
  Not having adequate (tested) backups is a worse security flaw.
If you are running with an Intel chip, disable Intel Hyper-Threading technology by shutting down and entering BIOS. Microsoft's information on this.
Installation cannot be to a UNC path, but a network drive.
Download [after required registration] the trial from the HP Download Center.
Put downloaded installation files and patches to a separate media such as a USB drive. Mark those files as read-only.
Search for Patches and download them if they are within your patch management strategy.
Disable anti-virus software (Symantec, McAfee, etc.) before invoking installers.
IIS must be installed before installing Performance_Center_Servers.
Use the dashboard to configure hosts and host pools.
Among common problems installing LoadRunner: Windows 2003 & XP SP2 have a DEP (Data Execution Prevention) feature which prevents VuGen recording. Go to Control Panel, System -> Advanced tab, Performance section "Settings" button Data Execution Prevention tab and add the client program or choose "Turn on DEP for essential windows programs and services only." A reboot is required.
Configure IE security.
- On Windows XP SP2, turn off Windows Firewall from Security Center in the Control Panel.
Install VuGen and Analysis by running the installer Additional Components.
Install Microsoft Office (Word and Excel) on the machine where Analysis is installed so that Word reports can be generated on that machine.
Login to http://server_ip/admin (with default name and password Admin / Admin ) and supply System Configuration info (DB host, DB type, DB Instance (Oracle service name intnsnames.ora), User, Password, File Server Name).
Set the HP license key obtained based on HP Entitlement certifiate.
If MI Listener is used, perform Find MI Listener to verify installation.
Take a full backup of the database and each server.
Test the full backup restore before you have more time invested.
Do all of the above again if the backup didn't restore. (But then you'll know)

Location of Program Files

The default path for the v9.10 TARGETDIR (Target_Installation_Directory) is

C:\Program Files\HP\Performance Center

C:\Program Files (x86)
is the default folder if you install LoadRunner on a machine running 64 bit.

Within its bin folder is the globals.ini file.

To quickly get at this LoadRunner installation folder, create an environment variable named "PC" (or whichever you prefer) so you can use a quick command such as

 cd %pc%

To get at this folder quickly, I created a batch file named "pc.bat" in the cmd's default C:\ root folder containing this:

cd \Program Files\HP\Performance Center\bin
pause

ADO.NET Protocols

The first step in the Installer installs Microsoft's .NET Framework client because ADO.NET protocols are used.

Sample Apps / Protocols

Hosts assigned a higher Priority number (for more powerful machines and/or those dedicated to its task) have preference over those with a lower number (for less powerful machines and/or those that are shared).

Monitors on Windows & UNIX/Linux

Monitoring UNIX Machines

Before starting a run on Linux, check to make sure that rstatd monitors are active. If rstatd services are dropped when a server becomes too busy or is restarted, LoadRunner 7.8 does not attempt to re-acquire information from rstatd. The work-around is to exit and reinitialize the Controller again.

MI Listener for HTTPS/SSL Traffic

When agents send HTTPS traffic (through port 443) from behind a firewall, it uses the "Monitoring over Firewall Component" and the Controller communicates uses a symbolic name for the agent through Mercury Interactive's MI Listener Machine (through port 50500) outside the firewall. Monitoring of Windows machines through a firewall use TCP port 139.

Performance Center Dashboard

This application was not written to use IE7 tabs.

The Host Runs Tab lists runs by Duration hours.

Keep Run IDs short.

Allocation is to a Pool .

The Allocation maximum is 5 for the maximum number of concurrent operations.

"Ping to Host" by the Administration server is not available for Load generators over firewall, which uses
"Ping to URL".

Each controller or load generator host can be assigned to only a single pool.

Performance targets are not copied when you copy a load test.

Several pools (typically each in a different location) can be assigned to a particular Project.

In the User Notes field for each Load Test Result, use codes to distinguish among various tests during searches.

Performance Center remembers the last filter used by each project for each user.

Pools can be nested (reference other pools) to construct a merged pool.

When defining Projects, instead of taking the word literally, specify the type of performance test (single-user longevity, multi-user stress, multi-user/multi-function contention, etc.).

The Load Test Details page only differentiates whether a run suceeded. It would be better if it also lists the peak running vusers, how many iterations, errors, etc.
However, it does present transactions for each load test.
Click on a transaction to open a response time Dashboard for it, with the goal shown as a dashed line.

System Constraints

I prefer the Classic Schedule over the Real-life Schedule. because it gives more control since each Vuser group can have its own run-time settings.

Vusers running utility scripts to monitor the system begin first.
Vusers running interactive application emulation scripts run a minute after the run begins.
Vusers running scripts to create spike conditions or running expensive transaction begin a several minutes later.
Different Vusers can run with different think times and attribute values.

The Performance Center Dashboard does not offer the goal-oriented scenario approach to automatically ramp-up the number of vusers.

The number of Vusers assigned to each Vuser group gets reset to a default of 10 Vusers when you switch from a schedule by group to a schedule by load test.

Actions for a schedule are replaced by the default set of actions for the new run mode when you switch from one run mode to another.

HP does not allow use of Windows Remote Desktop Connection (RDC).

Performance targets are not copied when a load test is cloned (by clicking Save As).

Before a load test's results are published, the load test must be enabled for publishing to the Dashboard.

Reports

HPPC's 6 reports are not much more than filtered lists from the database. The simple filtering mechanisms provided become less useful as the number of values increases to the volume typical such systems manage after many months. Search conditions cannot be saved and reused again another day. The sort sequence cannot be changed. The sequence and appearance of columns are fixed. Filtering is peformed only from the left-most characters, not by regular expression (please correct me if I am wrong). The information is not presented in the context of a job role workflow.

If you are an expert (or have the time to become an expert) in Excel, you can export the data to an Excel spreadsheet and manipulate the data yourself. But if you have to do all that, why were you charged so much money on the software?

In the descriptions below, I have added the need for extented queries. PLUG: I can write web pages and SQL to answer questions that simple filtering cannot address.

Site Users Report

can answer "which projects and user privilege levels can each user access?"
But how can you see which users have accounts that are about to expire (and need reminding)?

Concurrency vs. License Report

can answer "how many licenses and resources have been used concurrently?"
drills down by project
But what is the trend of overall license usage so that you can do capacity planning.

Timeslot Usage Report

can answer "how many timeslots have been used concurrently?"
drills down by project
But what is the trend of overall timeslot usage so that you can do capacity planning.
But can emails and SMS messages be sent out to the administrator as reminders?

Resource Summary Report

can answer provides aggregate data regarding the way projects used the various resources of the system.
But what is the trend of overall disk and bandwidth usage so that you can do capacity planning.

Resource by Duration Report

can answer "how many resources have been used concurrently?"
drills down by project and specific user.
But what is the trend of resource usage so that you can do capacity planning.
But can emails and SMS messages be sent out if resource usage reaches a threshold?

Resource by Runs Report

can answer "how many resources have been used by each run?"
drills down by project and specific user.
But what is the trend for types of runs planned vs. actually run?
But can emails and SMS messages be sent out if a run condumes more resources than it was allocated?