Recording an HTTP test for mobile applications

You can use IBM® Rational® Performance Tester to test a native or web application from the mobile device by using an HTTP protocol.

Before you begin

  • You must have installed Rational® Performance Tester on your computer.
  • You must have a mobile device.
  • Rational® Performance Tester and the mobile device must be connected to the same wireless network.

About this task

To record the HTTP traffic to and from the mobile applications, you must download a digital certificate to connect to a wireless network, which is same as that hosts Rational® Performance Tester. To record communication between the mobile device and the internet, the computer on which Rational® Performance Tester is installed must be set up as a proxy server. This setup communicates all mobile network traffic through Rational® Performance Tester's recording proxy.

Procedure

  1. To download the certificate from Rational® Performance Tester to your computer, perform the following sub-steps:
    1. In the Performance Test perspective, on the toolbar, click the New Test From Recording icon test_recording_new or click File > New > Test From Recording.
    2. In the New Test From Recording wizard, select HTTP Test, and click Next.
    3. On the Select Location page, select the project and folder, type a name for the test, and click Next.
    4. On the Select Client Application page, select the Unmanaged Application.
    5. On the Proxy Recorder Settings page, click hyperlinked save option to save the recorder root certificate on your local desktop.
  2. Share the downloaded certificate with a mobile device that is under test.
  3. To download and install the certificate on a mobile device, perform the following sub-steps depending on your mobile device:
    iPhone device Android device
    1. Open the email that contains certificate on the mobile device.
    2. Select the certificate.
    3. Choose iPhone as the device.
    4. Go to Settings > General > Profile > IBM Performance Tester Recorder.
    5. From Install Profile screen, tap Install.
    6. If you have a PIN or passcode set on your iPhone, you must enter it. After you enter the PIN or passcode, ignore the warning and tap Install.
    7. Tap Done to exit the screen.
    1. Open the email that contains certificate on the mobile device.
    2. Download the certificate.
    3. Go to Settings > Additional settings > Privacy > Encryption & credentials > Install from storage.
    4. Select the certificate to install.
    5. If you have a PIN or password set on your Android device, you must enter it and tap OK.
    6. Specify a name for the certificate and click OK.
    7. Go to Settings > Additional settings > Privacy > Encryption & credentials > User credentials to view the installed certificate.
  4. If you are using an iPhone, go to Settings > General > About > Certificate Trust Settings to manually enable the installed certificate.
  5. To configure the mobile device proxy, perform the following sub-steps depending on your mobile device:
    iPhone device Android device
    1. From iPhone, go to Settings > Wi-Fi and tap the connected network.
    2. In the HTTP PROXY section, select Manual for Configure Proxy and specify the following settings:
      • Server - The IP address or the host name of the computer that hosts Rational® Performance Tester.
      • Port - Enter 1080 as Rational® Performance Tester listening port.
      • Authentication - Do not enable.
    1. From your Android device, go to Settings > Wi-Fi and tap the connected network.
    2. In the PROXY section, select Manual and specify the following settings:
      • Hostname - The IP address or the host name of the computer that hosts Rational® Performance Tester.
      • Port - Enter 1080 as Rational® Performance Tester listening port.
      • Bypass for - Leave this field blank.
    3. In the IP SETTINGS section, select DHCP.
  6. To record an HTTP performance test:
    1. From Rational® Performance Tester project, right-click the folder where you want your recording to be placed, and select New > Test From Recording.
    2. Select HTTP Test in the Recording Session window and click Next.
    3. On the Select Location page, select the project and folder, specify a name for the test, and click Next.
    4. Select Unmanaged Application in the Select Client Application window. This option records HTTP traffic from a mobile device that uses a proxy.
    5. Click Next.
    6. Select Proxy Type as HTTP and Proxy port as 1080 on the Proxy Recorder Settings page and click Finish.
    7. From your mobile device, navigate through your installed application to start the recording. If all settings are configured correctly, you can see some activities on the HTTP Proxy Recorder tab during recording.

      Mobile app recording activity

    8. To pause your recording, and if you want to navigate to other section of mobile application that needs no recording, click the Pause/Resume Recording button. Click the button again to resume recording.
    9. When you finish recording all the required transactions from your mobile application, click the Stop button to stop the recording.
    10. Select the domains to include in the test and click Finish.

Results

A progress window is displayed while the test is generated. After the test is complete, the Recording Control view displays the Test generation completed message, the test navigator lists your test, and the test opens in the test editor.